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Crank no start, carb backfire


Mrmarkranger

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Distibuter cap replaced. 1 point had broken off, 1 point was corroded beyond probably being functional, internal corrosion on the remaining points were ... extreme. Ran like crap (had this chugga chugga rumble), however, 2 pumps, turn the key and it started with seemingly no effort.
So....
Replaced the distributer cap, wires, plugs. Now it is ...
Crank, no start, spitting fuel from carb (1 time it ignited). Previously confirmed spark was good.
After trying to start when the key is put in the off position, a few seconds later a relay inside the truck near the EEC starts clicking, also something on the carburetor is clicking, can't seem to narrow it down even with a stethoscope. Seems like the automatic choke, but like i said not sure, and disconnecting the power cable from the auto choke does not stop the clicking nor does disconnecting the main cable from the carburetor. Removing power from starter solenoid is how i have been stopping it.

I am thinking the timing is way out. TDC marks on the balancer seems to make sense when cylinder 1 is actually at TDC however inside the distributor the rotor seems to be pointing at 6 rather than 1.

Link to carb:
 


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Did you remove the distributor? You shouldn't have to to replace the parts you describe. I would suspect the wires were replaced in the wrong order.
 

Mrmarkranger

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Thanks for responding.
Wires: checked, double and triple checked. I can now wire it in my sleep. And, put back old wires and broken cap to check that. Still wouldn't fire. Only thing i didn't put back was the old plugs. Marked there order though in case i needed to do so. All with photos.
Remove distributer: that was what i was trying to do before i called it quits for the day. Having a heck of a time accessing the hold down screw. I wasn't going to remove it though, my goal was to make a timing adjustment. Gonna get back on it momentarily, loading up on coffee now.
 

Mrmarkranger

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Got the dist loose, minor adjusting did absolutely nothing.
I previously mentioned the relay starting to click after the ignition key was turned off, i have identified where on the carb is also clicking (circled in photo), just don't know what it is or if it is relevant to my problem.
Not sure where to go from here.
 

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Shran

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If it was running before, I see two scenarios here... either the firing order/plug wires were wrong to begin with and someone else rearranged them so that it would barely run, and you have now corrected that and the distributor is not installed correctly (probably not a likely scenario)

OR

You bumped something while you were under the hood, which is now shorted out/disconnected/broken etc and causing your issue... all of the wiring and stuff under the hood is 30+ years old, things get brittle, I would check all of your wiring and stuff for shorts, cracked connectors, things like that.

Most importantly, stop messing with the distributor if it was running fine before at some point. That is going to open up a whole new can of worms.

I believe that thing on the back of your carb is the mixture control solenoid. Why it's clicking, I don't know, my troubleshooting on feedback carbs goes far enough to remove it all and do the Duraspark swap but I'm not sure you can do that in NY if you have to pass smog.
 

Mrmarkranger

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Have also been looking for info about the carb mentioned above or at least one similar. New to this so i am finding it odd that it would have ports that need to be plugged, ports not plugged, trying to bring the whole thing together in my mind with what i am seeing in the vehicle. Meaning, not sure how the people that owned it before plugged or unplugged, left things hanging, like i find hoses with screws plugging them, hoses with nothing blocking them and a screw near by that fits the hose but blows out when you try to start the vehicle
 

Mrmarkranger

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Thank you sShran.
Your first comment seems most reasonable. Haven't had the car that long and it has never run "normally". Seemed like it was chugging at best. My approximation having seen where the rotor is when #1 is at TDC, it could be as much as 60 degrees out.

Given its age and from what my research shows, it is exempt from emotions inspection, which is a good thing because the cat has been deleted by a previous owner. Have not registered it as of yet, with this whole covid thing appointments for the DMV run as much as 2 weeks out, ridiculous.
 

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Well. If it's exempt from emissions... I would first do a compression check to make sure you're not dealing with dead cylinders, and then do a Duraspark swap on it. That will eliminate all the ridiculous computer controlled carb junk plus give you the opportunity to stab the distributor correctly and get the timing right.
 

Mrmarkranger

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Definitely going to look in to the Duraspark, but, for today .....

Got to the dist hold down, reset the TDC on the dist, put the whole shabangabang back together and ..... wait for it ...... VROOOOOOOOOOM, started on the first shot. Didn't read what you had last written till after the thing was done, i appreciate your responses though and give you creds for setting me off with the "rearranged so it would just barely run" comment, thank you. I am very careful around old equipment, in my job i deal with wires and computers from the windows 98 days.

Gonna set the timing and call it quits for today.
👍👌🤙💪
 

Mrmarkranger

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Oh, yeah, it hasn't solved the relay/carb clicking after the vehicle is shut off. Be looking in to the mixture control you mentioned.
 

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You have a 2100 or 2150 carb, have a look here: http://grantorinosport.org/bubbaf250/carb/carb02.html
Go thru ALL the pages there to see all the parts

Your carb will most likely be an "A" model, like 2150A, which means it has computer control parts, called a Feedback carb
Not a very reliable setup, just FYI

Yes, there can be several "air ports" on a carb used for different setups, ALL have to be hooked up or Capped or there will be a "vacuum leak"
Base plate of a carb will often have a larger vacuum port on the back for power brakes or PCV valve hook up, this can be overlooked and cause starting issues

If you "pump" the throttle gasoline should spray out inside the carb's throat, that means there is gasoline in the carb and accelerator pump is working

If gasoline is leaking out the top of the carb that means float valve inside the carb is stuck open


If you add gasoline in the throat of the carb and crank engine over(50/50 test)
Engine should start if there is spark and its timed correctly
No start means No Usable Spark or................engine is way Flooded out, way too much gasoline
This is the ONLY way to test for usable spark, period

If adding gasoline to throat gets engine to start then you have a carb or fuel pump issue, a fuel delivery issue

50/50 instant results
 

Mrmarkranger

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kimcrwbr1

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That pic of the carb is a 2150a feedback carb. All you can do is set base timing after you disconnect the spout wire at the distributor. You will see on the harness coming out of the distributor there is a single wire connector you need to disconnect it for base timing. Once you set the timing at exactly 10dbtdc plug the spout back together and watch the timing marks. Turn the ignition off and disconnect the battery posative cable and short it to ground to reset the computer. If the feedback solenoid on the back of the carb is clicking that tells you the computer is working. The tech library has a section on the EEC-IV diagnostics you can pull the codes with a test light or code reader but being over 30 years old parts are impossible to find. The duraspark distributor is getting real rare now also for the 2.8 but it will bring the engine to life again if the computer pukes on you.
 

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