Hey folks;
Been havin’ some serious “startin” problems with Boogie Woogie
lately……. Why would my 332" 327 with 10-1 compression...act like "the
battery was low" and grind over, you know like a typical chevvie thats got a
"hot starter motor"??? something like; GRRuhhhhhh, GRRuhhhh, GRRuhhhin,
GRRuhhhinn, Grinnddddd.....
..…it all started last weekend really....and can be downright embarrasin' at
times it can. The whole setup in Boogiewoogie has 16,000 on it now. All
was new or rebuilt when she was finished -except the 1 1/2 yr old battery.
All was right with the world until last week. As of this writing I have
replaced the starter with another rebuilt BIGBLOCK one, and bought a brand
new 75 month 990 cold cranking amps battery from NAPA…..to the tune
of about a hunnert an’ a ‘quata for the two….OW. -on my Collegggg
allowance. OW.
It ain’t no better boys. WHAT GIVES????? HELP !!?!!?
here's what were'r workin' with;
332" motor 10-1 compression; 327 Chev 1966 block and ported 1.94intake,
461 heads
Comp Cams hydraulic 285 degree, 490 lift rumpity cam
(she maintains 17 " of vacuum during a coast condition at highway speeds...)
A "stock" Chev point distributor circa 1966-69; with "the door."
-inside is Mallory all the way. (brass contact cap & rotor with 5000mi.
on'em?)
Ignition is by MSD 6A box and coil. Points serve only as trigger.
Dwell 29-30
Vacuum advance hooked up normally, runs off manifold vacuum port on OFFY 3x2
intake. Best quality MSD ‘spensive 8.8mm wires are used. And
Autolite 303 plugs. –whiht maybe 3000 miles on them?
Timing is set pretty normally. -Though I've always been a little perplexed
as to WHY the marks never really seemed to be where they should when it is
running good -and boy does she ever run GOOD! lotsa power. Just always
timed’er by “by ear” and did fine. Been doin’ it that way all my life it
seems like! Decent fuel mileage (14-16.5 mpg with a 3.5 rear gear at
freeway speeds…) even with the cranky three deuces. Which are run
progressively. No matter what I've tried it always runs generally rich
-gets to your eyes at traffic lights with no hood on. -It runs and idles a
bit differently every time it's used on a different day....-responsive all
all get out though, and LOTS of fun. Just ask the regular “citizens” and
the tailgating jerks in their Beemas’ , Mitsu’s, and Infinities….
Jeesh, I’ve tried quite a few things….but I’m stumped with this.
-Boy do I ever dealing with
HATE “electronics” problems.
Can anybody here give me a clue fellas? I sure need to try to get’er
fixed by Thursday night as I need to take it on a 4-500 mile trip Friday
mornin’ . And I GOTTA have TOTAL reliability for every start….
One thing I tried was to remove the coil wire and try cranking it over –and
she spins over freely like it ought’a -but with the wire back in place, it
labors. -making you wonder if it will or if it won’t. You know?
That tells me “timing” -so I checked….and it was right where it always
is. Checked down low without vacuum, and at about 2500-3000 for total.
And she runs like a bear when she is running, -and slows normally as you
retard the spark and raises again as you advance it at idle….. normal
stuff.
When cranking and it’s straining, if you give it a squirt with the gas
pedal, whoom! She starts! -USUALLY. I’d say the ol’ MSD box is doin’
it’s job to fire it off at such a low RPM crankijng speed.
So if that’s working fine, and the timing is reasonably right, the
starters “new” and so’s the Battery, WHAT NEXT?
ANY IDEAS greatly appreciated boys. I’ll be back online in the late
morning. Oh, I forgot to say that I’ve had the new NAPA battery on
trickle charge since 10 am because it did not show a “full” charge when the
counterman checked it this morning when I purchased it. I did try
starting the beast once before putting it on the charger (2 amp) and it
acted about the same as it did before; with a slooooow grunting, begrudging
start…. however, that said, could it be just co-incidence
that because it was down a bit it would act that way too? (like the old
battery did) Like maybe when I get home in an hour from Colleggg all
will be right with the world again???? Naw I did’nt think so either…..
Aw Hell, boys What gives?????
________________________________________________________________________
|