Getting the Datsun running

Unloaded the truck easily at home and pushed it back on the side of my house for the real work to begin. It cranks good and has a strong battery but is not firing at all. I checked the spark by using a spare spark plug and removing one plug wire at a time and checking for spark. There is only a little yellow spark not a bright one. I tested the coil using some instructions online and found that the coil did not match the correct specs that it should have. I got a new coil and swapped it in easily but I was still not getting a good spark. Oops no new coil needed, I guess I will have a spare. 
Troubleshooting did not go very well so I called in some reinforcements with better tools. 

I have figured out its not the ignition at all. With the help of an inline spark tester it finally shows a good spark. I guess holding the spark plug on the valve cover was not quite good enough way to test.
 

We used a compression tester next and the best cylinder was at 15 psi and the worst was about 1 psi.   I find it hard to believe an engine could get this bad in each cylinder so I am going to take off the valve cover and test valve lash and check the timing chain to see if it has slipped a tooth or something like that.  Sounds like worst case I will be getting to learn how to rebuild an engine.  

Picking up the Datsun.

Datsun coming home

My father and I set out on Saturday pulling a rented U-Haul trailer down to Price. When we got there Ryan had cleared a path and we were able to push the truck out into the street and pull it up on the trailer with a cheap come along.  Ryan even helped us get the truck loaded. We said our goodbyes and headed towards Salt Lake City. One final stop at McDonald's for some personal fuel to get us home.  

How this whole thing started.

I was searching online using our local classified ads on KSL.com (Like craigslist but Utah only basically) killing time at work when I came across this gem of a Datsun. 

I have been looking for a while for a Datsun pickup but was not serious about getting one. I just got a new G37X in September and shouldn't need to be spending money on another vehicle purchase right now but, it was the right price. I called the guy, Ryan and drove down to Price UT to see it after work. The truck looked good in person. Very little rust, good tires, fresh oil and fuel filter. Ryan said he had it running but it quit and he was not able to get it running again. I assumed that since he had only driven it 3 times in the last year that the carb was all gunked up and that was the reason it wasn’t running. Impressed with how the truck looked and believing that I could get it going again easily. We made a deal for the truck and planned for me to come back on the weekend with a trailer and get it.