Jeep Cranks, wont fire and run

DROCHE15

MEMBER
1974 JEEP CJ6
4.2L
6 CYL
4WD
MANUAL
99,000 MILES

Thank you in advance for the help!

I have a '74 Jeep CJ6 that cranks well but wont fire and run. I just bought it, and it hadn't run for a year. The Ignition, Ignition Coil, Solenoid, are new and working, New distributor timed correctly, good rotor, new distributor cap and wires, new spark plugs that ARE getting very good spark. Fuel line is good, new fuel pump and filter, good carburetor. There is gas flow to the carb, fluids all full and everything should be good. The engine cranks, all is good but it wont fire and run.

What can I try to get this thing movin'?

9 Replies

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

ALL RIGHTY THEN!

I'M HERE TO 100% HELP YOU, AND WE WILL MAKE IT RUN!

YEP, IMMA JEEP GUY AND I WILL ALSO BE GIVING YOU A HARD TIME!

I HAVE 2 JEEPS RIGHT NOW - HAD 5 OTHERS IN THE PAST (NUTHIN' ELSE, SINCE I STARTED DRIVING ON THE ASPHALT IN 1981)

MY '77 HAS A 258, SO IT WILL PRETTY MUCH BE THE SAME AS YOUR 232 OR DO YOU HAVE THE BUICK ENGINE?

TELL ME HOW YOU TIME IT, WITH IT NOT RUNNING?

HAS THE DISTRIBUTOR BEEN OUT OF IT?

THIS THING HAS POINTS?

GOT TOOLS? BASIC AUTOMOTIVE UNDERSTANDING? TIMING LIGHT AND A DWELL METER?

I REALLY NEED ANSWERS, TOO MANY FOLKS JUMP AHEAD, AND NEVER HELP ME KNOW WHAT I NEED.

THE MEDIC

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Saturday, September 5th, 2015 AT 5:38 PM

DROCHE15

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5 POSTS

Thank you thank you!

Its got a 258 single barrel in it, not a buick. I just replaced the distributor and timed it with the 1 position, the gears and the first piston. It does have points and I'd rate my understanding as 7/10. I've got tools needed to work on it, good voltmeter, but no timing light or dwell meter. Everything seems right, it just doesnt make sense that she wont fire and go. All new ignition system, distributor, etc, fuel lines good into the carb, and cleaned and sealed etc.

Shes just a stubborn gal at the moment

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Saturday, September 5th, 2015 AT 5:49 PM

DROCHE15

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The other thing worth mentioning is it fired up and stayed on once about 5 hours ago. Then I shut it off to go get lunch, disconnected the battery, then came back, hooked the battery up and no start after that

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Saturday, September 5th, 2015 AT 6:19 PM

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

DON'T CHANGE NUTHIN' YET!

ARE YOU SET UP LIKE MY PIC? - IF NOT, YOUR #1 IS WHERE "MY" #___ IS AT? (DISREGARD THE TEXT ON MY PIC AT THIS TIME)

WHEN YOU CRANK IT NOW, DOES IT TRY TO COUGH AND BUST OFF OR DOES IT JUST HAVE THE SAME OLE DRY, OVER AND OVERS?

WHAT DOES IT DO IF YOU GIVE IT 2 TEASPOONS OF FUEL DOWN THE CARB?

(REALLY COULD USE A TIMING LIGHT AND A TACH/ DWELL METER TO GET IT DEAD ON)

YOU KNOW RONALD REAGAN HAD A CJ-6?

THE MEDIC

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Saturday, September 5th, 2015 AT 6:40 PM

DROCHE15

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Did not know that about Reagan.

My #1 is in the same place as yours, its the same try over and overs and a little gas in the carb doesnt do anything. Not geting a backfire either.

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Sunday, September 6th, 2015 AT 5:15 AM

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

2 TESTS

1) WHAT IS THE VOLTAGE AT THE POSITIVE COIL TERMINAL W/ KEY ON? (SEE 1st PIC)

2) KEY OFF AND IN YOUR POCKET

TAKE OFF THE DIST CAP

INSURE THE POINTS ARE CLOSED

(IF NOT, ROTATE THE ENGINE WITH YOUR HANDS OR A WRENCH UNTIL THEY ARE CLOSED. I SOMETIMES PUSH THE BELT TIGHT WITH ONE HAND, THEN TURN THE FAN W/ THE OTHER)

PUT KEY BACK IN AND TURN IT TO "RUN" (NOT START)

WITH A STICK, PLASTIC STICK, OR LIKE ITEM, PRY THE POINTS OPEN (MAYBE AN 1/8 INCH) THEN LET IT 'EM CLOSE FULLY, DOES IT "POP" OR THROW SMALL SPARKS? DO IT FASTER MAYBE 5 TIMES, ANYTHING?

THE MEDIC

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Sunday, September 6th, 2015 AT 9:18 AM

DROCHE15

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Okay so new developments.

