Running terribly

[Schurkey]

I’m pretty sure I was on tdc compression because the exhaust and intake rockers were both up. My understanding is they’ll be down on tdc exhaust.

TDC compression is with both valves closed.

TDC exhaust is with both valves open VERY SLIGHTLY on overlap. The rocker arms are going to look the same as with TDC compression--because the valves are so slightly open they'll look closed; and IF (big IF) there's much lifter bleed-down, the valves may actually be closed on overlap.

I started it up and this time I got fire.

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Hard to say if that's 180-off, or just mis-timed.

 

[Sle-z_90]

TDC compression is with both valves closed.

TDC exhaust is with both valves open VERY SLIGHTLY on overlap. The rocker arms are going to look the same as with TDC compression--because the valves are so slightly open they'll look closed; and IF (big IF) there's much lifter bleed-down, the valves may actually be closed on overlap.


Hard to say if that's 180-off, or just mis-timed.

Ok, I'm going to swap the wires to see if it will kick over. That should verify that I'm 180 out, right? Swap 1 and 6; 8 and 5; 4 and 7; 3 and 2. Interesting enough, the vids I posts on youtube solely for the purpose of sharing on here got some comments on there. One guy said he was an auto tech and thought my cam timing was off. He theorized that the cam timing may have jumped from "mileage or beating on it." I doubt its solely mileage as it ran before but maybe me turning it over by hand so much to set the lifter preload caused the issue. If its not ignition timing and swapping the wires dont resolve the issue, then I'm kinda at a loss. Might be time for a heart transplant.

 

[Sle-z_90]

TDC compression is with both valves closed.

TDC exhaust is with both valves open VERY SLIGHTLY on overlap. The rocker arms are going to look the same as with TDC compression--because the valves are so slightly open they'll look closed; and IF (big IF) there's much lifter bleed-down, the valves may actually be closed on overlap.


Hard to say if that's 180-off, or just mis-timed.

If I was at tdc on the exhaust stroke and the rotor was pointed at the #1 cylinder, then it would have to be 180 or something close to 180 out, right? Like if I was 60 or 90 out the rotor would have been pointing elsewhere at tdc on the exhaust stroke of the #1 cylinder. I guess what I'm asking is that when #6 is tdc on the compression, is #1 tdc on the exhaust stroke?

 

[Sle-z_90]

If I was at tdc on the exhaust stroke and the rotor was pointed at the #1 cylinder, then it would have to be 180 or something close to 180 out, right? Like if I was 60 or 90 out the rotor would have been pointing elsewhere at tdc on the exhaust stroke of the #1 cylinder. I guess what I'm asking is that when #6 is tdc on the compression, is #1 tdc on the exhaust stroke?

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FFR, I think this answers my second question.

 

[Sle-z_90]

I swapped the plug wires on the cap as I described above. No difference when trying to start.

 

[Schurkey]

"I" would start from scratch. Pull the spark plugs and see how fouled they are. Maybe hit 'em with a propane torch to burn-off any residue from the in-cylinder porcelains.

Crank the engine a while to blow-out any liquid in the cylinders.

Put all the plugs back in except #1. Put a cork in the #1 plug hole, crank the engine til the cork pops out. That ought to be #1 compression stroke. Turn the damper by hand to something like 10 degrees advanced from TDC Compression.

Drop the distributor into the engine, so that the rotor tip points to the #1 terminal on the cap. THEN REMOVE THE ROTOR, and align the "inner points" with the "outer points" on the main shaft by turning the distributor body a little bit. Shouldn't take much! Tighten the distributor hold down clamp.

Install rotor, install distributor cap with the wires going to the correct cylinders.

If the engine won't start so you can properly time it with a timing light, you've maybe got fuel pressure/injector spray issues.

 

[Sle-z_90]

So, I spent some time today trying to go through your suggestions. I got the plugs out and inspected them. I installed all but 1 of them last fall. However, they are somehow rusty already. They looked ok to me otherwise. I pulled the distributor. I reinstalled the plugs except for #1. I had a neighbor stop by so he held his thumb over #1 while I turned it over. Same situation as I had before, he never felt any compression. So I took a trip to the store to get a bottle with a cork in it (looked odd sipping champagne while elbow deep in a small block, j/k). I twisted the cork into #1. Turned the engine over several times, nothing. Did it a few more times with me pressing the cork in, nothing. So I got my compression tester. I thought when it started reading compression I’d be on the compression stroke. Never read anything. So I turned the engine over a bit with the key. Didn’t read anything. That would make at least the third cylinder with 0 compression now.

 

[Sle-z_90]

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[Sle-z_90]

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[Schurkey]

3 cylinders with no compression?

Time for a leakdown test. If you've got leakage past the valve(s), you'd need to verify lifter preload, and if that's good...the engine needs the heads removed for valve work AT MINIMUM.

If the leakage is past the rings--or holes in the pistons--the engine is pretty-much "done" and needs a proper rebuild.

And if the leakage is from one cylinder to another, you can HOPE that a new head gasket will fix it.