Okay so the first start was shaky at best. It appeared to want to start up and I heard it fire a little bit then it died. I made a sound clip of it but it sounds like crap, it is from my phone. I could not smell much fuel from the carb so I pulled the line at the fuel filter and there was a little pile of rust particles at the nipple of the filter. I assume this is coming from the fuel line because the tank and pump are all new and so is the filter + rebuilt carb. I also assume this means I need to replace my fuel line?? Could it also be my distributor/spark timing is off?

In order to fix the spark firing time I have to put the engine to TDC then align my spark plugs with the rotor in a counter clockwise formation correct? How do I know I am at TDC without having one of those special tools? I tried using a hanger but that didn't work lol.

Any advice / information would be appreciated.

Thanks for reading!

 

That sounds like the fuel line is full of crap from the old rusty tank. It could also need to be replaced. Replacing it may be the best way to go anyway.

 

Well, what I would do is replace the rubber lines and the filter again. Look into the carb with the choke open and pump the throttle. Do you see any spray/squirt? Then make sure that the choke closes like it should initially. If you aren't getting any fuel, we can go this direction, if you are we can look at ignition.

The quickest way to see if your timing is close is to pull the #1 plug. Put your thumb over the plug hole and bump the sol a little at a time until you feel the compression try to blow your thumb off the hole. (Before you do this, make sure the car is not in gear and pull the coil wire off the dist and ground it!!! Even leave the key off.) Once you get to that point, you can continue to turn the crank by hand until your marks line up. (CW as you are looking at it) Then, pull the cap and see where the rotor is pointing.

I don't know if I can explain rotation on here or not but I'll give it a shot. Imagine a line going into the vacuum adv unit from where the vacuum hose would hook to and continuing through the unit, out the other side and wrapping around the dist. This is the direction your rotor will be traveling.....or once you have the cap off to verify timing, bump the sol again and watch which way it goes.

 

Yea I already replaced the fuel tank. So I am hoping that it is the line. I will replace those.

As always Stepman thanks for the information. The problem is when I got the engine back from the shop there were no marks on it. That is why I am having problems finding TDC. So I just stick my thumb in #1 and when it is done pushing my thumb out that is where I want it when I first start it?

 

Well, the thumb will only get you on the comp stroke and close to the top. If you wait til it's done blowing, you will be past tdc. Once you're close, try your coat hanger. Only need a piece maybe 6" long but, you have to angle it down the cylinder. Not the angle of the plug hole. Try to imagine where the piston will be...how are you going to time it witthout marks?

 

I have no idea. When I got the engine back the distributor was not in and there were no marks on where that was when it was taken out. Also there are no marks on my harmonic. Any idea on how I can go about doing this?