Can't start my 408!

[jimmyray]

I installed a 408 Stroker in my duster, and am having problems getting it to start. It will crank over fine, and fire occasionally, and I have bee able to get it to start before, but with some conditions:

When I got it started, the timing was way retarded, so much so that the mark did not show on the damper. Also, it was backfiring something aweful.

When I advanced the timing to about 10 BDC, the idle smoothed out, and as I was adjusting the carb, it died, not to be resurrected! It will still turn over, firing occasionally, but won't start.

When I unplug the coil wire from the dist, it will spark nicely when I turn the engine over, but something is weird. I did some checking of the voltages at the coil, and here is what I get:

Key in "Start" Position = 12 volts from + coil to ground.
Key in "Run" Position = 4 volts + coil to ground

Key in Off position: No Volts. However, when I check for continuity, I get 5 ohms (near straight wire to ground!) from the positive side of the coil to ground. Should there be a continuity between the positive side of the coil to ground ever?

Thanks!

Puzzled in AL

 

[GTXperience]

Jimmy, I am just running out the door but will reread this carefully when I get back. Is there anyway your distributor is 180 degrees out?

 

[jimmyray]

I tried rotating it, but it only backfired and spit through the carb then. I may have not had it in the right timing range, though. Would it even start if it were 180 degrees out, because it has started the way it is, but can't get it to now. It will ALMOST start, but not quite... Grrr.....

 

[RedFish]

If you had it idling smooth and adjusting the carb killed it... it may just be flooded. Try wide open throttle and see if it starts and clears up. Ther has been times I had to pull the plugs and dry them (more that onec) when starting a fresh engine.

 

[jimmyray]

I did pull the valve cover to check the dist timing, it is in correctly.

Idling smoothly is debatable - it was idling, and when I started adjusting the idle screws, I managed to kill it, and since the battery was low, it would not restart. 3 recharge cycles and 2 days later, I still can't get it started. I even changed to the almost new Edly 1406 - 600cfm carb, and still only kicks like it will almost! start. Grrrrrrr...

 

[jimmyray]

I pulled the plugs on 1,3,2,4,6,8 and they were all damp, presumably gas. I turned it over a couple of time, and will let the cylinders air out while the battery recharges (again!). Perhaps it was just flooded?

 

[RedFish]

to turn it over with the plugs out is not a good plan for a couple reasons. Intake valves will let more fuel in the cylinders. Explosive vapors escaping through plug holes. Best to just let it dry. Hope thats all the problem is.
Meanwhile check the ignition again, i.e. the drive dog in rotor button, proper wire location on cap, etc.. I
if you have all stock components there you can set the distrubuters spark advance vacuum port square to the block and it shoud start/run there.

 

[JR]

Could the dist be a tooth off? Is the rotor facing #1 cylinder when it is at TDC? I had that problem on a 360, I just pulled the oil pump drive gear, moved it over 1 tooth and the rotor lined up with #1 and it fired right up.

 

[jimmyray]

Actually, it is lined up with the intake manifold bolt above cylinder #1, as per my build manuals. I could pull out the oil drive gear and have it face the cylinder, as that would be about a tooths worth of rotation. See the below pic.

I can try it, if you think this might be the problem...

 

[redfastback]

i would say your flooded. what exactly were you doing to the carb when it died? if you stabbed it, i could understand.

 

[jimmyray]

After investigating the distributor position some more, I discovered the below. I bought a curved distributor from FBO, and have talked to Don on the phone, but I have not discussed this one yet. Perhaps this is the root of my frustration? It appears the pickup is not in the correct position, or the rotor is not, or... The gap is set at 0.008", when I got it it was around 0.022".

 

[redfastback]

no. that to me shows it is about 10* advanced(btdc). it should start fine like that. wait a day for it to dry out and the fire it up again. how many turns out are the idle mix screws?

 

[jimmyray]

2 turns out.

Check out the below - is this an issue?

 

[jimmyray]

THAT WAS IT!!!

I removed the reluctor, pulled out the locator pin and reinstalled to the "CORRECT" position, and it fired right up!!


Yahoooooo!!!

 

[RedFish]

Happy moparing

 

[redfastback]

good catch! glad you got it.

 

[jtrex]

happy u r up and running
my stroker is strong and fast
better then i through it would be

 

[jimmyray]

:-d

 

[superdart]

So, how long have you had that Duster? From your avatar it looks like the one below, which once belonged to a club member her in Texas. This picture isn't the best, but it looked a lot like yours.

 

[dukes69]

Nice, I have a 416 stroker built by SPEED O MOTIVE. It is really radical, not sure how the streetability is going to be... By the wayis that a stock oil pan on yours? Any issues with it?

 

[jimmyray]

So, how long have you had that Duster? From your avatar it looks like the one below, which once belonged to a club member her in Texas. This picture isn't the best, but it looked a lot like yours.

Same car. I bought it from a dealer in VA, who took it in on trade for a RoadRunner that the guy in Texas bought. It looks like this now...