En330 Engine Help

[frd1419]

I need thoughs on my motor. When I try to start it, it seems to hydro lock and stop turning right before if wants to fire off. It will crank fine up til this point. Then it seems to stop. If you try to hit the starter switch it turns a quater turn and seems to stop again. If I open the choke and throtle like to clear a flooded engine it will start to hang and then spin normal again. I have checked the starter and cables and they check out good. ??????? I have a 41 type 45 with an EN 330 motor Any one with ideas ????

[Rob]

I need thoughs on my motor. When I try to start it, it seems to hydro lock and stop turning right before if wants to fire off. It will crank fine up til this point. Then it seems to stop. If you try to hit the starter switch it turns a quater turn and seems to stop again. If I open the choke and throtle like to clear a flooded engine it will start to hang and then spin normal again. I have checked the starter and cables and they check out good. ??????? I have a 41 type 45 with an EN 330 motor Any one with ideas ????

If it is still a 6 volt system try to crank the engine for a short time with a 12 volt jump.

This sounds like a high resistance connection whether it be the magnetic switch, (solenoid), the rotor winding, or the interconnecting wiring.

If you get a shunt type ammeter and place it inline of the starter cable then watch the meter deflection for peak amps will tell a lot while you crank the engine. A high amperage draw is indicative of a bad electrical connection loosing voltage to the starter. If you see an abnormal ampere reading then remove the starter motor and have it evaluated by an electical shop.

Rob

[Greg Rider]

If you do a 12 volt jump disconnect the fuel gauge!!!!! Pull the fuse for it or you will FRY the gauge. Lights will be OK for a jump. The fuel gauge is the only electric gauge in the truck. I would also check your base timing and look to see your points are good.

[frd1419]

Thanks to a;l that replied. The timing was to far advanced. Now it starts like a champ.

[Greg Rider]

The EN-330 is a tough engine. Unless it is knocking or smoking, it is always something simple. Timing and carb are the two things that need looked at. I rebuild my Zenith carb every 2-3 years, probably because it is hardly driven. Be sure you have good points and other ignition parts. Also don't forget the lead additive in your fuel with a dose of stabilizer. NAPA should have (or order) all the tune up stuff you need. Get the number off of the distributor to be sure, but my local NAPA looked up everything from the engine size alone! If you need the NAPA numbers, I have them.

[engine2quarters]

My 1945 EN-330 is still running on 2 (or is it 3) year old fuel. We don't get out (and run) that often. Brownish looking stuff. I do use stabilizer for over the winter and I replace the fuel filter every spring. It will get an infusion of 20 gallons of new fuel this weekend, if the gas station down the street re-opens. Their fire suppression system has gone off twice in the past 3 days, for no apparent reason.

I find that the condensers fail quite often, so I make sure that I have a complete tuneup kit hidden in the truck's storage compartment, ie plugs (pre-gapped), points, cap, rotor, condenser and working flashlight. NAPA is a good source, the caps come from Mexico, special order.

I had the same problem as Fred had until I shortened up all the battery cables and used 1/0 welding cable. I made sure that I had only ONE battery ground contact point, which was at the starter attachment bolt. Any frame grounds were then connected to it. The more connections you have, the more chances that they are high impedance and will reduce your starting power. A 6-volt system doesn't need to loose much voltage until it is rendered useless.

Breaker points can be set using a match book cover, or a business card.

I have used a 12-volt jump start a couple of times, and never removed the gas guage from line. Once the engine was started, I quickly removed the 12-volt source. Tow truck operators, nowadays, scratch their heads when they have to jump start a 6 volt vehicle. All they have available is 12 volt.