I admit that I know enough about fixing my car to be dangerous so when something difficult happens I get stumped easily.
It's pretty cold here in Seattle right now and my 62 Valiant won't start. It's got the super six set up from a 79 Volare and an electronic ignition system. It's getting gas. I checked the spark to the distributor and it's getting spark there and it's getting spark to the number 1 plug. I tried Starter Fluid since the temp here is in the 20's. Still no start.
This car has always been a pain to start even though not long ago I had a friend help me time it. Since the front pulley is off from the timing mark (?) we timed it with the number one piston position. After that it ran better but still started with difficulty (except when warm).
We also adjusted the carb so I don't think that's it either. The choke seems to be working ok.
Any ideas?
Thanks.

_________________
60 Red V200 Valiant & 62 Green V200 Valiant

If you can wiggle the crank pulley/damper back and forth by hand (left and right), and your buddy can pull the distributor cap off and watch for you, then roll the crank back and forth, the rotor should react with no delay with each change in direction...if you roll it and it takes a pause then goes...time to change the stretched chain (which can make for hard starting along with having the timing off a bit).


good luck,

-D.Idiot

IIRC the early slants (such as yours) had all steel timing sets. Instead of stripping out like a plastic tooth gear (later ones) the chain would stretch to the point that the car would barely run and the chain would rub a whole in the timing chain cover.

How much does your timing mark wander at idle? How about when you rev it up?

_________________
82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

I will dream about your cold-start problem and post some thoughts tomorrow. In the meantime, go get all three books described in this thread!

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I have a 62 Shop Manual but I don't have the other books mentioned. I've looked thru the Shop Manual many times. I'm less of a book learner and more of a "monkey see monkey do" learner. When it comes to auto manuals I get lost on names and terms I don't recognize.
I've read many of the threads on this Forum. One discussion talked about negative grounds being loose or corroded so while I was charging the battery I loosened several screws with grounded wires and wire brushed them to get them cleaned up then reattached them. It didn't produce the result I wanted but I did find that the negative terminal on the battery was not entirely tight.
As I mentioned the super six setup came off of a running 79 Volare. The owner of which told me that the engine needed to warm up quite a bit before taking off. I'm wondering if that is germane to the "system" (manifolds and carb)? Since I didn't have the car very long prior to the upgrade (and it wasn't my driver) I can't remember if starting was such a chore before.

_________________
60 Red V200 Valiant & 62 Green V200 Valiant

I think I figured it out. The cold weather may have drained the battery to the point of low voltage. Today I jumped the car and it complained but started and restarted easily afterwards.
I did check the distributor travel as suggested. It seemed fine.

_________________
60 Red V200 Valiant & 62 Green V200 Valiant

Maybe your voltage regulator. I had something like that on my truck. It ended up being the VR.

_________________

82 D150 Slant6 Shorty
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/658846

Update.. The electronic ignition module was bad. I replaced it and it starts anytime. Yay! Just a note, ground the electronic module.

_________________
60 Red V200 Valiant & 62 Green V200 Valiant