Re: Backfires thru carb- compression test

[Eric Walter <ewalter@domain.elided>]

Chris & Ranae Procyk wrote:
> 
> It passed the compression test: 150 +/- 7
>
> 1) Ran great, started stumbling.
> 
> 2) Got home, next day couldn't restart.

I've had the timing jump in my Plymouth w/ 318 and got it to run enough
to get home by twisting the distributor. If you can get it to run OK by
setting the timing way off specs, I'd say the cam timing was off.
There should be a way to check this by putting a degree wheel on your
balancer, popping off a valve cover and checking when the valve starts
to open.  You should be able to check this against the cam specs.
If its a fuel problem, you have two choices: too much or not enough. If
its too much you should see black smoke and fouled plugs. If its too
lean, sometimes the sparkplug tips will get red hot and stop firing, but
will start again after it cools down.
I'm not sure what ignition you have, but coils that are going bad will
sometimes short when hot, you might try swapping in another coil.
Eric