Car won't start (still). I can't deal with this. Make me an offer and it is yours.

65racecoupe

Founding Member
Mar 24, 2002
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Tempe, AZ
I am serious. $21,500 or best offer, you come get it or have it shipped. I have posted pics many times. You can fix the problem for about $500, but I have no more patience. About $34K invested.

3000 miles on a TOTAL restoration, I just can't get it to start for some reason.

I want someone who knows something to have this car.

It will not fire up. I have spent $400 on this damn car trying to get it to work.

NEW - yes, new expensive parts....

MSD 6 AL box
Blaster coil
Magnetic Pickup
Alternator
Optima Battery

I have gone through everything and I am at a total loss. I have had 2 threads on SN about this, and I have yet to figure it out. There is NOTHING LEFT TO FIX as far as electrical goes. Do I now start replacing all of the wires in the entire car or what? I thought my fuel system is good, but I might have to replace the pump.

Damn. :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang:

On the bright side, I can now install a magnetic pickup in an MSD distributor. :nice: Hooray for me.

I am serious. PM me if you want this car or pics or whatever.
 
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I thought I took care of the spark problem, but I don't even know anymore.

My fuel pump is a Mallory 140 GPH electric fuel pump.

When I flip the switch, I get my pressure to 7 to 9 psi like I am supposed to.

My filter is clean.

I have gas in the tank.

I can see gas squirt out of the carb when I pull the throttle linkage.

What else is there.

Is there something I am missing here?
 
I got spark from the box (with the MSD test).

I got a jolt checking the coil as well.

I don't know what to do anymore other than to turn it over to someone and let them have at it.

(car turns over, just doesn't fire. It was running just fine until it stalled out and it hasn't started since - 2 weeks ago)
 
Pull a plug wire off of a spark plug. Put a known good spark plug into the wire and place the end of the plug near something metal. Have someone crank the engine while you watch the spark plug. You should see a rythmic spark as long as the motor is being cranked. You can do it yourself by turning the ignition switch to the on position and jumping the starter solonoid. Make sure car is in neutral.
 
OK, enough of this!

65racecoupe said:
MeanRoy said:
Don't sell the car!
I don't know if there is spark at the plug.

What is the EXACT procedure?

I was going to sell it anyway, just for a couple grand less.

I can't get $34,000 back, I know that.

Dude, I've been kind of watching your problems for a while and really sympathize. (I'd probably trade though, LOL)

Lets not get carried away and hasty here. Lets try to eliminate some things.
You keep answering the questions I (and other perhaps more knowledgeable folk than me) ask and we'll all just work through it.

If you can see it has gas, and you said you saw it squirt, lets look at whats next.
just for grins you should double check​

1. Have you physically seen a spark?
If no, you know what to do don't you? Grab a plastic handled #3 phillips head screwdriver, pull a plug wire. hold the screwdriver by the plastic handle and stick it into the the plug wire connector. hold Place the shaft of the screwdriver near a grounded point in the car, like the engine, a fender bolt, whatever.crank the engine.( a second person to turn the engine over is helpful here.)
You should see a fat spark as the engine turns over!​

If you see spark does the engine fire at all? (chuff , burp, anything?)​

If the engine doesn't try to start, totally no action, it's time to take off a valve cover and make sure the cam is moving the valves.

Get back to us and we'll see where to go next.

Roy.
 
I have SEEN the spark from the box (as per directions from MSD)

I have Felt the shock from the coil to solenoid (accidentally grabbed the metal with my hand)

The cam does move the valves, the distributor's rotor does turn as well.
 
It would be real hard for the cam not to move the valves. I have never seen such catastophic timing chain failure in 30 years of working on these things.

I would double check and make sure the distributor is rotating when you crank it though.
 
I'm feeling your pain, not good. You still haven't told us whether or not there is spark at the plug. Pull several plugs and put their respective wires back on them. Now tape the plugs to the valve cover. Get back in the car and crank it while watching for spark at the plugs.
 
If you find that there is spark, check that the fuel is good. I've seen squirts into the carb that were more water than gas.
Another thing I've seen is motor oil contaminated with gas keeping a motor from starting. I replaced a timing chain and couldn't get it started. Had spark and fuel, checked the oil , it was overfull. Smelled of gas. Owner of car spent days trying to get car started. Towed it to my shop , determined it needed a timing chain. It was so flooded from the owner trying to start it, the gas leaked past the piston rings and into the oil. The lifters leaked down and wouldn't pump up. I changed the oil and filter and it fired up pretty quickly.
 
Okay fine

Max Power said:
It would be real hard for the cam not to move the valves. I have never seen such catastophic timing chain failure in 30 years of working on these things.

I would double check and make sure the distributor is rotating when you crank it though.
meanroy said:
I have. But only in a few 4 bangers but you never know.

If you did the grounded spark wire test and saw a spark and the distributor is turning, a couple of more things to check.

If it has gas and it has spark, it has to spark at the right time and there has to be fuel and air compressed in the cylinder.

1. What's the compression?
Do you have a pressure tester?

2. Whats the timing?
Do you have a timing light?