Another "won't start" thread after removing dizzy...
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 587
Likes: 0
From: Overland Park Kansas
Another "won't start" thread after removing dizzy...
Well, I replaced my head gaskets last weekend. I finally finished getting everything set back up yesterday and I've been trying to get the car to start ever since. I know the plug wires are going to the right place, everything is getting spark, I've tried moving the dizzy all over the place while cranking and nothing. I've even tried starting fluid and also tried swapping around the rotor 180* just to be sure. It's getting good fuel so that shouldn't be a problem either. I thought maybe the valve lash was too tight so I loosened them all, and still nothing.
I'm pretty much out of ideas, and have nothing left to try. So my car is just stuck there with a dead motor.
Any suggestions for things to try would be great.
-Josh
I'm pretty much out of ideas, and have nothing left to try. So my car is just stuck there with a dead motor.
Any suggestions for things to try would be great.
-Josh
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,337
Likes: 14
From: Norfolk VA
Your motor is not dead at all. I removed my dizzy yesterday to reinstall it so it will sit "square" in the engine compartment. I removed the #1 spark plug and I bumped the motor to get the #1 cylinder TDC on the compression stroke by placing my finger over the #1 plug hole and turned the crankshaft to get the timing mark to 0 on the timing tab (much easier if you have a helper, but I have long arms and can do it by myself) I then took the distributor and installed it so the rotor points to the #1 tower in the dizzy cap. If you do it this way it will take some patience to get the dizzy gear to line up to the oil pump shaft. Using the above method to get the dizzy to seat can be frustrating.
Others on the forum say this way takes to long and it is the hard way to do this.
It can be done by lifting the distributor body until the dizzy gear disengages the camshaft gear and rotate the rotor and jam it into the block and wiggle the dizzy body to get it to seat completely. This will move the rotor one tooth. For those who can do it this way say it takes no more than 4 minutes. I cant do it that way. Whatever way you choose good luck.
Others on the forum say this way takes to long and it is the hard way to do this.
It can be done by lifting the distributor body until the dizzy gear disengages the camshaft gear and rotate the rotor and jam it into the block and wiggle the dizzy body to get it to seat completely. This will move the rotor one tooth. For those who can do it this way say it takes no more than 4 minutes. I cant do it that way. Whatever way you choose good luck.
Last edited by Oldguard 7; Oct 3, 2008 at 04:56 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 3
From: CA
My guess is that its flooded at this point. When starting up the first time everything needs to be set correctly and now it sounds like everything is off a little. Here is what I would do. Pull a plug. If its wet I would pull them all and let everything dry out. I would reset the valves according to the GM service manual. Set motor to top dead center when the plugs are still out (much easier to turn over). Re-install plugs and triple check firing order. Remove the wire going to the number one cylinder and put a phillips head screwdriver into the female end of the plug wire. Turn ignition on and holding screwdriver shaft 1/4 inch from a ground, rotate dizzy slowly until you get a spark. Tighten down dizzy, reconnect plug wire. Make sure you have gas (give it a few shots from the accelerator pump) and make sure choke is set. Fire away. Hope this helps. Its always worked for me. Good luck.
