so with my points, shouldn't it have some way that if I tighten of loosen the screw, that it moves the points arm open and closed? my doesn't do that. after watching a couple of videos, that what it seems and I remember my 318 having that ability.

Take care of that carb please! If its spewing out the bowl vent the needle and seats not closing. Thats going to keep it from running for sure! Ive been saying carb from the get-go.... Make sure the float is set dead on, and again look real close to the needle and seat assy for damage or swelling... Get a kit if you have to, read some manuals, watch some videos and take your time...

Points ign is simple, your over thinking it hoping thats going to be the problem. Yes you should be able to move it after losening the adjusting screw. TDC, and .020 will make it run ONCE ITS NOT FLOODING... The rest of the "fine tuning" comes after you get it going again. Keep to the basics.

_________________
"if it aint broke, fix it till it is"
78 Plymouth Volare Super Six wagon
89 Volkswagen Golf GTI 16v
92 Chevrolet K1500 5.7
98 Ford Escort ZX2 zetech

i took the carb back off and readjusted the float, I had adjusted it rightside up and not upside down. no fuel out of the bowl vent tube now. but still just turning over and over with no attempt to even grab a spark.

I'm about to just give up, load her up, and head to a shop somewhere and let them fix whatever it is. Not what I want to do, I won't learn anything. But, I'm not getting anywhere right now. i know i sound like a total rookie, but im not. just with the slant 6.

is there any possibility that it could be the coil? when i take #1 plug out, it looks as clean on the end as it did when i put it in.

New plugs - gapped to .035
new resistor
new points
new condenser
new cap
old coil
old wires

Anyone around Nashville tn want to be fed some good food and maybe have a few beers and fix this stupid thing?

Yes, especially seeing weak spark... Realistically, points can be off just a little, as well as timing, and many other things and an engine will still run. So "close-enough" will get it to run... The weak spark should be adressed. Coil would be my suspect too being that all else is new. Your points,condensor, and dist are just a trigger device. The coil is where the power comes from, and the cap/rotor/wires simply deliver...

Like I said in your previous posts, its a chain effect... I ran in the same issue with my slant. Ran fine but had an accident with a water main in the road that smashed the pan and cost us an engine. Well new engine in with all the old parts (carb,dizzy,coil,etc...) I could not get it to run right. Why? Because the engine was all worn out together... The new engine wanted alot more air, fuel, and spark and the old stuff wouldnt cut it.... Rebiult carb, got better but not great. Replaced dist and coil, and another small improvement. Wires, and main electrical in the harness, and eventually leading to a new "reman" carb and HEI...

Always something, and always a work in progress... Ive been where your at, frustrated, irritated p***** off and ready to just sell it. But thanks to everyone on this sight, and taking a break from time to time she runs amazing, but it took alot of "trial and error", tweaks, packs of beer and busted knuckles to get here.

So dont give up, dont give in. You'll figure it out, step back and say, "man I cant believe thats all it was this whole time"... Trust me

_________________
"if it aint broke, fix it till it is"
78 Plymouth Volare Super Six wagon
89 Volkswagen Golf GTI 16v
92 Chevrolet K1500 5.7
98 Ford Escort ZX2 zetech

Ok, so my head was spinning today after another useless several hours trying to get her started. My dad calledme from florida (hes an old time racer and builder) and adter the usual "boy, why did you do (insert whatever fits the situation), we talked about it and he feels like i have flooded itand ruined the oil and drowning the plugs. So, like the earlier posts, im gonna take out plugs, clean and dry them, drain oil and replace, and put a new coil in. Thag all won betill the end of the month but its not going anywhere. We shall see. I guess ill work on tidying her up a bit and just piddle till then. Thanks for the patience and the words of learning.

I doubt you have ruined the oil, but cleaning the plugs is a good idea.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

So its not vital at this point to change it? Just smelled like a lot of gas was in it. Thanks.

Oh. If the oil smells like gas then you DO need to change it. I missed where you said that before.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

so would that be one of the reasons and possible causes of it just turning over and over? fouling out the plugs?

On another note, I was relooking over everything and one of the bolts that holds the manifolds together under the carb has an extra thick washer on it because it was not threaded enough to tighten down and it has the throttle a little open. I'm wondering if everytime that I am turning it over, that the throttle is open just enough even without turning it over that it is flooding it out completely. just a thought. I'm going to get a bolt that is 1/4 in shorter and reinstall it just because.

thanks reed. I don't know your age but you speak and encourage like a grandfather would. I'm 46 and only a few years into the actual owning and working on projects. I am a critical care nurse and ex Navy Corpsman, so this is just a hobby for me. If you ever need health advice, hey...I'm your man. thanks again for everything.

I am 36. I hope my posts are helpful. I am an appellate criminal defense attorney, so you really never want to need my professional help. All my clients have been convicted and are doing time. Slant sixes and old cars are a hobby/necessity for me. Can't afford the new ones, so I have to keep the old ones running.

Gas in the oil won't make the engine not start. I the carb is set up correctly, the throttle should be held open a bit by the fast idle cam anyway. I would verify that your choke is set and operating correctly.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

I went back and scrubbed the crank pulley and I had the correct timimg mark (the only mark anywhere on it) but across the belt groove from it is "5F". does that mean anything?

I'm back to no spark. I'm gonna get a new battery and a new coil and then try it all again later.

If you have access to a battery charger you might as well leave it connected for testing and cranking. Help save the battery from going completely dead.

While the gas in the oil wont keep it from starting, the damage comes from inside the engine because the oil cant supply any lubrication to the internal components. The issue is what is causing the oil to become gas soaked... Could just be the weak spark, but more likely its from when the carb was flooding out and pouring out gas combined with the weak spark... Its just the fuel vapors that burn and too much fuel will just put out the fire...

Keep us posted on what you find with good battery and a new (or just a known good) coil...

_________________
"if it aint broke, fix it till it is"
78 Plymouth Volare Super Six wagon
89 Volkswagen Golf GTI 16v
92 Chevrolet K1500 5.7
98 Ford Escort ZX2 zetech

ok, so I'm not sure that there is something else going on. I have juice going to the resistor and coming out of the resistor. new coil. points sparking, but nothing on #1 plug when I ground it. Changed plug and still nothing. Shooting at the moon here, is there a ground or something coming from the switch that powers the coil? I've tried to follow the wiring diagram in the manual but I keep getting lost. would the switch possibly be the cul,prit to no spark or very weak spark?

Have you checked spark directly from the coil? Or even any other wire than just cyl. 1?

I know you said that the wires are old too, so MAYBE the coil wire is bad, or one or more of the plug wires are bad... The only ground for the coil is the points.

Im assuming when you are checking for power its with the key on and not while cranking correct? If you can get some help, check the power to the coil while cranking, or use a jumper with a fuse from battery (+) to the coil (+) and try starting it again. Could be an issue with the ign switch or the starter relay dropping the power while in the "start" position...

_________________
"if it aint broke, fix it till it is"
78 Plymouth Volare Super Six wagon
89 Volkswagen Golf GTI 16v
92 Chevrolet K1500 5.7
98 Ford Escort ZX2 zetech

Have you verified that the rotor is turning when you crank the engine? The distributor drve gear is made of plastic and can fail after decades of use.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.