Hard Starting/Bucking 1963 Fuelie!

[c5vetter]

Yesterday, I decided to work on the 1963 SWC and start swapping parts that came in on Friday. All the old bolts, screws, etc. for the bumpers, grill, bezels, etc. are in. I replaced the belts, distributor cap, coil, head lamps, spark plug wires, and a couple of the lens that were cracked.

Tried to start the old girl and she backfired on me! This is a 360 hp fuelie, and has never done this before! Finally did start and seemed to run fine. But about an hour later when I tried to start her again, she backfired on me again and then wouldn't start?

Suggestions? Spark plug wires? Coil? Distributor cap?

 

[Tom Bryant]

Sounds like you may have crossed a couple wires when you replaced the distributor cap. I would check them again and make sure the cap is fully seated on the distributor.

18436572 firing order.

Tom

 

[c5vetter]

Tom,

thanks for the response! seems the consensus is plug wires crossed, as I posted to NCRS also. As the old saying goes "can't see the forest because of the trees" or however it goes! Thought I double checked the wires, but obvioiusly something is amiss!

FYI - don't know if relayed the results of my NCRS show results or not? Scored 87.6 with the old girl in her first "judged" show, which I didn't think was too terrible. Sure learned a lot about the old girl.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Congratulations on a pretty good score. No doubt the improvements you are making will make a big difference in the score the next time.

Tom

 

[IH2LOSE]

Congrats not only on your scoring but for going to be judged.

I have NO exspereance with a fulie car,But know a little about cars. Prior to your work was the car running perfect? If yes double check what you did.Look for the basic stuff

A quick story on my car.I had purchased a msd ignition system for the car.new coil,new dist,new box, all new wireing I re assembeled the car and I had a miss.I rechecked every thing several times .I mean re checked every thing I could not get rid of the miss. I started to think I had a defective distributor,

I brought it to my father in law and said please double check it.With in 2 minutes he had found a small minor tiny problem
un related to the new ignition system .The pvc line was wedged under the excellarator pump He stopped what he was doing cut it a little shorter and twisted it out of the way.He aslo tightened a loose power sterring belt Well needless to say any thing he seen that was not correct he fixed it on the spot where as I was saying YEA YEA i know the belts loose but Ill adjust it later,YEA YEA iknow the PVC line is incorrect I fix it later my problem is the miss right now lets fix that.Well after about 20 minute of him fixing all the little details he did not like he started the car to attempt to fix the miss Guess what it was gone.No miss in the car It ended up being that the PVC line was stopping the axcellarator pump from operating and it seemed as if it was a ignition miss for sure.So I guess the moral of my story here is SWEAT the minor details before assuming the condeming the major details.

Lastley I had a freind with a 65 fuiley and he had a major miss in the car,he tore the fuel injection down and fiddeled with everything he could adjust He had to bring in a high paid fuel mecanic to fix his problem on his car and it ended up being a ignition problem NOTHING TO DO WITH THE Fuel injection what so ever but the guy spent hour repairing what my freind had adjusted and tinkered with in the fuel injection.

Good luck and sorry I could not of helped you.Again congrats on getting your car judged

 

[c5vetter]

Thanks, for the insightful reply! A good friend of mine who is a Corvette mechanic kind of told me the same things you just relayed about your father-in-law checking and fixing things. My buddy said, just wait until I start looking at what is wrong - I will find other things to fix!

Beyond that, he told me one thing that I hadn't even thought of looking for - he said that back when the original plug wires were manufactured, they were often marked with what cylinder they were meant for - in other words plug wire #1 was meant for cylinder #1 - in this way the guys on the assembly line didn't have to think at all! He didn't actually say that the folks that make the wires today do that, but he said check!

Well, DOH, guess I will when I look at the car tomorrow. Didn't get a chance yesterday and won't today! AAAARRRRGGGHHH! Work is keeping me in the office late!

 

[a63vette]

C5, any luck? Curious if you found your problem.

Have a good one,
Jordan

63 Fuelie SWC Blk/Blk

 

[c5vetter]

Thanks for asking! Had two wires crossed, but the car is still backfiring. Determined that the points are about on their last legs, and the timing is off! Waiting on the new points, condensor, and rotor cap to come in from LI Vette and then should be up and running again!

FYI - had the 2001 Z06 out over the weekend running up and down I95 - what a gorgeous weekend for cruzing!