Engine won't start after hiccup

[SolarPoweredPickles]

Hey peeps,

My engine isn't starting.
Recently I dropped a washer down one of my dual carbs, I had to pull the engine, and the head to get the washer out. It put a couple dings on the inside of the head, not damaging the valve, or cylinder or piston/ rings look fine. I reassembled everything, did a valve job, put everything back to the way it was.

I was low on fuel and it wasn't starting so I added another 1.5 gallons, I have close to 3 gallons in the tank, plenty to start a dry system, I would assume?

I'm curious what it may be, or things to check. I had done a full valve job a few months ago. So this time around I only did a valve job on the side I pulled apart, driver side. When removing a head, does that somehow throw things off on both sides? The #3 is where I dropped the washer, the spark plug tip was pushed it, I just re-gapped it and cleaned it off and reused it, it didn't look bad.

I did get a sputter to where it almost started before I added more fuel, so I would scratch the possibility of getting spark. I triple checked my wires, and dist. wires, fuel lines aren't crossed.

What to check? What I possibly damaged? It just keeps turning over, it sounds like a healthy turn over, if that means anything.

Thanks all.

[Eric&Barb]

Check for fuel and spark.
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[SolarPoweredPickles]

Like pop off a fuel hose and see if it's pumping? Fuel gallons I know I have, but check to see if it's pumping? It doesn't smell flooded, and it probably should, so maybe its fuel issue.

[Eric&Barb]

If you have a small mirror, you can use it to peer down the carb throat to see if the accelerator nozzle sprays fuel when the throttle position arm is pulled to the rear.
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[Who.Me?]

Did you take the distributor off? If so, did you rotate the engine at all while it was out? If so, could you have put it back with the engine half a cycle on from where you took it out? (180º out?)

Alternatively; it does take a lot of cranking to fill an empty carb bowl. You could fill it carefully with a funnel on some fuel hose to prime it. Once the engine fires, the pump pumps a lot faster and will refill the bowl before it drains.
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Andy


Looking for info on my truck's history. Are you from Campbell California or nearby. Do you recognise it? ... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=636786

[xcoldgrimjimx]

^^^^ THIS ya dude it sounds like a timing issue
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[gwal]

Have you left the fuel line clamp on the bottom of the tank?

[SolarPoweredPickles]

Fuel line clamp? Hmmm, not sure what that is.

I never took the distributor out, and my dist. cables are all correct. I didn't touch that much when I pulled things apart. By now I would normally have poured a big of gas down the carbs to get things going. I havent had a lot of time this week, tomorrow I'll put the air filters off and see if gas is shooting out of the carbs. I hope it's something goofy I missed. It all looks good. What the heck...

[D-train]

-rotor button on?
-wires from coil to distributor correct?
-reserve tap not half on? (If u have one)
-condenser ok?
-carbon bush in the middle of the cap still there an not broken off?
-fuel pump push rod still in it? (If you took the pump off)
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[SolarPoweredPickles]

Checked a couple things this morning. Made sure I didn't blow out the little distributor cap buttom, that's ok. Fuel pump never came off, only the fuel lines. Aside from replacing one side of fuel hose from the "T" to the carb, all was put back the same.

I popped off the air cleaners and sure enough, pulling on the throttle no fuel is spraying into the carbs. Why, I am quite unsure.... sigh. But I have the issue! Now to solve it.

[Eric&Barb]

Good to hear! Lots easier if you can narrow it down like you have.
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[D-train]

What motor and what pump?
Have u got the lines on the right pump fitting? In an out to carbs?
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shiny paint doesnt make it worth any more

[SolarPoweredPickles]

It's a 1776, I can't remember which pump this is. The line from the fuel tank goes to the fuel filter, then to the top port on this fuel pump. Each carb is connected with a "T" in the center, and that "T" goes to the bottom port on the fuel pump. I thought this is how it was before but I may have accidentally crossed something?

[heimlich]

Check that the fuel pump is pumping when you are turning over the engine.
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[SolarPoweredPickles]

[D-train]

[SolarPoweredPickles]

Fuel pump is pumping! I cranked it by hand and the send/out is the one on the bottom, which is going to the "T" then the carbs. I poured 1/2 of a spray paint cap full of gas down one of the carbs and it started up for a second but died. Im sure it all needs to be tuned but getting it started TO TUNE is proving to be a challenge. I've been cranking it over a lot.

[SolarPoweredPickles]

Update. A little more juice straight down the carb and its running like a top again! Thanks for the help guys, I guess it just needed a lot more fuel. Time to sync and tune and drive again.

[EverettB]