ratbrat Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Okay so here's the deal I change theand head gaskets on mythe ea81and everything seems okay fired right up I got spark, compression, I have fuel and then I shut the car off to hook up the alternator and because I didn't hook up the alternator. Car wont start now. I unhook the alternator to see if it was anything I did. Still no start. I still have spark, comp, and fuel. I say eff it for the day. Come back today. Clock the distributer at full advance (clockwise) car fires right up. Idling high as ************ ofcoarse cause its so advanced. Try timing it and it wont run aside from full advance. Which is weird cause it didn't need to be clocked like that before. See my temps getting high so I shut it off and hook my fan up to battery to keep from overheating. Car wont start again. Triedjust ************in with the timing and nothing. I still have spark, comp, and fuel. This is the weirdest thing. I didn't touch the timing before or after doing the heads. It started right up before I did the headgaskets. What has changed. All my vac lines are hooked up right im pretty sure. Im just at a loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratbrat Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 I dont get it.... if i advance the holy jesus out of the distributer it will start and run. still with a high idel. used a timing light to look at the timing marks on the flywheel and im way off. it i try to retard the timing closer to where it should be it just stumbles and dies. the weird thing is i didnt touch the timing at all. i pulled engine, replaced head gaskets and put engine back in. all my vacuum lines look good. What could have possibly changed for the timing to be so far off all of a sudden? it ran fine before i replaced the headgasket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 If it ran fine before, and now it doesnt, time to retrace your steps. Is the vlave clearance properly set? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratbrat Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 I didn't change anything with the valves. Pulled the rockers and cams off as one. Went back as one. Maybe they came out of adjustment due to different head torquing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I didn't change anything with the valves. Pulled the rockers and cams off as one. ? Cams? Did you say EA81? Deffinately check valve clearances also consider that a lean or rich fuel mixture could be masked by altering the ignition timing. Maybe check over the carb possibly clogged jet or air leak. I feel for you man. I hate chasing problems that make no sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I didn't change anything with the valves. Pulled the rockers and cams off as one. Went back as one. Maybe they came out of adjustment due to different head torquing? Yes. If you stop and think about it you changed a dimmension that the pushrods go over. It doesnt take much to throw the valve adjustment out in a case like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obk25xt Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Ummm, maybe you have the plug wires in the correct order, but advanced or retarded one set. Unlikely, but hey, it's possible........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratbrat Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 haha yeah i guess they wouldn't be called a cams on these motors. the cam i left alone. the rockers is what i pulled. my next task then will be to check the valve clearances then. I will prolly get time to tear into it again tomorrow. but now that i think about it would make sense for the clearances to change slightly if maybe the head gasket was thicker or thinner. I double checked my plug pires. put #1 at tdc and set them up that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I double checked my plug pires. put #1 at tdc and set them up that way. Firing order. 1 3 2 4 Just in case. Dirk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratbrat Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 So not sure if it was cause the valves were to tight or me messing with the distributer but its in time now. Only thing is the idol is still up at like 2500-3000. Why might this be? Or how can I dial it down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Maybe check if there is enough slack in throttle cable. Adjusting timing will affect idle. I you are satisified that timing is correct then maybe just need to play with idle screw on front of carb. (one on the left) Dirk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 How are you setting igition timing? Do you have a timing light? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratbrat Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 Yes I am using a timing light Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratbrat Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 about where should these motors be idling about anyways? I adjusted that screw on the carb and got it down to about 1500 cold. have yet to take it up to operating temp yet since the adjustment as i havent had time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Usually 700 - 800 RPM cold, I forget the exact number Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rust Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 The general rule of thumb for dialing in a motor as I know it is the following order. 1. set valves(make sure engine is cold) 2. set timming 3. set carb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coxy Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 I think you will find the issue is that the rotor button is not lining up with the 4 poles in the distributor cap correctly. If you take a distributor out that is gear driven you have to make sure to fit it back in at top dead centre number one cylinder and when you line up the timing marks statically you should mark where the number one plug lead lines up on the distributor body with a felt tip pen or paint pen. Then most importantly manually move the rotor button to demonstrate the arc it travels when mechanical and vacuum advance occurs. It is vital that the metalic section of the rotor button as it sweeps around where the pickup is for the various cylinders has been marked remains close enough to allow spark to jump across when you manually advance the distributor. This aspect is obviously out and that is why it will start only when fully advanced,any retard swing of the distributor moves the rotor button and igniton lead pickups away from each other so no spark can jump the gap. They never line up perfectly but the arc of the rotor button must always keep some part of the rotor button adjacent to the various lead pickup points for the spark to travel to various cylinders as needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratbrat Posted April 22, 2012 Author Share Posted April 22, 2012 It actually ended up being the valves to tight. Im new to push rod motors amd dudng put tigether that replacing the head gasket chould mess up my vslve clearances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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