I changed the timing chain, then timed that with the pistons and the distributor and she turned over, and fired. Then it wouldnt stay on and I stared getting quite a bit of fumes coming out the block and the carb. Not sure where to go from here

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Monday, September 7th, 2015 AT 9:19 PM

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
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HIDE YOUR KEYS/CHOCK YOUR WHEELS/ GO TO NEUTRAL

REMOVE #1 SPARK PLUG

STICK IT BACK IN , MAYBE 2 THREADS (INSTEAD OF YOUR THUMB)

ROTATE THE ENGINE WITH A WRENCH OR RATCHET

CLOCKWISE AS VIEWED FROM THE GRILL

WHEN YOU HEAR THE "HISS" COMING BY #1 PLUG=-=-=STOP! ( A FRIEND MAY BE HELPFUL TO HEAR THIS AT #1 (AS THE OTHER CYLINDERS HISS INTERNALLY (USUALLY FAINTER) WHEN YOU ROTATE THE ENGINE

NOW, WE ARE ON COMPRESSION STROKE (COMING UP)

WE AIN'T UP YET!

WITH A SOCKET OR WRENCH. EVER SO SLOWLY ROTATE THE ENGINE (CW) TILL YOUR TIMING MARK (LINE) LINES UP WITH ZERO!

STOP!!! WE ARE AT "TDC" TOP DEAD CENTER!

I HAVE FOUND THAT USING THE STARTER FOR THE "BUMPAGE" USUALLY RESULTS IN "OVERRUNNING" THE MARKS,

THEN YOU MISTAKENLY ROTATE ON AROUND 180 DEGREES FROM WHERE YOU SHOULD BE (NOT SAYIN' BAD THINGS ABOUT YOUR ABILITIES, BUT IF YOU ARE NEW TO THIS, IT'S AN EZ MISTAKE!) (SO I DON'T RECOMMEND USING THE STARTER.)

OK, BACK TO OUR SLOW-MOTIONAGE!

NOW LOOK AT THE ROTOR BUTTON

IT SHOULD BE FACING THE "MARK" YOU PUT ON THE 'STRIBUTOR (WHERE # 1 WIRE SHOULD BE-OR IS GONNA BE NOW!

IF YOU WANNA CHANGE #1s POSITION, YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE THE DISTRIBUTOR BACK OUT AND MOVE IT

.......OR WHICH EVER TOWER YOU CHOSE TO BE #1 (TEXTBOOK OR NOT)

THE ENGINE/ CAM/ CRANK DON'T CARE WHICH ONE IT IS!

AS LONG AS YOU WERE AT TDC, YOU PLACED #1 SPARK PLUG WIRE ON "THAT TOWER" (THE ONE THAT ROTOR IS POINTING TO)

AND YOUR 1-5-3-6-2-4 FIRING ORDER STARTS THERE- AND RUNS THE SEQUENCE CLOCKWISE (LOOKING DOWN ON THE 'STRIBUTOR CAP)

INSTALLING IT "TEXTBOOK" CUTS DOWN ON CONFUSION LATER ON, AS YOU MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN THE "DEAL"- SIMPLY HOOKING IT ALL UP LIKE IT SHOWS IN THE BOOK WILL MAKE IT EZier IN 8 MONTHS! (BUT YOU GOTTA INSTALL IT TEXTBOOK NOW!)

I'M HERE WITH YOU BUDDY!

I'M NOT GONNA ABANDON YOU, I ALWAYS TRY TO 'SPLAIN THINGS REAL SIMPLE, NOT JUST GIVE YOU A TASK AND LEAVE YOU TO FIGGER OUT HOW???

LEMME KNOW IF YOU ARE DARN SURE AT "TDC" AND THE ROTOR IS POINTING AT #1 WIRE!

CONTINUING TO DIAGNOSE WITHOUT THE VALVE TRAIN BEING IN TIME (MECHANICALLY) IS GONNA HAVE US CHASING OUR TAILS FOREVER-TILL WE COME BACK TO THIS POINT!

THIS IS A QUICKEE REMINDER OF HOW THIS THING WORKS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y6PS-2j2Ug&feature=related

IF YOU ARE CONFIDENT IT'S RIGHT

2 TEASPOONS OF GAS DOWN THE CARB, THEN ATTEMPT A START

"EXACTLY" WHAT DOES IT DO OR DON'T DO???

THE HARMONIC BALANCER COULDA SLIPPED (I HAVE POST DISCUSSING THAT TOO) WHICH WOULD PUT YOUR TIMING MARK IN THE WRONG POSITION TO THE CRANKSHAFT. JUST ANOTHER POSSIBILITY-WE WON'T GO THERE YET!

NOW, PLEASE USE THE WRENCH RATCHET TO TURN IT, THESE FELLERS EXPLAIN IT ALL SO WELL!

I'M SENDING "DAVID AND CHAD" TO GIVE YOU A HAND.....LET THEM EXPLAIN THIS A FEW TIMES BEFORE YOU "JUMP IN".....THEY DON'T MIND AT ALL!

CLASS 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a2X9mSSlQY

CLASS 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=FHX1yXVyIMg&feature=endscreen

YOU ARE DOIN' GOOD / HOW 'BOUT ME?

YOUR MOVE!

THE MEDIC

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