AFTER FIRE van 1966 not starting!! HELLLLP!!!

Hi all


To make the story short, I was driving my van when I smelled
something weird, stopped and discovered that the engine was on fire.My
son was asleep in the back so I rushed to get him out.After that, I got
a bottle of water and sprayed it on the engine, which did the job of
putting the fire out.

The cause of the fire was a missing a hose clip that goes on the gas
line connected to the carburetor.
Someone who stopped at that moment put the hose back on and the
metallic tube that goes in to the carb was gently "hammered in".

The van is 12Volts.

Once home, I started to work on the engine. I replaced:

a) All electric cables
b) Coil
c) Spark plug cables
d) Gas lines with a stock pipe (that looked narrower that the one in
place)
e) condenser
f) contact points
g) spark plugs (but put back original ones)

Then I set up the following:

Contact points:
I set up the contact point to 0.40 (inch)
I tested to see if it sparked by cranking it manually and it did.

Condenser:
and when replacing the condenser I had to turn the distributor but
marked the original position, which I used to place the distributor in
it's original position after I reeplaced it.

I had a go trying to start the engine, with no luck
Haynes manual tells me if the engine does not start (the starter motor
works fine and is cranking the engine) I should check:

a) the Ht cable from the coil to distributor (I put a metallic piece in
and grounded it to the body and a blue spark showed up when trying to
start the engine)
The distributor cap (how do I do it?, I don't think there are any
cracks and the contact points are clean)
b) the rotor (again how do I do it?) no visible cracks, and the
metallic plate seems clean.
c) test each of the spark plug cables on the same way as point a)
d) test the spark plugs (how do I do?)

Gas/petrol
There is petrol in the van and as far as I car hear it is injected in
to the carburator.

Well to my knowledge (which is not much) this should make the engine
start, but it doesn't.Can someone point out to me anything that I have
overseen? I am getting desperate!!!

HELLPPPPP!!!!!

"Cuauhtemoc" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> I set up the contact point to 0.40 (inch)
> I tested to see if it sparked by cranking it manually and it did.
>

0.016 is where your points should be set...

Cuauhtemoc wrote:
> Hi all
>
>
> To make the story short, I was driving my van when I smelled
> something weird, stopped and discovered that the engine was on fire.My
> son was asleep in the back so I rushed to get him out.After that, I got
> a bottle of water and sprayed it on the engine, which did the job of
> putting the fire out.
>
> The cause of the fire was a missing a hose clip that goes on the gas
> line connected to the carburetor.
> Someone who stopped at that moment put the hose back on and the
> metallic tube that goes in to the carb was gently "hammered in".
>
> The van is 12Volts.
>
> Once home, I started to work on the engine. I replaced:
>
> a) All electric cables
> b) Coil
> c) Spark plug cables
> d) Gas lines with a stock pipe (that looked narrower that the one in
> place)
> e) condenser
> f) contact points
> g) spark plugs (but put back original ones)
>
> Then I set up the following:
>
> Contact points:
> I set up the contact point to 0.40 (inch)
> I tested to see if it sparked by cranking it manually and it did.
>
> Condenser:
> and when replacing the condenser I had to turn the distributor but
> marked the original position, which I used to place the distributor in
> it's original position after I reeplaced it.
>
> I had a go trying to start the engine, with no luck
> Haynes manual tells me if the engine does not start (the starter motor
> works fine and is cranking the engine) I should check:
>
> a) the Ht cable from the coil to distributor (I put a metallic piece in
> and grounded it to the body and a blue spark showed up when trying to
> start the engine)
> The distributor cap (how do I do it?, I don't think there are any
> cracks and the contact points are clean)
> b) the rotor (again how do I do it?) no visible cracks, and the
> metallic plate seems clean.
> c) test each of the spark plug cables on the same way as point a)
> d) test the spark plugs (how do I do?)
>
> Gas/petrol
> There is petrol in the van and as far as I car hear it is injected in
> to the carburator.
>
> Well to my knowledge (which is not much) this should make the engine
> start, but it doesn't.Can someone point out to me anything that I have
> overseen? I am getting desperate!!!
>
> HELLPPPPP!!!!!
>

As Joey noted, 0.016" gap. (You meant to say 0.40mm) <g>

Look on my web site for: "Why won't my engine start?"

