cant get car to start
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 631
Likes: 0
From: Northern Virginia
cant get car to start
after pulling the engine out and putting it all back together i get to the final step of cranking over the motor and driving it away into the sunset, except i cant get the car to start....... im getting spark to the plugs have new dist cap rotor and coil, new sparkplug wires new plugs. i turned it to TDC on cylinder 1 and set the rotor and timing according to the paper lars did in the archives. ive tried everything i can and need some help as to how i can get this thing started!! its a 350 motor in a 69 but is running hei distributor. thanks in advance - Bob
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
you are missing the obvious....don't know where.... but recheck that the distributour is not 180* out of whack...and be sure you have fuel coming in.....if it starts with spray ether you know its a fuel related problem.....
follow the valve cycle through one full cycle to make sure your are at TDC of the compression stroke on number 1
follow the valve cycle through one full cycle to make sure your are at TDC of the compression stroke on number 1
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,167
Likes: 2
From: Ft.Worth Texas
Hi Bob,
Are you sure you are tdc on the compression stroke? If it is the exhaust stroke there may lie your problem. With your valve cover off look at the #1 valves open and close. When the intake valve starts to close your piston is begining its upward compression stroke. You can then look at timing mark or with sparkplug out feel the pressure with your finger to see tdc. When at this point check dist. and reset if required. Did you pump up the oil pressure yet? Do it before letting it start. It's a good idea to prefill your oil filter before putting it on too.
Good luck, David
What Bob said too.
Are you sure you are tdc on the compression stroke? If it is the exhaust stroke there may lie your problem. With your valve cover off look at the #1 valves open and close. When the intake valve starts to close your piston is begining its upward compression stroke. You can then look at timing mark or with sparkplug out feel the pressure with your finger to see tdc. When at this point check dist. and reset if required. Did you pump up the oil pressure yet? Do it before letting it start. It's a good idea to prefill your oil filter before putting it on too.
Good luck, David
What Bob said too.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,028
Likes: 0
From: Madison Ms
I went through the same thing.....keep your distrib. loose, and twist a little each direction until you find a point it will fire. Also make sure your carb isn't flooded. It helps to have someone pinch off the gas line to burn any excess gas away, then try again..........good luck!
Pro
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 553
Likes: 1
From: Valparaiso IN
Originally Posted by corvtt1969
its a 350 motor in a 69 but is running hei distributor. thanks in advance - Bob
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 631
Likes: 0
From: Northern Virginia
well it was already HEI, and i know for a fact its on the compression stroke, ive checked everything several times. it is getting fuel and ive tried twisting the distributor in all sorts of directions. i also make sure the dist was getting 12v to it as well. i must be missing something this thing will backfire once in a awhile and i do occasionally hear noise from the headers. thanks - Bob
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
stick with the obvious first..... go through firing order and make sure spark plug wires are on the right terminals and plugs, when you dropped the distributor in did you take in account that the distributor with slip into the gear an rotate like 1 1/2".....effectively moving where the number 1 plug is?
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,247
Likes: 210
From: Detroit MI
One trick I've learned is not to line up the balancer to the "zero" mark on the timing tab, but to line it up where I want my initial timing to approximately be. Then I drop in the distributor so it's firing #1. Starts right up every time.
Both rockers should be loose at TDC for the compression stroke for #1.
Both rockers should be loose at TDC for the compression stroke for #1.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,672
Likes: 1
From: New Cumberland PA
My usual answer to this is that an engine needs: fuel, compression, and a spark. 2 out 3 and it will not run. Easiest thing is to check to see if there is spark. If so, give it a shot of starting fluid. If it fires up and then does not keep running, there is fuel problem. If it does fire off, then the timing is off.
These are the most basic things. It does't fix the problem, but will point you in the right direction to figure out what the real problem is instead of working on something that is not causing the problem.
These are the most basic things. It does't fix the problem, but will point you in the right direction to figure out what the real problem is instead of working on something that is not causing the problem.
Last edited by mandm1200; May 4, 2005 at 09:28 AM.