1959 d8h 35a cat won't start

Make the poney transmission is in second speed if she is in 1 speed the motor never started.

Hi,
welcome to the BB.
What Hector is telling you is to ensure that the Pony Transmission is in High Range.

It has High and Low ranges, Low is used for turning the Main engine over in really cold weather--like below freezing-- to get things loosened up and moving freely. After some warmth is in the system then stop turning the main and shift to High and resume turning over in High, when warm enough try and start the Main.

As hector said, the main will not fire off in Low range.

With the Fuel Type T/Converters the fuel in the tank gets warm during usage, so always top off the fuel tank at the end of the day to help reduce condensation in the tank and watery fuel that likes to eat at Injection and T/Con. components.

Cheers,
Eddie B.

Hope you looked for rags stuffed into intake before mounting turbocharger! I bought an engine that I subsequently dismantled and found a big piece of rag in the intake runner above the intake valve of one cylinder. Wonder what they thought was the cause of the misfire!

Still, much better rags than mud dauber nests which is what happens here.

Sounds like Eddie and Hector are probably onto the problem, but remember it takes heat so if you're not getting black smoke, keep turning it with compression release in RUN and fuel off to build up heat in the intake and head, piston, cylinder etc. Open throttle occasionally and see what it does. I for one don't shy away from judicious use of starting fluid, but understand there are plenty that won't use it.

Just my 2 cents.

Have you followed the compression lever assembly to make sure it actually rotates the bits that enables and disables compression on the engine?

Maybe the connectors on the rod or rods have their bolts loose and they aren't actually moving when you move the compression lever?

The next time we are at the cat I'm going to take turbo and intake plumbing off just to double check that there wasn't a rag or blanking plate in there, thanks
The compression lever does rotate but the rods do not come in contact with the rockers, Im not sure why, he may have loosen the nuts for some reason but it does not make sense why he would of done that, is it steel rod to a cam shaft or is there a hydraulic lifter at the bottom?
I'm like a kid in a candy store I can't wait to get back out there and play around with the old girl.
thanks for the intel guys

Hi,
Inlet valve clearance :- 0.016" (Hot)

Exhaust Valve clearance :- 0.020" (Hot)

Compression Release clearance :- 0.025" - 0.030" Adjust/check with the valve fully closed when you are adjusting the Inlet Valve clearance.

For illustration purposes only, is a scan of the earlier external pushrod tube and big injector style engine.
The cutaway shows the Comp. release mechanism and this was still used in the later engines.

Hope this helps--it will if I add the scan.
Cheers,
Eddie B.

sounds like you're well on your way to getting her going. just a thought when trying to start if you give her some ether and she fires than you know that you might have to look more at the fule system if no change than you have to look at your compression bad or stuck rings or tired old engine. keep us updated we like pictures too