Wont Start After Rebuild

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Teletom
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2016 5:43 pm
Your car is a: 1978 spider 1800

Wont Start After Rebuild

Postby Teletom » Wed May 24, 2017 12:42 am

Hey everyone, finally got the 1800 back together and attempted to start today, but no luck.

I am working with a 78' carb'd 1800, cranks fine, spark at plugs (wasn't before but that was due to the two wires connected to the alternator not being hooked up) but no ignition. I set the engine at TDC so cylinder 4 is at compression and then set the dizzy to spark to the #4 plug. Carb is giving her fuel, made doubly sure. So i'm slightly stumped, she cranks and cranks and cranks but no sign of firing.

Do I need the sensors underneath the intake hooked up by chance? I heard elsewhere that they are mainly for emissions and people plug them. Also considering I'm getting spark it seems like more of a timing issue that I cannot resolve. Even with spark coming out of the wires is there anything that would make the plugs spark? I connected the ground from the chassis to the trans if that is needed info. Would a weak spark create this issue, or would I at least hear it try to fire with a weak spark. Any ideas are greatly appreciated. Want to get her running soon! Thank you all.

djape1977
Posts: 985
Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2012 6:08 pm
Your car is a: 1970 fiat 124bc
Location: Belgrade, Serbia, eastern Europe

Re: Wont Start After Rebuild

Postby djape1977 » Wed May 24, 2017 3:31 am

cam/crank timing?

Teletom
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2016 5:43 pm
Your car is a: 1978 spider 1800

Re: Wont Start After Rebuild

Postby Teletom » Wed May 24, 2017 10:22 am

#4 & #1 at TDC with the dots on the crank pulleys lined up the the marks on the cam housings. Aux pulley lined up tension spring bold. When the #4 and #1 cylinders are at TDC there is a notch on the crank pulley pointing towards almost the center of the aux pulley

narfire
Posts: 3959
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:14 am
Your car is a: 1980 124 spider
Location: Naramata B.C.

Re: Wont Start After Rebuild

Postby narfire » Wed May 24, 2017 11:57 am

Perhaps, if you have not already done so, have someone crank while you rotate the dist. cap.
I found quickly that on the 80 dist. the #4 pin inside the cap does not line up with the plug wire outlet.
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box

Teletom
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2016 5:43 pm
Your car is a: 1978 spider 1800

Re: Wont Start After Rebuild

Postby Teletom » Wed May 24, 2017 1:36 pm

I did a little bit, also noticed it was shocking me through the cap. so there must be a hairline crack. Even with that though with no one touching it it should still spark the plugs correct?

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RRoller123
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Posts: 8179
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 2:04 pm
Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: Wont Start After Rebuild

Postby RRoller123 » Wed May 24, 2017 3:25 pm

As Narfire says, definitely make sure that the distributor rotor points directly at the Brass pickup for the number 4 cylinder. It can be vary far away from where the number 4 looks to be on the outside of the cap.
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
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blazingspider
Posts: 173
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 8:44 am
Your car is a: 1977 fiat spider
Location: Nanuet, New York

Re: Wont Start After Rebuild

Postby blazingspider » Thu May 25, 2017 7:58 am

#4 & #1 at TDC with the dots on the crank pulleys lined up the the marks on the cam housings. Aux pulley lined up tension spring bold. When the #4 and #1 cylinders are at TDC there is a notch on the crank pulley pointing towards almost the center of the aux pulley


Are you sure 4 and 1 are at tdc? On my 77 when that piston pair is at tdc the notch on my crank pulley points to the long 0 degree mark on my timing belt cover.

klweimer
Posts: 550
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:45 am
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Arvada, Colorado

Re: Wont Start After Rebuild

Postby klweimer » Thu May 25, 2017 8:12 am

You could run a quick compression test on the cylinders. If it's good, I would suspect a distributor timing issue, if bad, I would suspect a crank to cam timing issue. When you pull the spark plugs, see if they are wet with gas. With the #1 plug out, verify TDC is where you think it should be. You can easily see the top of the piston.
Kirk

zachmac
Posts: 1278
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:20 am
Your car is a: 1978 Spider [1979 2 ltr engine]
Location: Aiken, SC

Re: Wont Start After Rebuild

Postby zachmac » Thu May 25, 2017 1:55 pm

Is the choke working properly. I cranked and cranked and cranked but even on a hot day unless you are initially choking the intake you'll never get it to fire. Do we understand you correctly that you are getting spark at the spark plugs (pull a wire and stick a screwdriver in the socket and hold it close to a ground point while a friend cranks the car and check for spark; make sure you are not holding the conducting parts!!!!). A stuck open choke caused me the same problem for a week before I figured it out!
Jeff Klein, Aiken, SC
1980 FI Spider, Veridian with Tan (sold about a year ago), in the market for another project
1989 Spider, sold
2008 Mercedes SL65
2008 S600 Mercedes V12

zachmac
Posts: 1278
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:20 am
Your car is a: 1978 Spider [1979 2 ltr engine]
Location: Aiken, SC

Re: Wont Start After Rebuild

Postby zachmac » Thu May 25, 2017 1:56 pm

Is the choke working properly. I cranked and cranked and cranked but even on a hot day unless you are initially choking the intake you'll never get it to fire. Do we understand you correctly that you are getting spark at the spark plugs (pull a wire and stick a screwdriver in the socket and hold it close to a ground point while a friend cranks the car and check for spark; make sure you are not holding the conducting parts!!!!). A stuck open choke caused me the same problem for a week before I figured it out!
Jeff Klein, Aiken, SC
1980 FI Spider, Veridian with Tan (sold about a year ago), in the market for another project
1989 Spider, sold
2008 Mercedes SL65
2008 S600 Mercedes V12

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bulldog4444
Posts: 56
Joined: Sun May 01, 2011 2:13 pm
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider 124

Re: Wont Start After Rebuild

Postby bulldog4444 » Thu May 25, 2017 11:41 pm

Give the carb a small shot of starting fluid (have a fire extinguisher handy) and see if she tries to start. If yes, it is fuel related, if no it is ignition related. It just saves a lot of time and frustration separating which system to troubleshoot.


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