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Author Topic: Trouble Starting Lately  (Read 17111 times)

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Prafeston

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Trouble Starting Lately
« on: June 12, 2012, 06:54:18 PM »
I've been having some trouble starting it lately. I've had a bit of trouble ever since I got the MC 2150 installed. I thought I got all the vacuum leaks straightened out when GRONK sent me a new base cause mine was cracked. But it was still needing to be pumped a few times with gas before it would start up.

I've been playing with the idle and fast idles screws trying to get it right, but something I did recently or maybe just the toll of all the bad starts have finally made it go over the edge. I'm now fighting it just to get it started every day and it's sounding horrible. It seems like it's fully turning over for the first second or so of turning the key and then it just sounds like the starter is spinning. Do I have an issue with my ignition coil? Or possibly my battery is dying? I'm also guessing I still need to figure out the carb and get it tuned right. It's dieseling when I turn it off sometimes.

Here is the most recent Start Up I filmed this morning and this was after driving it from my house to a local park and then trying to start it up to head to work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnihJQgcU2g

Here it is one of the first couple times I started it after installing the carb. You can at least hear it turning over continually. It also would stay idling much quicker and I could get driving much quicker after the start up. Now I'll have to sit for like 5 minutes giving it gas and then when I put it into drive it will just die.. :(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9kiHb1nFA0

Oh and I forgot to mention that lately when it's about to die and I try to give it some gas to keep it going it will backfire from somewhere under the hood.

Offline carnuck

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2012, 03:35:27 AM »
You have a vacuum leak or idle set too high causing the run on.
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Offline TheWraith

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2012, 07:07:01 AM »
Suggest you start with the battery and the starter.  A tired starter could cause the problem where it engages and then fails to stay engaged.  A tired battery could exasperate the situation.

It's a long shot but had a '72 Buick once that was very hard to start due to a weak fuel pump.  If nothing else it is an excuse to purchase a fuel pressure gauge to add to the tool box. :)

Have you changed your timing at all?  IIRC your Eagle has silly low miles, right?  Wouldn't expect a low mileage engine to have a worn timing chain.  If the timing is off it could cause a lot of the hard start and poping through the carb.

Lastly, suggest pulling the valve cover and checking the valvetrain to see if it is out of adjustment.

Best of luck.  Post up what you figure out.  Hope it's an easy/cheap fix.
« Last Edit: June 14, 2012, 07:17:48 AM by TheWraith »
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Offline thereverendbill

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2012, 07:16:05 AM »
I am with checking the timing as well.  the dist hold down bolt may be loose causing it to jump around time 
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Prafeston

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2012, 09:19:06 AM »
I've been trying to adjust timing, but the stupid cheap gun I bought barely worked the first time I got it and now it won't work at all. Does Advance Auto or O'Reilly's rent/let you borrow a timing gun?

Offline thereverendbill

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2012, 06:43:22 PM »
as i re read i noticed that you installed a MC carb .... did you bypass the ecm?
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Prafeston

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2012, 06:46:49 PM »
as i re read i noticed that you installed a MC carb .... did you bypass the ecm?

Yes, the ECM has been bypassed. I ran it without doing the bypass for like a month. It ran and started better than it has been lately.

Prafeston

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2012, 08:53:07 AM »
Got the car started yesterday after work and was trying to adjust the carb idle screws and get it running a little smoother. Took forever to get it up to temp so it wouldn't shut off on me. After I made some adjustments I drove it around the block and turned it off so I could see if it would start any better...couldn't get it to start back up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH9MkIT2p7w

Offline kyklops

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2012, 01:18:27 PM »
My timing light didn't work on my Eagle either.  Later it worked on my friend's truck.  Turns out the battery was too weak and the spark on #1 cyl was weak, too.  Anyway, replacing my battery and adjusting the timing fixed my starting problem (I had a similar sound as you).  I'd have an auto store test your battery.  If that's not it, inspect your distributer cap/rotor and check your spark plugs.  If you still have trouble and you can get it out, have the starter tested.  I installed HEI and for around $100 it was a worthwhile upgrade.  I never really mess with the carb, except the idle, so I can't help there. 

Prafeston

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2012, 01:21:52 PM »
Carb and Dizzy Cap are new! :)

Looks like I just need to purchase a new battery and see what happens!

Offline carnuck

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2012, 01:33:31 PM »
I've been trying to adjust timing, but the stupid cheap gun I bought barely worked the first time I got it and now it won't work at all. Does Advance Auto or O'Reilly's rent/let you borrow a timing gun?
Starter loose or bad drive or teeth on flywheel bad is causing the kick out. I've tried selling my 3 timing lights for $10 each. (old school xenon)
Try pumping the gas 3 times and hold the throttle at 1/4 way down. The timing is kicking the flywheel backwards, so you need a temporary flood condition so it rolls faster forwards and catches. What ignition coil do you have? Plug age?

Check the voltage on your battery. If it's over 12.3 and doesn't drop below 10 while cranking, it's fine. The starter is kicking out before the motor is running.
« Last Edit: June 14, 2012, 01:35:36 PM by carnuck »
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Offline eaglefreek

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2012, 01:58:57 PM »
Carb and Dizzy Cap are new! :)

Looks like I just need to purchase a new battery and see what happens!
I've gotten defective parts from the parts store, so never rule out that a new part may be defective. Also don't throw parts at it, it might cost you more in the long run. See if you can find an auto electric shop to test your battery and electrical system and not some teenager at a parts store. It could be a combination of things causing your problems.
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Prafeston

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2012, 02:08:34 PM »
I've had the carb and ignition coil/dizzy cap upgrade on for like 4+ months. Replaced the base of the carb in the last month or 2. Was working better when I first put it on, but was still having trouble starting.

Prafeston

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #13 on: June 14, 2012, 09:14:36 PM »
First off after work I took the battery out and took it to O'Reilly's. It tested good and fully charged. One thing removed from the equation. I cleaned off the terminals and the positive and negative clamps. Also checked the negative ground and it looked good. No corrosion and it seemed clean and making a good connection.

So after that I tried starting it and it didn't take too long to get it going. Some white smoke came from the carb as I first started cranking. I was guessing from all the gas from last night while I tried a number of times to start it. After that though it only took a couple of cranks to get it running and it even started idling without me giving it gas pretty quick. Granted it wasn't turning over continually like it should when I was trying to start it. Drove it around the block. Parked it. Shut it off for a minute or two and now it won't start again.

I'm suspecting the something is wrong with the starter...or the ignition coil. One or the other. The dizzy was nice and tightened down.

Offline eagleman

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Re: Trouble Starting Lately
« Reply #14 on: June 14, 2012, 09:38:01 PM »
From the way it sounds I believe I would check the starter. Sounds like it may be loose. If its tight check for a bad bendix or just replace the starter as a whole. Once the starter is off have a good look at the teeth on the ring gear. I would think with a car with that low in mileage the ring gear should be ok,but then again stranger things have happened.
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