Poor Starting

[will.koch]

We just replaced the 289 with a 302 in my '67. We had it running tonight, got the timing set, set our idle mixture, and it seemed to run fine... However, we are having serious trouble getting it to start up.. Even with the battery jumped, charged for a while, anything, it seems to barely get the engine to turn over... It turns it, just very slowly, like 1 sec per revolution...

Here's what gets me.. The battery check at advance auto parts said good, still does it.. And although it does it most of the time, every now and then, it'll pick up and just start cranking a lot faster, like it normally should (which is how we got it started to set the timing). Finally, we pulled the ground off the block, and there were small sparks from the ground to the block (that one really puzzled me).

Any ideas? Anybody know of a bad "something" that will charge the engine block (like a bad starter relay or ignition coil)? Thanks a bunch.

-Will

 

[Bully Bob]

Start disconnecting things that you previously handled during the eng. swap...'til you find it no longer sparks. Shouldn't take long.

If something is "on" lights, ign. key, for instance, ....there should be a "spark" when the ground is connected.

Also....you may have pinched a wire somewhere during assy. (under manifold, etc.) causing a direct short.

The starter sounds like it may have issues as well.

 

[Seabronc]

Check and clean the battery (-) lead connections from the battery to the engine block and frame. Also check and clean all the positive side connections. That is a very simple circuit and should work just fine providing the connections and starter are good. There should be a jumper from the intake manifold to the fire wall that makes the connection for lights and instrumentation.

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[will.koch]

We found the problem yesterday... It was simply a weak starter... I guess the old 289 had lost so much compression, the old starter had no problem kicking it over... With the new 302, all its compression kept the old starter from kicking it over... Put the new starter motor on, and its firing right up.....

A few more questions:

What do you all set your timing at? I think mines about 8 or 9 degrees, but any closer to 6 it'll stall out? It was a lot worse, but then I read in one of my books to start with the idle mixture screws all the way out... it runs quite a bit better, but clearly running rich... We've got it down as low as 8-900, and it sounds great, will the idle mixture bring it the rest of the way down to 500? Or do you all run yours at 8-900? Also having trouble with the electric choke, and trying to figure out where to set it..

Any help would be appreciated, thanks guys

-Will

PS - Its a motorcraft 2150, thinking of switching to a edelbrock 500... eventually... any thoughts?

 

[Bully Bob]

"-----What do you all set your timing at?---"

Usually 6-7deg. with vac. tube off. But where it runs best & doesn't ping.

"-----start with the idle mixture screws all the way out----"

Actually, 2.5 turns...then adj. from there.

left & right of the "sweet spot" should drop RPM

"----but clearly running rich---"

More likely a bad/un-adjusted float or a bad/dirty needle & seat.

"-----switching to a edelbrock 500... eventually... any thoughts?---"

Hood clearance & throttle linkage clearance are the main issues.

Your carb. will do fine cleaned up & adjusted.

 

[Seabronc]

Idle mixture is not intended to be used to adjust the idle speed. One way to set idle mixture is to set it for the highest vacuum reading. There are normally two idle adjustments to do, first the, "High speed idle", via the ***** that rides on the choke step and then the the, "Curb idle", located on the throttle side.

Good luck,

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