Re: Cylinder Compression Questions

Posted by 50 2382 On 2014/11/15 13:06:58

Wow!

Lots of great suggestions. I am encouraged by the fact that low readings don't necessarily mean I'm stuck with a broken engine. I also forgot to block the carb open during the compression test so I will recheck today after I purge the MMO from the cylinders.

I agree that the cables from the battery need to be replaced they are the heavy duty ones but who knows where these have been. The engine cranks OK, though. I think I'll pull the starter and clean the ground connection to the block.

I have already:
1. replaced the distributor cap
2. replaced the rotor
3. replaced the points and condenser (checked gap)
4. replaced the coil
5. replaced the plug wires (plugs are new and gaped)
6. charged the battery
7. cleaned the cable and battery terminals (both ends)
8. cleaned the jumper strap from the solenoid to the starter
9. checked for good blue spark across the plug gap.
10. checked the distributor #1 position against the damper mark. (close enough, and it is on the compression stroke)
11. discovered the lousy PO installed electric fuel pump that seems to have over pressurized the carb (the carb gets wet outside, so I'm getting a kit to rebuild).
12. can't see any squirt from the accelerator pump.
13. used starting fluid and dumped gas down the carb. No joy.
14. discovered that the mech. fuel pump is not connected so a kit is coming to rebuild that.

At this point I think it is either compression or fuel delivery.

I'm spending a lot of time undoing stuff that the PO did to "make it run again".

At this point the battery is in backwards but the fuel gauge reads correctly, so until I can get the engine running I'm not messing with the battery, but I will turn it around and rewire the coil when I do. UNLESS you think I should do it now...open for suggestions. (I have a 6v pos ground '51 Ford pickup that purrs so I'm not unfamiliar with the quirks of a positive ground system).

Thanks again for all the great input...