'37 Terraplane firing order illustration

Hudsonrules
Hudsonrules Senior Contributor
edited June 2012 in HUDSON
Okay, I know the firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4. However looking in the book and at the distributor, I see two different pictures. In the book, the number 1 looks to be about 11:00 o clock, I look at my distributor and on the compression stroke, number one appears to be 1:00 o clock. Am I doing something wrong? The engine starts and runs, but won: t idle and dies when I try to revve the engine. The plugs only have less than twenty miles on them and they are fouled out big time. The car has been sitting for the past three years however, though started occaisionaly. What am I doing wrong or overlooking? Thanks, Arnie in Nevada.

Comments

  • jtroberg
    jtroberg Member
    Having done this before, my guess is that the distributor gear is off by one tooth. It will start, but when you try to give it the gas, the timing becomes too far advanced and the engine dies.
  • Park_W
    Park_W Senior Contributor
    I agree with Ken ... classic symptoms of a bad condenser.
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    Rule number one: "It's always the condenser."

    But seriously....

    Have you checked the timing by taking the spark plug out of cylinder #1, putting your finger over the spark plug hole and feeling the air rush in and out as you slowly crank (without spark) the engine, until you feel the air coming out at the compression stroke? (At this point all valves are closed so it's a real rush of air.) When the stroke stops you're at TDC and the TDC mark on the flywheel (glimpsed through the inspection hole where you install your Hudsonite) should align with the pointer. Having done this you will know: A). that your timing gear is correctly set, and B) your distributor is oriented correctly (rotor aligned with sparkplug wire #1, which should be attached to sparkplug #1).
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