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Intrepolicious

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The Doba is down again.. I went out for a drive this morning and pulled out on the highway, gave it a little throttle and it hesitated for a second with a slight backfire, then regained itself and I continued on my way. Stopped at the ATM, then pulled back out on the highway and headed back. At the light, the engine stalled. Started right back up, light turned green and continued on my way. Then pulled into the grocery store, shut the car off and went inside. Came back out 10 minutes later and it now won't start. Cranks and cranks, but no start.. I tried using the choke (in the glovebox) and tried a few times with the pedal to the floor until eventually the battery died.

Ended up having to have the car towed back to the house.. I wanted something to tinker with right??!!

So now, once I get the battery charged back up, I suppose I should start with fuel delivery. It still has the mechanical fuel pump...

Which method to determine if it jumped time?

I need to get it going within 7-10 days at least so I can take it back to get my 2 year warranty on the trans!!
 

Intrepolicious

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I knew I should've replaced those nylon timing gears right away. Not saying that's for sure what it is.. but I've got a feeling.
 

MiradaMegacab

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Check the carbs Pump Shot.
Remove the air cleaner.
Look into the carb, push the throttle to WOT.
You should see a steady stream of fuel being squirted in....
 

Intrepolicious

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Well I guess I don't need the battery to do that? I just looked and saw a squirt.. but no steady stream. Fuel pump?
 

Intrepolicious

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I'm uploading a video of the carb squirting fuel. It squirts a little then nothing...
 

BudW

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It needs fuel, fire and compression – in the correct order to run.

To add onto what MirandaMegacab said, is when you press throttle down, there will be a stream of fuel coming from accelerator pump squirter that should be a steady stream for about a second or so. Having a drop light or flash light helps on seeing the stream.

If stream sputters or is not steady, then it sounds like fuel is not getting to the carburetor.

If steam is steady, that doesn’t rule out fuel, but drops “being a fuel problem” way down on the list of possibilities.



Next remove a spark plug wire from a plug. Which one doesn’t matter, but #1 (the one closest to the battery) is the most accessible.

Take a screwdriver and insert into the spark plug wire end (that you just removed) and place the steel part of screwdriver close (but not touching) something metal.

At this point, you either need a helper or make a remote starter device to crank engine to check for a spark. I can show you how to make a quick cheap remote starter device, if needed.

If you have fire, the next item is to check compression (record your results).



If you suspect it has jumped time, there is a couple of different ways to check that – but let’s do the above, first.
 

Intrepolicious

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It needs fuel, fire and compression – in the correct order to run.

To add onto what MirandaMegacab said, is when you press throttle down, there will be a stream of fuel coming from accelerator pump squirter that should be a steady stream for about a second or so. Having a drop light or flash light helps on seeing the stream.

If stream sputters or is not steady, then it sounds like fuel is not getting to the carburetor.

If steam is steady, that doesn’t rule out fuel, but drops “being a fuel problem” way down on the list of possibilities.



Next remove a spark plug wire from a plug. Which one doesn’t matter, but #1 (the one closest to the battery) is the most accessible.

Take a screwdriver and insert into the spark plug wire end (that you just removed) and place the steel part of screwdriver close (but not touching) something metal.

At this point, you either need a helper or make a remote starter device to crank engine to check for a spark. I can show you how to make a quick cheap remote starter device, if needed.

If you have fire, the next item is to check compression (record your results).



If you suspect it has jumped time, there is a couple of different ways to check that – but let’s do the above, first.
Ok lemme go get my helper and check for spark
 

Monkeyed

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So a squirt is normal then?

Any fuel is better than no fuel. Even with just a squirt it should start and run, at least momentarily. That's how my Grand-dad used to check for fuel, he'd dump a capful straight in the carb, if it'd start, run for a couple seconds then die, you knew it was a fuel issue.
 

Intrepolicious

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Yup I've got spark.. and guess what the damn car actually started with the #1 wire disconnected.. maybe it's just the battery :D
 

AJ/FormS

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No! You have the hardest of all problems to diagnose, the dreaded intermittent one, or the dreaded multiple issues one.

Since it didn't flat quit while driving, But rather stalled and started right back up, and it sputtered on initial take off, I'd guess it's not an ignition issue, at least not on the "run" circuit.
Since the last time it quit, it would not restart , but it did have something coming out of the squirters, It has something in the carb.
Since after pumping all that "something" into the intake manifold, it suddenly sprang to life on the cold engine.
These lead my down the path of ; What was the something that came out of the squirters?
 
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Intrepolicious

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So I bought a new battery and put it in, cranked right up and ran for a few seconds then died... now it won't start again.
 

Intrepolicious

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Well, it took forever trying; with the choke on and off (choke hidden in the glovebox) but I finally got it started. I'm just letting it idle here in my driveway... I don't want to turn it off!!
 

AJ/FormS

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Shove a paper shop-towel down into the throttle bore and pump just one shot of "gas " onto it. Fish it out, and smell it. If it smells like gas, great.Tear out the part with gas on it, put it in a glass drinking cup, less than 4" tall, and more than 2 inches wide inside at the bottom. Wait 30 seconds and set it on fire. It should go POOF!, and then burn without much smoke at all, until the shop-towel takes over.It may stutter for oxygen
If no Poof, it is crap gas, or part water
If it is smokey before the towel catches, it is crap gas
 

AJ/FormS

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Well, it took forever trying; with the choke on and off (choke hidden in the glovebox) but I finally got it started. I'm just letting it idle here in my driveway... I don't want to turn it off!!

Since it's running this is the best time to check for electrical gremlins in the ignition circuit. Just "gently disturb" all the associated connections. If it stalls STOP!, you have found a problem; Fix it. Another thing to check is the ignition switch; just wiggle it up and down and this way and that, without actually turning it.
This is also a great time to check what is in the bottom of the fuel bowl. Just gently rev it up a couple of hundred rpm.Do this several times. You are looking for a smooth increase in rpm without hesitations or sags or sputters. This proves that the gas in there is actually gas, and that the idle-wells are full. Next; get the squirter involved; snap the throttle open gently.Do it several times, waiting a couple of seconds for the idle to stabilize. If the rpm follows directly, without a bog,sag,or hesitation,then I would assume the gas is gas and the bowl is staying full. If it stalls after 3 or 4 blips, there is a chance that the bowls are not refilling properly, and we have to do a fuel volume test.
 
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Intrepolicious

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Well, it WAS running. I attempted to put the breather back in while it was idling and it stalled it. Now it's back to not wanting to start
 
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