Car won't start

[jamesmc]

So I tried starting the BP for the first time. All I get is a loud clink/clunk from the starter area. Tried a different battery, same result. Hooked the starter straight to the battery, and the starter works, but All I got was it spinning, it didn't sound like it engaged the flywheel at all. Tested the starter at autozone as well, works fine. I'm stumped, this BP car is driving me crazy.

[FestYboy]

have you tried to hand crank the engine? could it be siezed?

[jamesmc]

have you tried to hand crank the engine? could it be siezed?

When I changed the timing it cranked. I also put it in gear and pushed the car real hard...I could see the flywheel/pressure plate turning slowly.

[Basement_Modder]

All the wiring's good? Was the engine a rebuild or a buy-and-mount?

[WmWatt]

If the starter is turning but not engaging doesn't that point to the solenoid which pulls the thingy into the flywheel? I recall from HS the first hands on exercise whas overhauling a starting motor.

[jamesmc]

All the wiring's good? Was the engine a rebuild or a buy-and-mount?

I sure hope all the wiring is good, I tried my best lol. :p The engine was from craigslist. I saw it run before I bought it, and it worked fine.

If the starter is turning but not engaging doesn't that point to the solenoid which pulls the thingy into the flywheel? I recall from HS the first hands on exercise whas overhauling a starting motor.

Autozone tests that as well, and the starter thing did pull out. So I believe the starter and solenoid are working fine.

I had a lot of trouble getting the trans to connect to the engine. Could it not have connected to the input shaft of the trans correctly? Just throwing out ideas. This is the first engine I've tried to swap, and It's turning out to be much more difficult than I had thought. (That's what makes it fun though... right? :tard: )

[FestYboy]

ok, so you have a BP engine and i assume the original E series trans? which flywheel did you use?

[jamesmc]

ok, so you have a BP engine and i assume the original E series trans? which flywheel did you use?

Yep, stock trans. Used the Festiva flywheel.

[jamesmc]

Andd I got it to crank! Turns out the battery in my Festiva AND my brother's Capri didn't have enough left in them to crank it. Took the battery out of my mom's Taurus and it started to crank right away.

[kellen302]

Ill be starting my BP swap this fall, so I enjoy reading your threads, I also suggest investing in a portable jump starter, http://www.blackanddecker.com/power-tools/VEC026BD.aspx this is what we use to jump start our 1969 Cougar after a few months of storage, its a very long lasting battery, and the inflater works well too.

[jamesmc]

Ill be starting my BP swap this fall, so I enjoy reading your threads, I also suggest investing in a portable jump starter, http://www.blackanddecker.com/power-tools/VEC026BD.aspx this is what we use to jump start our 1969 Cougar after a few months of storage, its a very long lasting battery, and the inflater works well too.

Yeah, the BP swap is definitely a ton of fun. -_- I've been working for the past week trying to get it done. Since it's my first time, everything's turning out to be a challenge. I got it to crank, but it wouldn't start. I would get some backfire and a nice big flame out of the exhaust manifold. Turns out the plug wires were on wrong. I followed the Hayne's manual but I guess they had it backwards or I'm dyslexic. So now it will start, but it will die if I don't stay on the throttle. (It's also extremely loud, like ear-ringing loud. But it has open headers right now...lol)

Hopefully someone can clarify for me adjusting the timing belt. I had the "I" mark on the Intake cam facing straight up, the "E" mark on the exhaust cam facing up, and the notch in the crank facing straight up. Is that the correct way to do it? I couldn't quite follow the book.