CJ5 Won't Start

Hi All,

I recently did a complete "tune up" on my jeep. It was failing to idle and was fouling spark plugs at a rapid rate. I replaced the points, condenser, wires, plugs, rotor, and distributor cap, and it started to idle perfectly however it would not rev. Today I rebuilt the carburetor using a "Master Rebuild Kit" from Kaiser Willys and now I cannot get it to start at all. Anybody have any tips as to what could be going wrong? I shot a spray of ether into the manifold, and it still would not pop over. I am honestly lost as to what to do next, or what I could have messed up. I was thinking something in the carb however I could not get a start with a shot of ether. So, Where should I start?
Thanks

Dan

 

check for spark at the plugs?

 

What Pete said. It was running before the carb rebuild? Just check for spark to eliminate THAT as an issue. Then, getting fuel to the carb?

 

Another reason it may fail to respond to ether is if it is already flooded with gas. Looking at the plug tips will give a clue. If so, and you have spark, recheck the carb build.

What engine and carb are we talking about? The Carter YF has a ball check that people often lose. The accelerator pump diaphragm could be leaking. ETC..

 

F134 and Carter YF Carb. I believe I installed the ball check, and I felt like I tightened down the accel pump fairly good.

I did check the cables earlier for spark by pulling them off and using an old plug, and I was getting much hotter spark than I ever did before, however it is very possible that the entire thing is severely out of time.

One thing I did do to the carb was adjust the float level significantly. I set the level to the setting noted in the factory service manual, or 5/16", but this was much much lower than what the level was before. I will check the plug time tomorrow morning.

 

I also thought that the firing order might have been wrong when I changed the spark plug wires, however I rechecked it again and again it all seemed to be the 1-3-4-2 firing order.

 

Counterclockwise rotation on the distributer.

 

New filter in the fuel line. Go through the carb again. maybe you missed something, or crud got in after the rebuild.

I found my '60 just wouldn't idle with the points in the distributor. I switched to a Pertronix unit. This was back in 2007. I don't remember the part number right off hand, but you should be able to get that from the Pertronix site itsself.

 

"One thing I did do to the carb was adjust the float level significantly. I set the level to the setting noted in the factory service manual, or 5/16",

Different YF carb kits have included various float needles, some are soft tipped, some are hard tip but spring loaded,etc, and the float settings are very different. There has been a lot of good info on this site if you search this question.

 

I must be litearlly the only person on this whole entire site who fails to use the search function properly. No matter what I type in, I cannot get any results.

Anyways, I believe I might have forgot to install the ball check valve retainer. Would this cause my failure to start problem? I am going out to look at the jeep now and report on the status of the plugs.
Thanks

Dan

 

"I set the level to the setting noted in the factory service manual, or 5/16","

In original Carter literature it was 5/16" for the "solid needle/resilient seat", and 1/2" for "springloaded needle/solid seat.

"Search" function worked okay for me just now. You have to wait a certain amount of time between searches however. Member "Brian P" is very good on YF carbs...

 

Use Google. "site:earlycj5.net <your key words>" - much better than the built-in search, and there is no built-in lag between searches.

 

For whatever reason, the fuel pump/filter is not pumping gas anymore. I cracked open the fuel filter to find much sludge and junk inside of it for the second time, and I ended up cleaning it all out. I then proceeded to reinstall the fuel line on the carb, and it would not pump gas into the float bowl. I am going to look up how to prime the fuel pump and what not.

 

"the fuel pump/filter is not pumping gas"


Maybe crud in a valve, or a suction (air) leak on the cover.

But it doesn't explain why the ether didn't do anything.

 

IT LIVES. Well, kinda. The lid was not sealing properly on the pump vacuum and it would not pump gas into the carb. I also found that the timing was so far counter clockwise on my distributor, that my 5'o clock position was really everybody else's 9'o clock position. I switched the wires and it finally decided to start.

Unfortunately the motor does not like to rev at all and runs very rough at idle. I am fairly unsure as why it is doing this again. It could be fouled spark plugs, however I don't really know. Upon revving the motor more and more, it makes a sucking noise and then it will die. It also doesn't really rev, it sounds liek it hits a limiter. Anyways, any tips are very welcome, everybody has helped me get this far so far I'd like to see if there was anything else I could do before I break down and take it to a shop.

 

"It also doesn't really rev, it sounds liek it hits a limiter"

Point gap (dwell) and/or timing?

 

If your timing was off by close to a 90º turn of the distributer, you may find that timing is your problem. Could be you are timed to the wrong side of the lob under the points. Should be just coming up on the ramp with the rotor turning in a counterclockwise direction as you are looking down on it. Did you remove the distributor when you were working on the fuelpump?

If not, then maybe you are missing teeth from the fiber timing gear.

 

I did not remove the distributor when working on the fuel pump. I also will ask how do I look to see if I am missing teeth from my timing gear?

Also, would you say at this stage it would be economical to spend the ~150 for a timing light and dwell meter or have a repair shop set the timing and dwell?
Dan

 

It is possible to set timing and point gap "statically' with very simple tools - a feeler gauge and a 12v test lamp. Works well enough for a Jeep. This isn't a race car.

But the timing light and meter are good to have in your toolbox for the long term if you might ever use them on other older vehicles.

I don't EVER trust a repair shop to do anything I can do myself.

 

:iagree: