Calling WA locals! Comrade in need of assistance

[BhamDatto]

anybody living around Bellingham WA able to come listen to this dagum motor?!

It's an l20 and man she's not very happy for some reason. I've troubleshot all the stuff I know to look at and nothing seems wonky, I'm just at my wits end so I figured I'd throw out a s.o.s. And see if any amigos were around wiser than me. Perfect weather for tinkering ✌️

[banzai510(hainz)]

throw us a bone whats the issue.

[datzenmike]

What does it do... not do???

 

What have you done to it recently???

[KoHeartsGPA]

Help us help you!

[BhamDatto]

Upon starting struggles to idle without the choke pulled, and has like a mistimed or misfire sound about it. Not the normal cadence I'm used to. Also not a smooth rev and zero power, like your not going over 15mph on flat ground

 

The carbs are side drafts off of an sss, pots have fresh oil and fuel seems to be fine as the plugs were wet when I pulled them.

Pulled the valve cover last night to check my cam and although I have a pos sprocket with the 3 holes the #2 spot still lines up with the cam dowel or just to the left so to me that's on point...

 

Checking now that my dizzy didn't somehow get out back wrong while I await responses, my next thought is plug wires I guess but spark seems legit

 

Recently nada, it ran like a beast then upon moving up here she's never been happy. Maybe back to a Weber?

[KoHeartsGPA]

Ok, let's backpedal some, what did you do to it since last time it ran good?

 

Wet plugs indicate low/weak spark, flooding or wayyy too rich mixture...we're they all wet or some, if some witch ones?

[racerx]

How would ur dist. Get out, did u take it out?

[BhamDatto]

Lol typo sry not out, put*

 

All the plugs seemd to have fuel, the mixture dials were both set all the way in then backed out 2. I've since set it at different points even leaned out to where it would die and it doesnt seem to change anything with the way it runs. The pots are clean and the pistons smooth when I lifted them. Both have the same amount of oil in them, needles straight etc

 

Didn't change anythin on her minus the stock alternator and that was awile ago. It sat for a bit but fired up just fine then during the drive just started doing the stutter step and sounding like a jallopy

 

I am still running the same blaster coil I put on when I bought the truck and the wires were changed same time but I figured there can't be more than 3k miles on it as that was small town driving then. Could those be messing with it ? I'd hate for it to b that simple. The sound it's making is just...off

 

Seriously appreciate the help gents

[bilzbobaggins]

Old ethanol gas? How long did it set?

[BhamDatto]

A good minute. It was almost on e so I before I began messinwith it I out a few gallons of fresh petrol in her and sloshed it around. Fuel filter looks clear. I'm about to walk back to autozone n grab wires, cap n rotor

[racerx]

How did u checked that u r getting spark?

[BhamDatto]

Well it starts up and tries to run but something is holding it back. had the plug where I could see and bumped it over, then checked each wire against a grounded bolt by the horn I could see.

 

Only thing wierd was just the coil alone to ground was making an orange spark yay nay? I'm used to bluer but it's still pretty light out

[racerx]

Try ohming ur coil.

[racerx]

Save ur money by diagnosing first b4 buying parts that may not be bad. If its ur spark plug wires stay away from autozone, get ngk, better quality. U can buy ngk plugs at autozone but not wires, cap and rotors ok at autozone. Ive had problems with their wires in the past as well as thermostats...good luck keep us posted.

[BhamDatto]

Will do ty racer,

 

my gut tells me the wires are ok, new cap in the morning they only had the rotor sigh..and maybe a coil to have on hand just in case When I got the truck it didn't have a ballast on the coil, seems pretty split between having one and not, it's the electronic distributor with the matchbox on the side

 

I pulled the dizzy n all is well . One might call it 11 29 but also seems nuts on.

 

Should I check out some rebuild kits fir these hitachis since its been a bit?

[KoHeartsGPA]

I'm thinking this might be a simple case of old gas after sitting for a while, did you clean out the jets?

