LUVTruck.com

Ok, first off i'm trying to round up a compression gauge, so my tests are incomplete

i'm a poor college student, and haven't been able to work on the truck for almost a year. so far I have done:

verified spark to plugs
verified fuel to carb
replaced all filters / plugs/ etc
rebuilt carb
replaced timing

last two were done by a mechanic

battery has died, so I have to wait till payday to replace it and get the compression guage, so for right now i'm speculating.

when the truck died, i ran out of gas, me and freind pushed it about a block to station. then drove it about a mile where it quit.

A third freind came, and we were able to start the truck by push starting with his ford, but if the LUV dropped below 30mph it would die, and it sounded like a 2 stroke detroit.

I'm thinkinf the problem is fuel or timing related, but am interested in other possibilities

NQS

What year model Luv? Electronic ignition or breaker points? Check the timing, Fuel Flow (disconnect the hose at the carb and make sure it's pumping fuel not just delivering sporatically). Make sure your choke isn't sticking.

_________________
In life there is the "Way things should be" and then "There's the way they are".

2005 Silverado 3/4T Crew Cab
1981 Luv 2WD
1979 Luv 4x4 Currently going through Open Heart and Cosmetic surgery
1995 Roughneck JetBoat
1981 Luv parts trk

I typed this all up last night then tripped over a cord...

ok, it's titled as a 81, but the dizzy takes a 80 cap, 81 will not fit. so some ore all parts may be out of date sync

pump filled a pint jar PDQ when i teted it last

choke is electric. how do i check it?

i found last mechanic i hired put plug wires 270 degrees out. was supposed to have replacced timing chain ad rebuilt carb

haven't timed, but am about to attempt to do so without a light. have a howto on doingit that way book marked some where here

think ingnition is electric. looks like:

am stripping emissions crap off engine too, to lighten load

NQS

go to your local parts store and get a 5 dollar inline spark tester

just goes on sparkplug boot then onto sparkplug have someone crank it over for you and make sure you are getting spark.

easiest way to check timing i know is,
the rotor is supposed to be at or just before where the number 1 plug wire is on the cap as the piston is almost to top of cylinder, you can easily check this by pulling #1 plug and put something in like a straw{dont let it fall down in there all the way} and slowly turn it over by hand until it stops moving up then you are at tdc.
take the cap off and see where the rotor is pointing like i said it should be in the viscinity of the #1 plugwire, if it aint you got a timing issue, if it is you either have a spark or a fuel issue.


btw......feel free to correct me if im wrong

_________________
zyanug
75 luv stepside... Work in progress
76 fleetside 350hp 1968 327cu
"No replacement for displacement!"
___/__l____
[_@l__l__@_]***

I tested by feel, but i may have one of those testers



that's pretty much what I did. of course it didn't help any that the guy who replaced timing chain wired it:

2 1
4 3
(front)

gotta round up a battery before i can test again, it's has a dead cell





got those, or at least feul to the carb, so i'm hoping it's the time. if it's busted rings.... time to sell.

NQS

Have a friend hold the choke open while you try to start it or wire it open.... The choke should set cold and then pull open as things warm up if you have electricity there. The choke doesn't seem like the issue right now though.

If it is timed incorrectly (as long as the chain is installed properly) that isn't to hard to fix. Pretty much just follow the procedures ZYANUG gave you and hook up the wires in order.

Before you diagnose it as cracked rings run a compression check. Pull your spark plugs and put a shot of oil in each cylinder. Let it sit for a couple hours, pull the coil wire, block your carb OPEN, install a compression gage and turn the engine over until your gage tops out on each cylinder. Write them down and if memory serves me correct you shouldn't have a variation of more than 10% from highest to lowest. (I think but not totally sure). It will still run if you have good compression in each cylinder but that's the perfect world results.

_________________
In life there is the "Way things should be" and then "There's the way they are".

2005 Silverado 3/4T Crew Cab
1981 Luv 2WD
1979 Luv 4x4 Currently going through Open Heart and Cosmetic surgery
1995 Roughneck JetBoat
1981 Luv parts trk

out of curiosity where are you located? maybe someone lives close enough and they could "help a brotha out".

if you go to your user control panel and got to the profile page and fill it out properly it might help people help you

_________________
zyanug
75 luv stepside... Work in progress
76 fleetside 350hp 1968 327cu
"No replacement for displacement!"
___/__l____
[_@l__l__@_]***

Done.

NQS

dam thats a bit far for me to come help sorry

_________________
zyanug
75 luv stepside... Work in progress
76 fleetside 350hp 1968 327cu
"No replacement for displacement!"
___/__l____
[_@l__l__@_]***

Thanks Dog Trainer!
Just small correction: the piston will be on TDC on both the compression (power) stroke and on the exhaust stroke. This means the distributor rotor will either (should) point at # 1 wire position or directly opposed, just something to remember. When using timing marks to check timing, the same is true. An easy way to check is to remove the # 1 spark plug, have a friend work the starter and you can feel the power stoke coming up because the air coming out of the hole will be a lot stronger.
Another suggestion: Years ago I had a friend who owned a Dodge with the 225 slant six. After his daughter ran it out of gas they could not get it to start, everything checked out but no start. When we checked the compression it has about 45-50 # dry, but when we squirted several drops of oil in each cylinder and retested it, the compression jumped to 125, and after replacing the spark plugs the engine started right up! Apparently the engine was pretty well worn out and when they poured a little bit of gas into the carburetor, they inadvertainly washed all the oil off the rings and lost compression!!
You might give this a try when checking compression, it is always a good idea to check it "dry", then "wet".
Good luck,
dusty scjconv