Farmall H starting/Timing

I recently put back together my 1949 Farmall H after getting it unseized. I tried starting it for the first time today and was not able to get it to fire. All cylinders are getting spark and it has brand-new points and condenser along with the distributor cap and all of the wires. The firing order is correct and it has not fired one single time since trying to start it. The fuel mixture is right on the carburetor so I am assuming it Is the timing. It has a vertical distributor and is still 6v. I located the two notches in the camshaft pulley to find tdc (yes im sure it wasn't the oiler notch) I used the first notch that lined up with the timing pointer and then checked to see where the rotor was. I took off the cap and it was pointing (if looking down at the distributor from above facing the exhaust stack) to the bottom right(or farthest away from the engine and closest to the radiator. But the number one on my cap was one post over to the left. So I switched 1 plug to the terminal that the rotor was at on tdc and did firing order from there. Then moved distributor to find spark. But still when I go to start it it doesn't Fire once (and im sure it's on compression strike, I've tried both ways and even tried using the 2nd of the 2 notches on the camshaft pulley as tdc and same result. Any suggestions?[/i]

I would start again from the very beginning. First I would pull the rocker arm cover. Rotate the engine till you are at TDC by the timing mark. The rocker arms on #1 should both be a little loose if they aren't you are 180 degrees off. Put all the wiring on the distributor back to the original locations. Turn the shaft till the rotor is at #1 position on the distributor. Install the distributor. Now try it. I have had the same problem. With a V8 if you are off a lot you will get backfire and popping. With a 4 banger you don't have enough cylinders off in a position to do that, so you don't have a clue as to what is wrong. It is easy to get yourself confused so sometimes the best thing is to stop and start all over.

OTJ

Check the wiring from the switch, sometimes a bad connection corroded wire inside the insulation will rob the distributor of enough juice to make it go when cranking. Had a somewhat similar problem on a 46 "H" and replacing some wires did the fix for me. One other thing, and you sound very knowledgeable so dismiss if you've already checked this, since the engine was stuck, are maybe some of the valves not working quite right/ opening closing seating. Just a thought. Happy tractors to you. gobble

You put all the new part in without knowing if the old ones were bad so now we get to start over. remove #1 plug get it on compression look in the hole and you can see the piston when its at the top. Then see where the rotor is pointing it should be pointing at #1wire going to #1 plug then make sure the rest of the wires are going where they should. Now it should start and run if you are getting fire at the plug you already have #1 plug out so it should be easy to see. Just for another easy check turn the starter over with finger in the hole and watch #1 plug fire when you feel compression. replace the plug and your engine should start and run.

When you turned the distributor to set the spark, did you turn the housing opposite the direction the rotor turns? That makes the points open on the leading side of the cam, as it will when running.

You say it was stuck before you started working on it... Are all the valves closing, no bent push rods? A simple test is to crank it with your hand over the carb inlet. It should make a strong, steady vacuum with no blow back.

And since it was stuck, you probably put oil in the cylinders to get it free. Possibly the plugs are splashed with oil, might take them out and clean them.

Does it have enough compression to
fire? Have you checked to see how
much you have? Did you try giving it
a small "wiff " of starting fluid?
May not able to pull enough fuel
through intake to fire. Is there a
possible vacuum leak ? A vacuum leak
will be drawing air through the leak
instead of fuel through the
carburetor. Just a bit of what comes
to mind.

Not to poke you with a stick but when you find it, gonna be real
simple or stone stupid. We have all been there.

The likely hood that it is timing is very very small since it probably ran when parked and timing does not just jump out of place unless some one has pulled the distributor. Easy way to find out is pull #1 plug out and pull the distributor cap after marking where #1 nipple is. Then turn the engine over till the rotor is pointing at the #1 nipple. Then check to make sure the #1 piston is at TDC. The go from there. You say the spark is good but is it a good blue white and jumps a 1/4 inch gap or more. You say th carb it set right but was it rebuilt?? Do you know you have gas in the carb. With the air cleaner tube off do you get a good strong suction at to air intake when you cover it by hand and does your hand get covered with gas

If the engine was stuck, the rings might be stuck in the piston grooves and not be giving you much compression. Have you tried squirting a little fuel in the cylinders to see if it will fire, in case it is a fuel problem?

You got that right.

A couple of years ago, I bought an H on a consignment auction. It would just never settle down and run as smooth as it should have. I put all new plugs, wires, points, condenser on it, swapped to a known good coil, had two different carbs on it, even went so far as to replace the intake gaskets and check the valve clearance. Nothing helped.

Then one day I pulled the distributor off my M to replace the points. I pulled the distributor 'cause it's easier to replace the points and set the gap with the distributor vertical in a vice than horizontal on the tractor. After I'd put the distributor back on, the M started right up, but ran rough. I knew right away I'd probably gotten the drive gear one cog off. I checked it and I had. After I'd corrected the cogs, the M purred like it was supposed to.

Then it dawned on me, when the M was running with the distributor gear one cog off, it sounded just like the H I could never get to run right. And the timing was the only thing I hadn't checked on the H. I straightened the timing out on the H and that's now one of the prettiest sounding H's I've ever heard.

maybe you should tell us what u did to get it unseized. that is the most important information. an engine will not run without compression. did u check compression??? that is the first thing on the list at all the time, and note it on a paper for reference later. then u can tell us what it is. nobody ever does that.

Make sure you are timing the plug wires on the dist.cap
IN THE PROPER ROTATION! That has tripped me up more than once.
Run the starter (or crank) and observe which direction the rotor turns.
Didja pull a plug to see if it is wet?