Fuel Line replaced and now my Bus won't start!

[Laura Anne]

I am restoring a 78 Westfalia Deluxe and before we started working on the engine it ran perfectly.  Then we replaced the distributor cap, and the fuel line.  Now she won't start.  We bought a new fuel pump, she started and sputtered out.  Anyone have any suggestions on what could have happened to my Westy?  I was hoping to bring her out next weekend for a camping session but I worry trying to start her again for fear of making the problem worse.  Any suggestions would be awesome.


Thanks!

Laura Anne

*edit*
we took him over to the shop and the problem was: we forgot to replug in a temperature sensor wire!!  WOW! haha thanks for the advice everybody!

[Thom Boullioun]

Hello, Well it's about 10 hours later and your problem has probably been resolved but I just want to say that if you wait a little it will fill up with gas and start to work again. Anytime that you interrupt the fuel line there will be a need to 'prime' it (sort of) and after a few attempts it should start. I am thinking that you are driving it by now and am glad to see the post. If not. Tell us what else seems to be wrong. ttyl Thom http://mtindexreporter.com/
'

[busboss]

Hey LA!

Problems like this require simple but deliberate troubleshooting. Based on your symptoms, I would check spark first and then fuel. Spark: Any cracks in that distributor cap? Installed correctly with good connections? Fuel: Before going any further we need to know what your fuel delivery system is - carbs or fuel injection? It could also be something clogging the delivery of fuel from your tank.

[whc03grady]

Did you forget to put the rotor back on? That's happened to me several times: Why why why won't it start? What's this here? D'oh!
Also, when you put the distributor cap back on, did you get the spark plug wires back on in the correct order?

[Laura Anne]

Thanks everyone, I haven't gotten a chance to look at it, this week has been hectic! I am going to go back thru and check all of these things. Thanks and I'll keep you posted. :)

[Big Blue's Driver]

What whc03grady said. I'd just go back over everything you moved and check to make sure you hooked up the spark plug wires right...

[Laura Anne]

We have tried all of these things, we are thinking maybe its the spark plug wires? It started up and ran for 30 seconds yesterday and then chocked out... Then in the evening we tried to start it and it wouldn't catch. I'm thinking maybe its misfiring? Everything appears in order...Connections are good on the fuel pump, wires aren't mismatched.. So maybe we just have lousy spark plug wires? What do you folks think?

[whc03grady]

Why did you change the cap? Did you replace the rotor too? Are you sure your pump is working (it makes noise)? Let's assume it's working (if you don't like to assume, you could detach the downstream line from it and plumb it into a container, turn on the ignition, and verify that it's working).

So, I think you should check the points for proper gap. (You have a Bentley, right? The green book? If all you have is The Idiot Book you'll need a Bentley too.) If the points are okay, you could check your plug wires by pulling them off, one at a time, at the plug and holding them (with a pliers) so they don't quite touch a ground--the bolt holding on the fan screen is good for this. Then have someone crank it over a few times while you look for spark. If just one shows no spark, that's your bad wire. If none show spark, your coil is probably bad.