Step-by-step troubleshooting.

Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/

"Joey Tribiani" > wrote in message
news:OPAKg.6741$SZ3.3942@dukeread04...

> 0.016 is where your points should be set...

and I'll bet a beer he's got his plug-wires out of order.

Speedy Jim wrote:
> Look on my web site for: "Why won't my engine start?"
>
> Step-by-step troubleshooting.
>
> Speedy Jim
> http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/

Wow ... nice resource. Bookmarked!

I will certainly need to refer to this when I reassemble my engine in
the next few weeks. ;-)

-Steve Ballantyne

Sorry I meant so say 0.40 mm for contact points wich is 0.016 (inch)

And on the spark plug wires, will the order cause the engine not to
start? or only to missfire?

I had the wires from distributor lower rigt hand side and going clock
wise
1 - 4 - 3 - 2

A note, when I have the switch on and UNPLUG the cable that goes from
the automatic choke to the coil, and PLUG it again a mild spark goes on
and something sounds on the carburator, again this might be normal, but
just want to sayt it

"Speedy Jim" > wrote in message
et...


> As Joey noted, 0.016" gap. (You meant to say 0.40mm) <g>
>

Jim, i was sure hoping that is what he meant, but wasn't taking any
chances....LOL

"Cuauhtemoc" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Sorry I meant so say 0.40 mm for contact points wich is 0.016 (inch)
>
> And on the spark plug wires, will the order cause the engine not to
> start? or only to missfire?
>
> I had the wires from distributor lower rigt hand side and going clock
> wise
> 1 - 4 - 3 - 2

that is the correct *order*....that doesn't mean it is correct on the
distributor..... firing order being off will indeed cause a no start or
missfire conditions..... you may need to verify your TDC of number one
cylinder.....there are a couple ways to do it, but easiest gets you in the
ballpark...pop off the right hand valve cover and watch the valves on number
one as you rotate the engine(clockwise)...when the intake valve closes bring
the engine to TDC...pop the distributor cap off and make sure the rotor is
pointing(roughly) where your number one sparkplug wire is located on the
cap...

>
> A note, when I have the switch on and UNPLUG the cable that goes from
> the automatic choke to the coil, and PLUG it again a mild spark goes on
> and something sounds on the carburator, again this might be normal, but
> just want to sayt it
>

if your carb has an idle shutoff solenoid this is normal....it is on the
lefthand side of the carb and should be linked to the same wire as the
autochoke is....

"j" > wrote in message
...
> "Joey Tribiani" > wrote in message
> news:OPAKg.6741$SZ3.3942@dukeread04...
>
>> 0.016 is where your points should be set...
>
> and I'll bet a beer he's got his plug-wires out of order.
>
>

oh man....could i use a beer....LOL....

Thanks Joey (and all) for your answers
> that is the correct *order*....that doesn't mean it is correct on the
> distributor..... firing order being off will indeed cause a no start or
> missfire conditions..... you may need to verify your TDC of number one
> cylinder.....there are a couple ways to do it, but easiest gets you in the
> ballpark...pop off the right hand valve cover and watch the valves on number
> one as you rotate the engine(clockwise)...when the intake valve closes bring
> the engine to TDC...pop the distributor cap off and make sure the rotor is
> pointing(roughly) where your number one sparkplug wire is located on the
> cap...

What does TDC stands for?

That seems to go over my knowledge, but will give it a go right now,
what a hell!
no pain, no gain!

> if your carb has an idle shutoff solenoid this is normal....it is on the
> lefthand side of the carb and should be linked to the same wire as the
> autochoke is....
Yep there is a cable shared and connected to a part on the carb but is
on the righthand side, I imagine that is what you mention.

A question if I go and change the cable spark plug cable order, will I
cause any damage to the engine?