I have gone through my 216 straight six - new gaskets, etc. The truck was running when i took it apart... I have replaced my carb with a NOS Carter YF climatic control choke. In setting my timing, i went through these steps - let #1 cylinder intake valve (second from front) fully open then fully close by turning engine by hand. after #1 intake closes, i advanced the engine around another 1/3 turn (approx) until the flywheel mark U/C is at the pointer on the bellhousing. I then adjusted my points to be just open (and about to fully open). My wires/plugs/coil are all new. distributor cap, rotor, and points all look fine. I have firing order set at 1,5,3,6,2,4. The thing will NOT crank. any ideas on what else i should try? did i not use the correct timing procedure? any ideas appreciated.
What do you mean it wont (crank) Will it not turn over or not fire? Are you on 6 or 12 volt s? I had some problems getting my 49 216 fired up too. Check out my post and youll find a good deal of imfo i got from others . As far as setting this up to start , pull #1 plug remove coil wire crank engine over with your finger firmly in the #1 plug hole it will pop your finger out when it comes up on the compression stroke . That is when you want to stop cranking it , i used a screw driver and jumped the starter directly to turn the engine over a little at a time until i got this up on compression. If the distributor is set close the rotor button will be between 5 and 6 oclock . My #1 plug wire was at 6 oclock on my cap. The #1 cylinder needs to be UP on compression , rotor aiming 5 to 6 oclock and the timing pointer in the the bell should be on or very near the ball bearing in the flywheel! Then you should be good to go . I had all this set with mine on 6 volts but it just wouldnt start , converted to 12 and it fired right up . I know a good 6 volt system should work just as well but this was my experience . Hope this helps ....
I assume you don't mean that it won't crank (turn over) because that's a whole different problem. You changed a LOT (new gaskets, tune up parts, rebuilt carbs) all at once without testing each one as you went along, so any one of them could be the problem. 1. Pull the fuel hose off and crank the engine. Are you getting fuel to the carbs? 2. Are you getting spart at the cylinders? Hold the plugs close to the block and crank it. Spark? If yes to both, then your problem is likely either the carbs (NOS could mean dry gaskets, stuck/rusted parts, etc), or more likely, your timing is off.
thanks - and you're right, it turns over but won't fire. the Carter YF was new in the box and appears to be in very new condition - there are not gas leaks, etc. i have my #1 set at the 2 o'clock position - i'll check the compression using the bump method you described instead of watching valve position to see if that gives me a different position on the distributor and will put my pointer at the SS ball instead of between the U/C marking. what about point setting? should my points be just beginning to open or fully opened if the pointer is at the ball?
fyi - this is the second carb - the carb that was on the truck when running was rebuilt but no better results - truck still wouldn't crank. that carb was always junky anyway so i replaced it thinking that was potentially the problem - evidently wasn't...
I would recommend adjusting your points as described in the service manual. http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1949_53/12electrical/12_34.HTM
When I rough set my points, I usually put them off cam and just close them. You have insured that they are open, but not that they are closed. They must close, then open to fire.
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