I am having a problem with my 1946 Chevrolet 216 engine. I redid a lot of the motor this past summer (head was cracked but is repaired) and reassembled it, adjusted the valves and everything and it wont start. I did not take the pistons out but there is compression in the cylinders. There is spark at the plugs and we dumped some fuel down the carburetor but it just wont fire up. Anyone have any ideas of what the problem might be? I have new points but haven't put them in, I am hoping that will be a step in the right direction. Thanks, Peter
I've had a 46 1/2 ton 216 for a few years. Go to the stovebolt.com if you can't find the answers here.
Finger over the spark plug hole compression, or over 120 psi measured all six with a compression tester? Was the distributor moved or removed when the head work was done?
It's probably out of timing. Have you checked that yet, clean properly gapped plugs? Does it even try to fire? Any sputter or sign of life at all? Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
Check this site out. It will help to make sure that you've got everything done correctly. If it has spark and fuel, no reason it shouldn't run. At least that is what my dad says, usually true. http://www.speedprint.com/deves50/doc/enginetiming.pdf
The distributor was never removed from when it used to run. All we did was gap the points. The spark plugs are properly gapped to .040 as stated in the shop manual. It does not try to fire at all, no sputtering or anything. Only turning over and turning over, and turning over.
Also the camshaft and crank shaft did not come out of the block. It was exactly how it was when it last ran.
.040 is too wide ,try .028-032 . And a fresh set of plugs,ya still using those little 10 MM jobbies? Also take a compression test you may have got the valves too tight.
the spark plug gap should be .035 and did you adjust the points open? They should be adjusted when open (on the crown or point of the distributor cam, not on the flat surface). New points should be gapped between .022 and.024 to compensate for the new block. Otherwise, the point gap is .018. Remember, make certain that you gap the points open, with the block resting on the crown.
The points were properly gapped. We even were reading the shop manual as it was done. I can try adjusting the plug gaps - the manual says .040 but I can try a little smaller.
Also, the plugs were brand new. I had just opened each plug package and screwed on the tip to the plug itself.
have you checked the compresion? and doubled checked the fireing order? also you could try towing it a little to get the motor spinning faster.
when you pulled the head did you clean any antifreeze out of the cylinders, cylinders may be washed of oil,try a few drops of engine oil in each cylinder,ive run into this as being a no start problem when every thing else seem to be in order,hope it may help,
Years ago I installed a set of points in a 235 cu.in. Engine would not start. Motor ran before. Tried another new set, still no good. My boss told me to put the old set back in and the motor started. He said that the dist. was so worn that it wouldn`t take the new points. Just a thought for you.
The engine was cleaned and I put a few drops of oil on the cylinder walls. I found a valve adjusting procedure online and it seemed to match what the shop manual said. If cylinder 1 was at TDC then cylinders 1, 4, and 5 I believe it was could be adjusted. Then turn it so cylinder 6 was at TDC then the other cylinder's valves could be adjusted. There is spark at the plugs and they were gapped to the shop manual specifications. Firing order was correct. I have not put in new points yet but hopefully that will be 1 step closer to it starting.
Still not running? If you've adjusted the valves correctly and your getting spark and fuel to carb then the only thing left is your intake. Check to see if there are any loose bolts, might be a vacuumn leak. If it sucking air somewhere it won't pull the fuel through. Spray a little starting fluid around the intake and base of carb while cranking it. Not too much though if it backfires and catches on fire it will be exciting time for a few minutes. Also you might change the condenser. I have heard of that giving people problems but never had it happen to me. Good luck and keep us posted.
Well it has been a while since this discussion was last viewed or edited but I have an update on this issue. I put the new points in, replaced the plug wires, and did some carburetor work and what'ya know. Got in the truck to try starting it again and it fired right off like it was warmed up already. Did some fine tuning with the choke and throttle knobs on the dash and now it will idle perfectly (probably around 400 rpm or so). Sounds great and now I can drive the truck. However, the carrier bearing in the drive shaft needs replacing and the pinion seal in the rear end will be replaced and then it will be as good as new (not really).
The Jalopy Journal
