Sorry to dig this one back up, but I cannot get my Montero to run.

In addition to everything I have listed up top, I have also installed a fuel regulator for the Weber, a new coil, wires and plugs (already replaced the cap and rotor).

I changed the firing order (thanks again) and that solved the backfiring problem, but I still cannot get it to run more than 2 seconds. I have three friends that have all tried to time it without success either, so I am fairly confident I am not just messing it up (not positive though).

We try to start and the engine it almost immediately catches, and then chugs for about 2 seconds and dies. When it dies it sprays fuel and white vapor out the carburetor. Thinking the pump was pressuring up too much I disconnected the fuel pump and just tried to start it with what was in the bowl - the exact same symptoms.

I have messed with the air/fuel mixture with no change, messed with the choke with no change as well.

Any suggestions anyone? If I mess with something long enough I usually can figure it out, but this one is really starting to get to me.

The only thing that comes to mind is an intake valve sticking open and killing the engine? If it were timed correctly couldn't it at least start with a dead cylinder? I never messed with the head, but I spun it and made sure all the valves opened and closed... Could I have turned the camshaft timing gear around only 1/2 a turn? I don't know if that is possible - I lined the timing mark up with the chain, but if I recall the chain link and the timing mark were not correct when I tore it down.

Oh also, I know the "white vapor" is not coolant getting into the cylinders, there is no coolant in it yet (just swapped the intake).

Thank you for any help,
Ryan

Stale fuel in the tank? Does the fuel smell varnishy? Water in the fuel (gasoline with ethanol tends to pick up water from the air)?

Sorry - I forgot to mention I drained, cleaned and refilled the tank, then flushed the lines. I changed the filter twice since then.

Thank you though, the gas I drained was very old and smelled awful.

I am starting to think someone rebuilt the head and may have not done something correctly. I am considering pulling it and having it gone through like I should have to begin with (that is what I get for being cheap). Or maybe just upgrading now to a Clearwater head.

Thank you,
Ryan

Are you sure the ignition is not 180? out of time?

The white mist is fuel vapor, the carb will mix fuel with air blowing out of it as well as sucking in.

Kevin

Actually it might be... My friend and I were just talking about that. I did the "blow the finger out of the spark plug hole" method and I just learned the exhaust stroke will do almost the same thing.

So that could be it. I have checked for TDC at lest 10 times, so it seems like one of those times I would have accidentally got it correct. Maybe not though... I will check that again, and do a compression test to see if the head is okay.

Ryan

just pull the valve cover off and watch the rocker arms, after the intake valve opens then starts closing, just watch the crank pully and set it to tdc. You will be at tdc on number 1. Then double check your cam gear down hole is at 12 o clock and double check your distributor location. I dont even use the dot method anymore, I just check position with the cap. It should be in the middle basically and sweep up and down off the number 1 pickup.