QuestionQUESTION: I do not know if you remember me,but i am the one with the 1954 packard that does not get spark into the points.Well,when we last left off i told you that the compression was very low and you said to look at the timing chain.I did and there was some play in the chain but i do not know if it was enough to cause a problem.Anyway i changed the chain and gears and i also changed the head gasket.The compression came up between 10 to 15 lbs per cylinder but it is still very low.40-60-75-90-65-60-55-70.The engine still will not start but at least now it tries to start,it just will not catch.Am i looking at valves and if i am would you know where i could get step by step info on doing a valve job on a straight 8? Thank you for all your help. jim
ANSWER: I think that the low compression right now could be that the cylinder walls are washed down with gasoline from trying to start the engine. The fact that it tries to start indicates that perhaps the ignition timing is slightly retarded. I would recheck to timing. Also I might pour about a tea spoon of oil in each spark plug hole to provide lubrication and seal the piston rings. You can set the distributor timing very easily. Pull number one spark plug. Bump the engine over with your thumb over (not in) number one spark plug hole until you feel compression. Then look at the vibration damper and timing mark. With a wrench on the front pulley turn the engine till the timing mark is lined up with the 6 degree mark. Do not turn the engine more than a few degrees to find the mark. Now remove the distributor cap and the points should be just beginning to open. It is when the points open and break the primary circuit that the spark occurs. Put it back together and give it a spin. Let me know what happens.
Brad
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QUESTION: I did something wrong.When i bring up the #1 cylinder,the marks on the damper is nowhere near the pointer.I thought i was going by the book by aliening up the marks on both gears but i guess i was wrong.I guess i have to start all over again.If you have an easy way to alien those marks up except by eye,i am open to all suggestions.Also, is turning the crankshaft the correct way to alien those marks? thank you jim
ANSWER: Sorry for the delay, but since I am an old guy, chasing 80 and still running my own business I tend to get caught up at times. Not as swift as I once was. I rebuild carburetors and electrical stuff for old cars. Well, you can easily check the indexing of the timing mark by removing number one spark plug. Then put a skinny long screw driver down the hole unit it touches the top of the piston. Then turning the engine by hand, not with the starter, turn the engine over till the piston is at top dead center. The timing mark should line up. If it does not the front pulley is not aligned or the rubber in the harmonic balancer part is slipping. With the piston at top dead center you can make your own timing mark. If you need to pull the front of the engine apart to get at the timing gears and chain, the only tip that I have is that when aligning the marks, look straight at them through the grille. If you try to line them up looking at an angle it is almost impossible to get it right. Also use a straight edge to go from the center of the cam to the center of the crank. Then align the marks. I usually slide the gears on without the chain. Then align the marks and remove the gears. Then install the gears and the chain carefully without turning either the cam or the crank. Keep me posted.
Brad
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QUESTION: I'm glad to hear you are active.One of the best things for you.I'm over 70 and i try to keep busy as much as i can.I'm going to lose touch with you for awhile because i stripped the threads in the #1 spark plug hole.It is a long story.I tried re tapping it and putting new threads in it but that did not last to long.Now i have to pull the head and send it out.I also seen pieces of metal on top of the piston.I just want to let you know that i lined up the marks on the gears for the timing chain and on tuesday evening it tried it's darndest to start.It would turn over to or three times and it would try to start.Of course it would not start.Wednesday and thursday it would not even try to start.I moved the distributor and after awhile i even moved the chain one tooth one way or the other and nothing.I will let you know as soon as i get the head back. thank you jim
AnswerI just had a weird thought. Have you checked for restrictions in the exhaust? Like a critter building a nest in the tail pipe? The best way to check for this is to drop the front pipe at the manifold and then try to start the engine. Stay well Us old guys need to stick together.
