The lil six that could, but won't

[basher13]

Bought another 74, this one has a lil six cylinder, 3spd on the floor and the best part it's uncut. PO put in a family cage, newer seats and lined the interior. When I brought it home it would run, not well but would start and idle, accelerating was a bit of a struggle. I put a new water pump on and started to mess with it, that's my problem. Now I can't get it to start.
Plugs are black and smell like bad gas
I have good spark both at the coil and plugs
I'm getting fuel
Dizzy was loose, do I just adjust until it fires than try and time it?
I'm going now to get new plugs, cap and rotor.
This Carter carb, are they decent or is there an upgrade?
I'm sick as a dog and the doc told me to rest so I'm taking a break from my remodel to work on my new toy, besides I'm gonna try and make it to some turkey day run!
Thanks in advance

 

[Broncobowsher]

Bought another 74, this one has a lil six cylinder, 3spd on the floor and the best part it's uncut. PO put in a family cage, newer seats and lined the interior. When I brought it home it would run, not well but would start and idle, accelerating was a bit of a struggle. I put a new water pump on and started to mess with it, that's my problem. Now I can't get it to start.
Plugs are black and smell like bad gas
I have good spark both at the coil and plugs
I'm getting fuel
Dizzy was loose, do I just adjust until it fires than try and time it?
I'm going now to get new plugs, cap and rotor.
This Carter carb, are they decent or is there an upgrade?
I'm sick as a dog and the doc told me to rest so I'm taking a break from my remodel to work on my new toy, besides I'm gonna try and make it to some turkey day run!
Thanks in advance

Too much fuel. Choke stuck closed? Would also explain the hard to accelerate. Could also be other carb problems such as a needle and seat (partially?) stuck open. Other internal carb problems that could include almost every curcuit in the carb.

As far as timing a non-running engine. Providing that the distributor has not been removed and it was running...
set the timing pointer on the balancer somewhere between 0° (TDC mark) and 10° BTDC (the 10° mark that come efore the TDC mark as you are cranking the engine). If you can't hit the mark with the starter you can wrench the engine over. Just turn the bolt on the end of the crank with a socket. Tighten direction only. If you go too far go all the way around again, don't go backwards (this is due to the slop in the timing chain/gears).
When you gt the crank to the correct position pull the cap off, the rotor should point to the #1 spark plug wire or 180° away from it. For this it doesn't matter. Turn the distributor so the points just start to open while the rotor is pointing to the post. The spark plug fires when the points open, not when they close. So if you get to the point that they open at or just before TDC then it will be close enough to start the engine. That is if you have the fuel problem taken care of and plugs that are clean enough to jump the air gap and not short through the carbon buildup.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Rotten gas can be the problem if it's been sitting long. I'd focus on that since it's suspect. A clean carb and tune-up should do it. Those things are wonderful for not being too particular. My favorite kind of project! ;D
Listen to the doctor and get well first!

 

[basher13]

So with cap, rotor and a new set of plugs it's doing better. It starts and idles, still sounds like a motor boat runnin half way out of the water. The choke wants to keep closing and it runs better with it open so I disconnected the linkage. I have a vac. manifold on the intake that is plugged, 3 ports and all are plugged. If I unplug one the idle goes up and it runs smoother, idle going up makes sense but wondering why it runs better?? The vac. line to the dizzy doesn't seem to make a differance if it's on or off.
A rebuild kit for the carb is only 15 bucks but it's two days away.
Should I look into draing the tanks and if so who makes a transfer pump, my dad kicked me and my brother in the ass for using a shop vac on his 61 lincoln. I know I know.
Is there a product that will help with bad gas like "Heat" or "Lucas"

 

[22213evl]

basher13 my dad kicked me and my brother in the ass for using a shop vac on his 61 lincoln. I know I know.

and rightly so! lol
old elec fuel pump and some gas line down the filler tube always worked for me.

 

[Broncobowsher]

So with cap, rotor and a new set of plugs it's doing better. It starts and idles, still sounds like a motor boat runnin half way out of the water. The choke wants to keep closing and it runs better with it open so I disconnected the linkage. I have a vac. manifold on the intake that is plugged, 3 ports and all are plugged. If I unplug one the idle goes up and it runs smoother, idle going up makes sense but wondering why it runs better?? The vac. line to the dizzy doesn't seem to make a differance if it's on or off.
A rebuild kit for the carb is only 15 bucks but it's two days away.
Should I look into draing the tanks and if so who makes a transfer pump, my dad kicked me and my brother in the ass for using a shop vac on his 61 lincoln. I know I know.
Is there a product that will help with bad gas like "Heat" or "Lucas"

Still too rich. Extra air leans it out and makes it run better.
Until the rebuild kit comes, turn in the idle mixture screws to lean it out.

 

[basher13]

I ended up setting an old fuel tank (from a 20's Essex) on the fender to gravity feed some good fuel into it. Getting better. Broncobowsher I ran the idle screw all the way in and than back out and didn't notice any change, carb parts are on the way!
Made a bunch of small improvements today thanks for the advice guys.