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Nope...no leaking but still no fire

This is a strange one !
My six will start within 2 revolutions even after setting for a week.

Your first post stated that it wouldn't fire on starting fluid. So that indicates either no spark or no compression .

Then fuel leaking all over the manifold but the plugs are dry ?
Is the choke set correctly ? Maybe a tea spoon of your favorite engine oil in each cylinder to raise the compression a little.

It's been my experience that if the engine is within 5 degree's of being tdc it should start, or come very close to starting.

It's all - suck , squeeze , bang , blow ....

Would still be very helpful to know the compression in the cylinders ..

yeah..Im gonna run a compression check tommarrow..

Quote:
Sandy,

Talking to my Guru, Wade, today he was telling me one of our club members here couldn't get his '51 288 to fire up after recent head gasket replacement. Seems he'd cleaned everything up too well and there was no compression in the cylinders because the walls were devoid of oil. Agree with Richard above, some oil in the cylinders to provide the rings with some lubricant to form a seal after being washed down with all that fuel from your carb problems may help.

Ozstatman..

Had a nice converstaion with Turboman via phone last night out in Witchita. We tried moving plug wires one over and then one back on distri. cap and then adjusting timing by hand(distributor). ..nothing...

The next check today will be compression will advise results later today. Phlip38coupe..out in RI has also suggested the same.

Know i'm getting spark. but if you dnt have compression, you'll get no 'fire'.

Also, im taking the coil off and heading down to Toledo Auto Electric, in Toledo Oh to have it tested..been in business since the 20's

Even though I'm seeing and getting spark I jus wanna put my mind at easy that coil is okay

Hi,
I'd just like to add my two pennyworth to try to help out.
As a kid back in the sixties I had to change the engine in my Ford flat head v8 Pilot and the engine that went back was brand new. After every thing was checked out the 6 volt battery was connected and fuel put in. Pushed the starter for ages but would the cow start no Sir. This had the mechanic who was helping me scratching his head for a time and he came up with suggestion of towing it. This we did and got up to about 25 m.p.h when after a couple of coughs away she went. He said that this was a trick he learnt in the Army
I have recently had the same thing occur on a little flat twin motorcyle that I completely rebuilt and again come to starting up no way. Rechecked timing, fuel, etc everything ok but no start.Thought about it for awhile and remembered the Ford problem. Gave it a tow and bingo same result.
Someone did tell me the reason why this happens but alas I have forgotten. Something about the compression building up in the bores which happens when the car/bike is towed.
Worth a try.
Good luck
Terry

Terry, another part of the explanation may be that when towing or pushing you get a hotter spark because you're not drawing off current for the starter motor which is a heavy load.

Sandy, here's a spare coil, might want to jump on this one if it looks correct for your car: 1937 Packard Coil

Sanford, since you obviously have gasoline galore at the carburetor and have reported that you have spark at the plugs yet haven't even reported as much as a cough or snort of combustion, I remain convinced that your ignition timing is way off the mark. Did you do as previously suggested and put cylinder #1 on TDC ON THE COMPRESSION STROKE, and see that the rotor was under plug wire #1, and that then the balance of the wires were in firing order sequence IN THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF THE DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR?

If you do this first and all is OK, then rotate the distributor body so that the points, with the piston on TDC, are just on the verge of OPENING, not closing, not halfway between as I had previously read somewhere. That done, even a small(!!) amount of gas dribbed into the manifold should give a snort.

Make sure when you rotate the engine by hand to reach TDC that you rotate it in the direction it would run in (direction that the starter cranks it in); if you overshoot, don't go back but go 'round again. If not, slop in the timing chain/gears and distributor drive may result in the ignition timing being too far removed to function.

Owen D...

yup I did as you had earlier indicated....made sure the rotor was about to open at position # 1 on distr.
saw your post and went back out and reveified...

Today I went ot local Napa Store and got one of those hand held compression testor...

Instructions indicate the test shuld be done on warm engine

I opened up the throttle plates as it advised...removed all plugs and tested...Like carpenter you measure twice before cutting..In this case I did each of the cyc three times before recording..

37 book stays compression should be 110 lbs..Im assuming warm..According to Ozsterman in Australia, he conversed with his mechanic..and because of all the cranking I have effectively washed the thin layer of oil between the rings. which results in a low compression reading.

any way cold ..here are the figures starting with # 1 thru 6
#1 70
#2 60
#3 30
#4 65
#5 70
#6 60

a 20 lb difference...according to the instruction manual indicates a possible head gasket problem but that aside for a second..it seems the eng. should still fire..your thoughts.

says readings should be 10 % of one another..which is true except for # 3

Ive yet to do the teaspoon of oil test per cyc which i will do after dinner

In other news. Had my new rotor form NAPA on floor next to tire from last night..would you belive as I bent over to do compression test on #1 I heard a 'crunch' yup..you have it .stepped on it..sonof(&(*&(&.
...back to Napa for anothr rotor..