 

One step at a time, let's make sure you're getting clean gas, take off the line that comes from tank to pump, put a new piece and draw gas from a clean can with fresh fuel and try this after you clean the jets, those SUs are not easy to tune if you don't have the tool for it and it's essensial that both are tuned in harmony for this beast to run properly.

[Draker]

I'm guessing old gas or shit carbs.

[bananahamuck]

Have you checked your valve clearances?

 

So from what i can get out of your responses i get two different senerios..............  You have owned the truck with the SUs installed for a few years ,, it ran perfectly fine  when you parked it and after a few years ( i guess,  since no actual time has ever been given and there is alot of difference between 1 year and 5   )  it now runs like you describe.

 

OR did it run fine then start running like crap so you parked it ( for a few? ) and that is where you are at now ?

 

 Quite a few times if my antique type car ( or even lawn mower for that matter)  runs great then starts sputtering and farting out of the blue ,, alot times it's water in the gas..  and you did say you ran it down to empty . SUs should have a drain plug on bottom of bowls

[banzai510(hainz)]

ck the valve lash or a lash pad fell out.

Ck the timming  with e timming light.

Is this a point ignition or a Matchbox. A points ignition wants the stock coil and a ballast resistor or another resisitor in series if you put a lower ohm coil in there. Causes ther points to burn up.

 

I don't know SUs!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I have 2 yr old car in my car and its still fine. othwise pump it out if you think its it/

Maybe a fuel filter is clogged(cheap)

[racerx]

Bhamdatto, how long has the car been sitting w same fuel?

[BhamDatto]

Dizzy is the one with the matchbox, it just got a fresh cap n rotor.

Five bucks blew in my path as I walked to the store haha so she got fresh plugs since its pampering time apparently..

I also cleaned all the connections on the leads for the coil so it's out of my mind

 

Last time I messed with valves I set them to the standard 8 10 and hey are kind of clicky but not horrid,

 

Truck ran great till it was parked, then ran fine, shredded the belt (replaced all was well) next drive out midway started the jallopy mode and get parked as you described. Gas was ran out then about 3 4 g added when I started messing with it. I have a mental note to pop the line off and run it out into a can for a bit just to flush for good measure before my next tinker sesh.

 

Found this sweet vid, it's not Datsun or these model carbs but just all su owners in general may find this pretty slick

 

 

Slight pinging sound about mid rev means retard her correct? or make sure the carbs r sinked first?

 

Other thing I noticed is the starter is new (before it got parked) all the connections are tight n clean but it's pretty weak. My compressions decent but I can turn it over by arm power so I feel it shud wrap up pretty quick but it almost stops it occasionally on the comp stroke, il have to pop the key and cycle around, but once it fires it is def not as rediculous as before.

Wish I could post a vid

 

Again ty for the brainstorm guys

[BhamDatto]

Fuel additive for any water in there or just some premium ya think

[BhamDatto]

Changed fuel filter and the lines they were a bit swole and brittle. Synced the su's, tube in your ear works pretty dang well lol.

 

Sprayed some carb clean up thru the jets and while it sounds perfect sitting in the driveway and will rev smooth up to 4500 but under load driving around the block it still is weak, surgy and has that sort of hiccup/miss/jallopyness (was hoping the filter etc would cure it)

 

Set the dizzy in a number of spots to no avail although it def likes retarded more than adv, back to being at a loss :)

[racerx]

Can u try to set timing to tdc or zero degrees,then check to see of ur front cam lobes are at 10 and 2 oclock. If so then your dizzy should be close. If not sure go on line and check out hainz video on setting your distributor properly or go on " how to section" on ratsun. Basically, ur trying to find ur base setting on dizzy.

[BhamDatto]

I'm damn sure last time I was messing with the cover off I had tdc, cam lobes open, sprocket lined up no excess slack in the chain. Dist. Shaft was in correct position.

Il re check in a moment.

 

Among the readings thru here I caught a tidbit where my vacuum advance should be unplugged when setting at idle, was gonna try that again.