Need help!

CaddyCrosley

CaddyCrosley

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alright guys, I’m back with an update. I’ve got the engine ready to fire, in the car and wired up temporarily. We were cranking it last night and it just wouldn’t quite fire. Getting plenty of fuel and good spark to the cylinders. When playing with the distributor while cranking, once in a while we’d find a sweet spot where it would try to take off but just couldn’t quite do it. It’s sputtering air and gas out the top of the carb. Am I a tooth off on timing? Maybe 180° out? I thought I had it stabbed correctly, but maybe not.

On the Cadillac Facebook page someone said that their timing marks on the gears were not lined up with each other - rather, they were both positioned at 12 o’clock. Everything I saw or read when putting the engine together said to line them up, so that’s how they’re set. Was I wrong?

Thanks guys!
 
Hey man, I am having exactly the same problem. I got mine to stumble briefly, but there is a mist of fuel and air coming out of the carb, just like yours. Definitely not right! I'm putting a compression gauge on mine when I get time later this week. This way I will be able to make sure my intake valves are actually closing when they are supposed to.

I have gone through and verified that my timing is correct; Piston #1 at TDC, rotor in the distributor pointed directly at the #1 terminal, and the marks on my Crank pulley are lined up with the timing marker. As far as I understand, this is sufficient to get it started up, and some fine tuning is required to get it running properly.

You mention your timing gears also. I figured there was only one way to get it right. The crank gear is keyed, and from there you just line up the dots, crank at 12 o'clock and cam at 6 o'clock.

Hopefully someone can bestow some wisdom here because I'm at a loss.

-Nick
 
To ensure you are on the correct cylinder's compression stroke, put a rag into the spark plug hole (or have someone put their thumb over it?) as you bring the mark near TDC.
Then, leave the mark at appx. 10* BTDC (instead of AT... TDC).
Line up the distributor to fire, with the pole pieces aligned.
Don't piddle around with trying to zero the engine and leave the distr. on a guess somewhere or move it by hand in futility.
It no longer matters whether the marks on the gears are at 12 or 6 once you start rotating the engine.
Disregard that entirely once the cam is positioned and ignore that from there on out.

If the timing is either massively retarded or off 180*, it will cough back up through the carb or struggle running.
 
My guess would be not on the compression stroke. Easy fix. Pull the dizzy. Then make sure piston is at top dead center. Re stab dizzy. Fire up. Worked for me.
Good luck
 
For Nick and Caddy Crosley,

What did you guys find out? Are your engines running - and running well?

d
 
I followed 8ad-f85's instructions and stabbed the dizzy with the timing mark on the balancer sitting around 8-10 degrees BTDC, instead of right at 0 like I had been setting it, connected everything, and it fired right off. Sure sounds sweet to hear that big Caddy rumble! And it is satisfactory knowing I tore that engine down and put it back together myself, with a little assistance from you guys and the shop manual. Thanks everybody!
 
I'm still stuck in the mud! I just haven't had time to get into the shop, but it gives me hope to see you're up an running Crosley. That mist coming out of the carb was freaking me the F out.

-Nick
 
Don't even worry about the mist, they all do that when the dist. is way off.
Set it as suggested on the correct cylinder and it should run fine.
If it does it after that there's a leaky or open intake valve.
(I always hated the old manuals instructing people to drop it in at zero or turn the key to drop it in kinda sorta close to TDC...BTDT, spent all day cursing until the light bulb flickered and just set it exactly where I wanted it. I'm not smart enough to get myself out of a booby trap so I'd rather find a fool-proof way.)
 
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