At wits end, I have a tach drive hei setup that just recently chewed up a tach cable due to the extreme angle of the cable installed. Using Lars papers to re clock the distro and move it over a tooth I have the orientation correct. Car will not start, car was running like a top 2 hours ago. What have I done wrong?

I moved dizzy over a tooth, moved spark plugs over a tower, this was supposed to be easy?



Getting a little popping out of the tail pipe


*Brief thread summary

Issues resolved

-misfires/won't start
Had to re-install distro. I miss read the reclock instructions and moved the distro over a tooth instead of wires over a tower. (Don't judge me)


-Would only start with starter engaged. Wouldn't stay running.

Had intermittent voltage at the ign terminal (used for hei dizzy) changing the fused directly to the right seems to have fixed the issue, however, I'm not entirely convinced that I don't need a new ignition switch.

-Bad miss/ hard start
Adjusted timing everything runs well.

*ISSUES YET TO BE RESOLVED*
-None! Runs well!


Car runs well! Thank you to those who chimed in to get my car running. Your words, pictures, and encouragement have allowed me to daily drive a classic car for another day.

 

The rotor still point to #1 a tdc right?

 

The rotor should point to the same cylinder as before you pulled the dissy, not necessarily #1. Did you move the wires in the correct direction? Since you have cranked the engine, you may have lost all orientation. Bump the motor until the damper wheel and pointer shows about 10* BDC (you have a 50/50 chance of being on the compression stroke). install dissy with rotor pointing to #1. Try starting the engine. If nothing, bump engine exactly 1 revolution to 10* again and reinstall dissy to #1. Try it again.

 

 

It's easier than pulling #1 plug and having to feel for compression-especially if you're working alone!

 

You gave the OP good advice!
It just made me laugh at the odd's.

Just try to picture what's going on, the distributor is in and turned left and right and no start!
Pull the distributor and move the wire around and crank all you want, it did not start.

So what's next:

 

I'm lmfao, I'll try again the the am, nice picture btw. I'll double check papers to make sure I went the right way. (Counter clockwise) ..... Why are the simplest things so complicated?

 

Hi again,
It seems complicated only because it's your first time doing it.
Do it a few times and you will be the one posting answers.

Do you have a Haynes manual or any service books?
Pete.

 

Start with #1 and go clockwise.
1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2
Put your #1 wire where the picture shows #2.
That will have the rotor tip pointing to #1 cylinder, which is the front left side.



You have a HEI distributor so the cap and wires are different but the firing order is the same.

 

Car lets out a really loud back fire, still won't start. 180 degrees around has compression through the carb. What am I doing wrong?

 

Not sure what Lar's paper told you to move the distributor over a tooth, no mention in this paper. http://www.corvette-restoration.com/...stallation.pdf

At this point you have to start from scratch follow the instructions on how to install the distributor.

 

This was the solution to back fire, however the car will start but won't idle now, everything set back to where it was. I'm hoping I haven't broken something.

 

what did you set initial timing to?
have you tried adjusting the idle speed screw on the carburetor to keep it running so you can set initial timing?

 

what did you set initial timing to?
have you tried adjusting the idle speed screw on the carburetor to keep it running so you can set initial timing?

 

I will try again in the am. Keeping it running is the issue. If I could keep it going long enough to get a light on it. I'll try sucking the idle screw down all the way and see if it works. Thanks for the reply, I'll post results in the am. I'm wondering if I blew a seal out in the carb when it backfired.

 

When you move the wires on the cap 1 position, you're going 1/8th of a full circle or 45 deg.
How many teeth on the dist gear? Seems like 12-15? So, you moved the wires more than you turned the dist.
If it will start, it means that your timing is close. Mark where it is now and turn it a little one way and try to start. If it's better, you can turn it a little more to get it to idle. If worse, turn it a little the other way from the original marked position and keep trying.
Don't get all hung up on using your timing light till after you get it running fairly well.

 

That's the thing, it does sound better with rotation but at no position will it stay running. I've tried the idle adjustment screw , no luck.it seems to only fire when starter is engaged.

 

Ok, one important clue-"only fires when starter is engaged". You're not getting voltage thru the "run" (resistor) ignition wire. Check the voltage at the coil with the switch in the "run" position.

 

After above, you could run a temp wire from a hot terminal on the horn relay directly to the coil to get it to run, then go after the wiring problem.
Fix/eliminate 1 problem at a time.

 

Update! It finally quit firing all together. After reading above posts pulled out volt meter and see that voltage is intermittent at the IGN terminal at fuse block [hei is hooked up here ] the fuse to the right of the connecter was replaced now full voltage! Runs with a bad miss however that is miles better than what we started with! Thanks guys. I'll post more updates shortly.