advice needed Toy wont run!

[ncreb]

Some of you may have seen the thread where I just got a '51 M37. Last Tuesday it ran like a top. I drove it all over the school here. It was running 40lb of oil pressure and idled fine. I pulled it back up to the garage bay and turned it off. The next morning I cranked it and backed it out into the parking lot for the kids to work on. That was it. It has not cranked or run since. I have plenty of compression, but I have not put a guage on it. I have installed new plugs since then. Have removed the carburator and cleaned it. New gas, new fuel filter. I am getting spark on each plug and wire.

what in the world has happened?

 

[Warthog]

HELP is supposted to be used when you are broke down on the side of the road. Are you broke down on the side of the road?

Assistance Needed is a better title.

Are you saying that the engine won't start or the engine will not spin?

 

[ncreb]

thanks! thread title changed.

It will spin, I have spark, I have compression, and there is gas going to the carb. It will not even putt with starter fluid.

 

[Warthog]

Has someone stuffed a banana up the tailpipe?

I ask because I have had furry creatures decide to make a home in the exhaust.

Couldn't figure it out until I removed the exhaust pipe and the engine would run.

And mud dobber wasps love to plugup exhaust pipes.

 

[ncreb]

it was running fine a week ago. it has been stored inside since. no dirt dobbers in here, some of my students may have shoved a hairy creature or bananna up the exhaust though.....I'll go look.

 

[T. Highway]

Couple of things first,

Without a gauge screwed in the head you have no way of knowing what kind of compression you have or don't have. You may of been running on luck.

When you say you cleaned the carb, does that mean rebuilt or removed and sprayed with carb cleaner and reinstalled?

Something else is wrong if it won't pop on starting fluid.

How strong was the spark?
Can you smell raw gas from the exhaust pipe?
Are the vent lines connected to the distributor? If not your coil may of overheated and is weak now.

Bert

 

[zout]

Have you aided yourself by getting any of the TM's such as this:
TM 9-2320-212-20

Sufficent Spark/mixed with the correct timing
Compression/within recommended pressures
Fuel/that is fresh
Gotta run unless there is something else going on - spaying either or starting fluid is surely not a recommended proceedure.

 

[Tlauden]

I think we know what went wrong when he said "kids"

Hope ya get it running

 

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

Check those ignition points! If the points are fried, you may get spark, just not enough to fire off today's "environmentally friendly" fuels. Even the most worn out and tired spark plugs will show a zap at normal atmospheric pressure, but when you put them into an engine under compression, for some reason it's a different story. Make sure the plug gap is set per the TM and stick a small-tip flat screwdriver into the distributor and open up the sprung side of the points and look at the contacting surfaces. If they don't meet squarely, adjust them so that they do. If the contact points appear any condition other than shiny and clean, hit up the nearest large-purse-carrying female for an emery board and stick it between the points and give them a massage until you see 2 clean and shiny surfaces, then reinstall the rotor and cap and give her a crank. If she fires, scream out in your best Victor Frankenstien voice "IT'S ALIVE! ALIVE!!!!!", then shut her down and go get a new set of points and condenser. Good luck!
opcorn:

 

[ncreb]

Thanks for all of the comments and suggestions.
Let me share some background information. I am a high school shop teacher. I teach Agricultural mechanics, where we normally work on tractors and other pieces of farm machinery. I also teach welding, carpentry, masonry, electrical, etc. So my class is really a "jack of all trades" class. My kids (read students) enjoy doing these type projects. I found this truck, bought it and pulled it it.

While I am not a certified auto mechanic, and tend to lean a bit on my dad for suggestions and pointers, I have done many old tractors.

We also have an automotive technolgy class at our school, whose teacher restores antique cars. We do have a compression guage but have not put it on the truck as of yet. While turning the engine over we did the old shade tree mechanics trick, of thumb over the spark plug hole. It is impossible to hold your thumb on any of them.

The points throw a nice blue spark, so does the new plugs and plug wires.

The carbuerator has not been rebuilt, but it has been taken completely apart, cleaned in a parts washer and reassembled. All jets and ports blown out etc.

New fuel filter.

When the fuel line is disconnected and the motor is turned it will pulse streams of fuel 4-5 inches beyond the end of the line.

I did manage to get it to fire with starter fluid and run for a few seconds.

I am going to take the carb back off and check it again. Maybe I missed something. While at it I may check the actual numeric compresson on the engine.

Update tomorrow.