No Fuel at plugs

1980 305 carborated mercruiser
Carburator pumping fuel but plugs are dry. Thinking of pouring fuel down the throat to kick it over? Timing is correct.
Any ideas?
Thanks

Re: No Fuel at plugs

I take it the engine will crak but not start. Pouring a bit or gas down the carb will work if that is the problem. Maybe a shot of starting fluid. Plugs don't usually get real wet unless there is flooding. Are you getting spark?

Re: No Fuel at plugs

Yes the engine will crank all day...but not start. I have spark and timing is good.
I've recently installed an petronix electronic ingnition and did not have spark until I took the metal lining out of the rotor (long time to figure this out and not sure what that metal did, except it prevented me from getting any spark). Both engines have the same problem. Anyway, spark and timing are good now. Gas to carb good. I poured gas into carb and got some sputtering...then back to just crank and no start. Seems like it want to start, seems fuel starved and sounds like it needs more power to start it up.

Re: No Fuel at plugs

BUA said:

Yes the engine will crank all day...but not start. I have spark and timing is good.
I've recently installed an petronix electronic ingnition and did not have spark until I took the metal lining out of the rotor (long time to figure this out and not sure what that metal did, except it prevented me from getting any spark). Both engines have the same problem. Anyway, spark and timing are good now. Gas to carb good. I poured gas into carb and got some sputtering...then back to just crank and no start. Seems like it want to start, seems fuel starved and sounds like it needs more power to start it up.

Click to expand...

Ayuh,.... Is it Good gas,..??

If the carb were squirtin' gas in, it's gotta start,...

Yer dumpin' gas down the carb proves that,...

something's up with the carb, or the fuel, or the delivery of it,...

Re: No Fuel at plugs

Were the engines running before you installed the petronix ignition?

Re: No Fuel at plugs

Not sure how we know timing is correct if they won't run? Twist the disty clockwise a bit and try it again.

Re: No Fuel at plugs

BUA said:

spark and timing are good now. Gas to carb good. I poured gas into carb and got some sputtering...then back to just crank and no start

Click to expand...

did you by chance pull the distributor assy??

sounds like your 180 degrees off

Re: No Fuel at plugs

Yes the engines ran in the fall when I put the boat away. She sat, and still sits in my driveway. After removing the cover early May I installed the electronic ignitions into both engines. When I tried to start both engines I had crank with no start. My first thought was bad fuel. I cleaned out fuel filters and carbs and bypassed the fuel tank using aux. tank with new gas. Still crank with no start. Next I thought maybe I had a wiring issue because I couldn't get spark at the plugs. I did some testing, and found that I had positive volts at both the + and - on ignition coil. Thinking the whole engine was alive I thought there must be a grounding issue somewhere. I went back to original points system and still had no spark. I replaced the dist and rotor and YES I did pull the distributor system to make sure it was seated correctly. The rotors bothered me because I thought they were not lining up with the dist. contacts. By luck I happen to put on an old rotor that did not have the metal contact and tab that the new roters have and there was spark. I did the same to the port engine and had spark. I re-installed the petronix ignitions and still had spark. I used my timing light to set the timing (am I wrong in thinking this assures the timing is correct?). I've been at this for a month and a half...about to lose my mind. Don't want to spend the summer on my boat in the driveway. Can't find a mechanic to do "house call". I really appreciate all your advice.

Re: No Fuel at plugs

Having 12V on both sides of the coil is fine. The negative side of the coil goes to the ignition module and tachometer. What is the metal contact and tab you keep mentioning, and do you have a pic?

http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/16/16F4R2.PDF

Re: No Fuel at plugs

AllDodge said:

Having 12V on both sides of the coil is fine. The negative side of the coil goes to the ignition module and tachometer. What is the metal contact and tab you keep mentioning, and do you have a pic?

http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/16/16F4R2.PDF

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The metal contact that is inside the rotor...that sits onto the dist shaft.

Re: No Fuel at plugs

BUA said:

The metal contact that is inside the rotor...that sits onto the dist shaft.

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You mean the points? Its my understanding that the points are removed with the petronix ignition and the pickup coil is installed in their place.

Re: No Fuel at plugs

The inside of the rotor collar, that is fitted over the dist. shaft...some of my rotors have metal inside and others don't. I found that without the metal inside I get spark, with the metal inside I don't get spark.

Another piece of information for the group. Both of my rotors turn counter clockwise... am I right in following the spark plug wire pattern counterclockwise on the dist?

Re: No Fuel at plugs

Bond-o said:

Ayuh,.... Is it Good gas,..??

If the carb were squirtin' gas in, it's gotta start,...

Yer dumpin' gas down the carb proves that,...

something's up with the carb, or the fuel, or the delivery of it,...

Click to expand...

What could be wrong with the carb?
What could be wrong with the delivery?
Thanks

Re: No Fuel at plugs

Thanks to everyone trying to help me, I really appreciate it.

Re: No Fuel at plugs

bonzoscott said:

Not sure how we know timing is correct if they won't run? Twist the disty clockwise a bit and try it again.

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I found the TDC, set it with the timing light for 8 BTDC.
I posted below a question that might relate to this thread...my rotors are turning counterclockwise. I assumed the spark plug wire pattern would we counterclockwise on the dist. Was I right? Second guessing everything I've done!

Re: No Fuel at plugs

The metal inside the rotor is for spring tension so the rotor doesn't move when installed. As you say they can come with and without the spring tension piece, but these pieces have no contact with the electrical distribution of spark. All mercruiser distributors rotate clockwise when looking down from the top of the distributor. If your distributor is going counter clockwise this is incorrect.
Firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2

What's real weird is if it was firing on the wrong cylinder you should be getting some back fire or preignition firing. For it to crank and not hit has to still be fuel.

Re: No Fuel at plugs

AllDodge said:

The metal inside the rotor is for spring tension so the rotor doesn't move when installed. As you say they can come with and without the spring tension piece, but these pieces have no contact with the electrical distribution of spark. All mercruiser distributors rotate clockwise when looking down from the top of the distributor. If your distributor is going counter clockwise this is incorrect.
Firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2

What's real weird is if it was firing on the wrong cylinder you should be getting some back fire or preignition firing. For it to crank and not hit has to still be fuel.

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Thanks AllDodge. I started another thread about my rotor and discovered I switched the starters on my engines when I put them back in the boat. I am hopeful that I am on the road to a start...real soon. Thanks again.

Re: No Fuel at plugs

Sounds like you changed way too many things at once. Then when something goes wrong, you don't know what caused it. Might be good plan in the future to only do one thing at a time so you keep your sanity.

Re: No Fuel at plugs

I am still having trouble understanding how timing was set to 8 degrees btdc with a timing light when they were not starting, especially when the engines were turning backwards. Good luck on this

Re: No Fuel at plugs

Maclin said:

I am still having trouble understanding how timing was set to 8 degrees btdc with a timing light when they were not starting, especially when the engines were turning backwards. Good luck on this

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Welcome to my world! The engine cranked all day long , I was able to determine TDC at plug #1 and with the timing light I fine tuned the timing. Don't ask me how this could work with the dist turning backwards.