I Give Up!

[mmagnus]

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about not being able to start my '70. First I thought it was plugs so i cleaned but still wouldnt start. Fuel was getting into the carbs 'cause the needle were wet when I pulled them out. So, I started on an adventure to figure out why the car wont start. So I replaced the following:

Battery

plugs

wires

cap/rotor/points

coil.

Still the car wouldnt start . Starter is turning fine. So I decided maybe its not getting enough fuel pumped in. So, next goes on a new fuel pump.

SO NOW I GIVE UP! ANY OF YOU ZSPERTS (short for z experts) can give me some advice before I shoot the car I would greatly appreciate it.

[Mike]

Are you getting spark? Take the lead off the distributor cap and lay it on the side (near a metal object). Crank the engine and watch to make sure sparks are jumping from the lead to the metal.

Next, remove each spark plug (one at a time) and do the same (check for spark at the plug).

Do you have spark? If so, let's move to the next idea.

[2ManyZs]

Well, I'm no expert but the obvious question to ask next is this. Have you checked to see if you have a spark? Take one plug out, and lay it on the top of the valve cover and turn it over. If you have no spark then the problem could be internal to the distributor, or you might have a loose or corroded connection somewhere either in the coil or distributor wiring. Of course the odd cause could be an ignition switch that has failed. If you are getting gas into the cylinders (wet plugs) then the problem has to be electrical (ignition somewhere) so don't give up yet. It may be something really simple, could you have forgotten a wire connection? Or possibly it is loose?

Don't shoot it whatever you do. I sold one of mine, so I have room for another one.:cheeky: :devious: Take your time, sit back and just look at, sometimes the answer will come to you when you aren't concentrating so hard on all the possibilities.

Well, it's obvious I'm a slower typist than Mike is.:tapemouth

[Mr Camouflage]

Have you set the points gap correctly. it should be .45 to .55 millimeters on a no emission controll engine or I think .30 to .40 on cars with emission controll gear.

Might be a problem with the balast restistor (i think Z's have them), check there's a circuit through it.

Hmm, what else, fuses, voltage regulator??? anyone got any ideas.

Probably would have been easier to take it to a mechanic to find out what was wrong first before spending the cahs on a new coil, battery, plugs wires, rotor...etc.

[Zed]

Change your condenser. (ignition)

[72zcar]

check the firing order of the plug wires 15 too young 36 too old and 24 just right

[Mike]

check the firing order of the plug wires 15 too young 36 too old and 24 just right

That is an AWESOME way to remember the order!! I'll have to remember that one. Thanks!

[Phacade]

SO NOW I GIVE UP! ANY OF YOU ZSPERTS (short for z experts) can give me some advice before I shoot the car I would greatly appreciate it.

Some advice before you shoot the car: make certain and stand at a significant angle facing the car; that way there is less of a chance of ricochet.

Seriously though, there really is only so much that can be wrong with a Z. You said the starter is turning. You still need to make certain you have

-air

-fuel

-spark

You said there was fuel getting to the carbs. How much? Check your fuel filter and pump. Pull the gas line off. Are you pumping any significant fuel? There may be a blockage. Pull a plug out. Leave the wire on it, and place against the head. Check for spark. No spark? Check your dist and all leads to it.

Believe it or not, there is a perfectly logical reason its not starting.

[mmagnus]

Well I checked for spark and each wire is arcing. Balast resistor should be ok 'cause it was replaced with the coil.

I think this mechanic is going to hang himself from the proverbial "shade tree" UGH.

MARK

[72zcar]

do what Timberwolf said to do for sure.... take the hose off the metal line on the out side of the fuel pump and stick it in a milk jug. make sure you remove the coil wire at the coil so it won't try and start... like thats going to happen, and see how much gas is being pumped. It should pump out pretty good.

[240ZX]

mmagnus,

I had a similar problem with my 240Z (w/L28). I had converted the old points distributor to an electronic nissan unit, a single pick-up magnetic unit. Well, to make a long story short, the problem was the mechanical advance in the distributor.

The engine was very difficult to start, if at all, and when I could get it to run and the rpm was above full advance it ran perfect. Anyway I'm going to a Mallory Unlite. The bummer is, it took a month to get the distributor from Mallory...Oh well!!!

[mmagnus]

thanks for the responses. I am going to try some of these ideas when I get back from vacation at the end of the month. Will let you know what it was.

Hopefully

Mark