First Post, huge annoying prob, Hello to all

[vicLover]

First off, hello to everyone here, this is my first post but I've been snooping around on this site for quite a while getting tons of info and am very thankful to have luckd up on a site like this. Now to biz: I converted from CFI to carb I have an 85 Ford CV and have had problems getting it started for months now, especially the long pause for chicago winters (up north mainly). Now the cars been sitting unstarted since around Oct. 07 ish, due to the fact I could not get it started after putting everything back together. Now I had the opportunity weather wise to try again. So I rotated my crank until I felt air push pass my finger at #1 spark hole set the pointer to 14* BTDC, (I have an HEI dizzy by the way) set up the wires in the correct order making sure the rotor was dead on with the #1 plug. Now I turn the car on but not cranking and there is an obnoxious noise coming from one of the two relays on the driver side fender above the wheel well. I know one relay is for the fuel pump but what the hell is the other one for? I remember messing with the green relay as that seemed to be the primer or the actual fuel relay (I know this because I jumped the relay to make my pump run continuously to check fuel pressure, long story) but are there two relays for the fuel pump? Any body have a clue what my other relay controls? I was actually able to crank the car with that one disconnected, but now I notice I don't get the hiss from the rear like I use to when turning KOEO, yet I smell a faint hint of fuel at the carb. She cranks, but not a smooth, continuous crank if that makes since, I wanna say it cranks hesitates cranks hesitates, and it sounds like something heavy is dropping in the oil in my engine. What gives. Sorry for the long post, but this car has been on my mind all day and night for months now.

[Archangel]

Relays on fender are generally ECM, pump, A/C, and air-ride, plus the one for the horn right next them all. You have no ECM, and likely now air-ride, so you're left with pump and A/C - pull the harness off the plug for the A/C compressor clutch (tis on top of the compressor, right behind teh pulley), that should leave you with just the pump relay. For the timing, make sure your battery is good, hook up your timing light, have someone crank the engine for 5-sec intervals while you shoot the light down towards the damper and read timing - 14 degrees initial is indeed a good starting point, just gotta make sure you're indeed at 14 and no somewhere else.

[cld783]

check the voltage at your battery for starters.


if that checks out. get some starter fluid or pour a really small amount of gas straight into the carb and see if it wants to fire. if you choose gas in the carb dont use alot, it could backfire or possibly start a fire.

if you get it to start/sputter and you dont hear the fuel pump at all when turning the key on, the pump is either dead or you have some wiring messed up.

[Mercracer]

Start from the beginning... How are you supplying fuel to the carb and at what pressure? Did you try dumping a little tiny bit of fuel into the carb? The only 2 obvious possibilities are fuel or spark issues.... Pull the #1 plug out and do the check with your finger again to be sure that the distributor is in the right spot..... Your spark is strong???

[Bowman85merc]

what mercracer said, pull # 1 plug insert finger and have someone bump engine until finger blows out, then you set pointer to 0 TDC on crank, then make sure distributer is dead set on #1 on the cap. plus doulbe check fuel delivery.

[Heretic]

CFI had high pressures like EFI as far as I remember... I would guess that the in tank pump may be putting out too much pressure for the carb to handle. Carbs are usuall low, like 7 or 10 PSI, but injection uses 30+ PSI. May possibly need to switch to a carb specific electric pump or install a mechanical pump.

[Mercracer]

Have You Hugged Your Moderation Nazi Today!!?

CFI had high pressures like EFI as far as I remember... I would guess that the in tank pump may be putting out too much pressure for the carb to handle. Carbs are usuall low, like 7 or 10 PSI, but injection uses 30+ PSI. May possibly need to switch to a carb specific electric pump or install a mechanical pump.

Hold off with the guesses until he has a chance to answer the questions already raised.......

[85crownHPP]

hold off on the guesses?? how bout stfu and let people give thier ideas???


The two relays on your fender are the fuel pump and eec relays... I'd GUESS one of them is dying or maybe your ignition swich is possesed.

[vicLover]

Is it true you can get the timing light to work during startup, because if thats
the case, I'll try that over the weekend. I have a fuel pressure regulator from mallory one of those return line models. I'll try replacing those relays and see what happens also. As for fuel, my low fuel light is on and I have no idea how much is in the tank, plus it's been in there for a while so I'm pretty sure it needs more. Ignition switch being possesed is what I had in mind to but when I disconnected that relay, the car still cranked is that possible. Thanks for all the suggestions so fast u guys are great!

[Mercracer]

I like pie.....

hold off on the guesses?? how bout stfu and let people give thier ideas???.

This is the tech forum, not off topic bullshit...........


If you use full CFI/EFI fuel pressure, the carb will flood and fill the intake up with fuel.... It would smell like a gas spill.....
It would be a big flippin mess....

[Mercracer]

Is it true you can get the timing light to work during startup, because if thats
the case, I'll try that over the weekend. I have a fuel pressure regulator from mallory one of those return line models. I'll try replacing those relays and see what happens also. As for fuel, my low fuel light is on and I have no idea how much is in the tank, plus it's been in there for a while so I'm pretty sure it needs more. Ignition switch being possesed is what I had in mind to but when I disconnected that relay, the car still cranked is that possible. Thanks for all the suggestions so fast u guys are great!

Don't waste your time messing with the timing light on start up. Either your distributor is near 10 DBTDC or it is not..... Kind of like hand grenades for start up.... Close enough works... Either you have fuel in your carb or you do not... When you push the throttle, fuel should squirt from your accelerator pump.... Dump a little fuel down the carb... Pull the line off of the carb, put it in a bottle and turn on your ignition switch... See if your pump is working..... Stick to the very basics and try not to make this more complicated than it has to be.... You will find the problem quicker....

[Heretic]

... now I notice I don't get the hiss from the rear like I use to when turning KOEO, yet I smell a faint hint of fuel at the carb. She cranks, but not a smooth, continuous crank if that makes since, I wanna say it cranks hesitates cranks hesitates, and it sounds like something heavy is dropping in the oil in my engine...

Hold off with the guesses until he has a chance to answer the questions already raised.......

I apologize for opening my uneducated, guessing mouth, but I was merely going on what the original post said... I wasn't aware I had to wait for my turn to post to an internet forum.

:pw:

[Mercracer]

I apologize for opening my uneducated, guessing mouth, but I was merely going on what the original post said...

I have a fuel pressure regulator from mallory one of those return line models.

That is what I was waiting for.... Don't interpret my post to infer that your input is not welcome.... If he was trying to run a factory pump without a regulator, it could have been the answer to his problems but there was nothing to indicate that it was the case.... Don't take it personal mang.... And try not to make a big issue of it... Maybe I reacted too quickly, but we get alot of newbies filling the tech forms with unnecessary posts...

[Heretic]

You must remember my friend, post count doesn't automatically determine how noob' someone is

Viclover did post that after my initial post though... Perhaps the regulator is not adjusted / faulty?

As for fuel, my low fuel light is on and I have no idea how much is in the tank, plus it's been in there for a while so I'm pretty sure it needs more

However I'm going to say the first step will probably need to be determining fuel level, and if the fuel is even still good...

[Mercracer]

However I'm going to say the first step will probably need to be determining fuel level, and if the fuel is even still good...

Although I highly doubt that his fuel has gone "bad" enough to prevent the engine from starting after sitting only a couple of months, I am not convinced that he has a single drop of fuel in the tank..... Or if so that any fuel is making it to the carb..... Twice I have suggested that he pour a little fuel into the carb.....
He has only posted twice in 2 days so maybe he has not had a chance to work on the car....