1973, 350 L82, 43K original miles, some mods.

I bought this car a short time ago knowing it had engine issues (poor idle & performance) from some prior mods and misdeeds. Only thing not OEM on the engine today is the following;
1) World S/R I-052 Heads
2) Comp Cams XE 274H-10
3) Comp Cams High-Tech Pushrods (7.700 in.)
4) Comp Cams Magnum Roller Tip Rockers
5) Accel Points Eliminator PN 2010

I drove this car to DMV and back home (15 miles RT) and into the garage where I started troubleshooting the poor engine performance and discovered a bent #7 intake pushrod. In the course of fixing that I have done the following;
1) Compression test on all cylinders, all are in the 165-175 psi range.
2) Leakdown test on all cylinders, all are in the 10-17% range.
3) Measured for pushrod length using proper tools.
4) Installed Comp Cams pushrods and rocker arms.
5) Adjusted valves using the turn crank 90* method to set lash at 0 and ¾ turn.
6) Installed OEM intake using Fel-Pro MS90314-2 gaskets.
7) Verified #1 TDC (finger method) and set timing mark at 12* BTDC
8) Installed distributor rotor pointing dead on at #1 tower
9) Installed rebuilt Q-Jet (Lars).

Engine turns over but doesn’t even show a hint of wanting to start.

10) Verified power at the coil and ballast resistor (more on that later).
11) Verified again #1 TDC and timing mark was at 12* BTDC.
12) Distributor rotor pointing dead on at #1 tower.
13) Q-Jet is squirting fuel via the accelerator pump.
14) Verified plug wires are clocked correctly.

Engine turns over but doesn’t even show a hint of wanting to start.

15) Installed timing light and cranked engine over, light flashes when rotor passes #1
16) Verified valve adjustment again using #1 & #6 TDC method.

Engine turns over but doesn’t even show a hint of wanting to start.

I have verified #1 TDC at least a half dozen times, adjusted valves twice, took power readings, ran 12V straight to + side of coil etc. Think of it as if turning the engine over with a remote trigger on the starter with the key in the off position, just turns round and round without the slightest hint of wanting to fire off.

The Accel Points Eliminator setup is a little funky as it has a ballast resistor installed. Have 9.12V coming in and 4.29V coming out. The instructions for this says you can install it with 12V feed only if you use an Accel 8140 coil or you can use the OEM primary resistance wire or 12V feed with ballast resistor. Not sure why the prior owner chose to use the OEM primary resistance wire and a ballast resistor but it did run like that.

Only tool left in my bag is to break out my backup distributor w/ points and do a distributor swap. Is there something I’m overlooking or missing?

Sorry for the long post but wanted to put all the information out here for consumption.
Dennis

 

Have you physically checked for spark with a spark tester? I didn't see that you verified spark. Also, I do not think you should be running a resistor and a resistor wire. Running straight 12V as you did goes against the directions of running either the Ballast resistor or the resistor wire.

 

No have not physically checked for spark, I'm a one man show and cranking the engine can only be done inside the car with clutch in. I have a remote trigger but will have to remove the starter heat shield to hook that up.

I agree the whole OEM primary resistance wire and a ballast resistor is weird in itself but it did run like that. The 12V to the coil was just a quick check to bypass the ballast resistor.

 

You've got fuel. You've got compression. It has to be spark. I would install your backup distributor to confirm. Then you can try to figure out what is wrong with the one that is in there.

 

cant use a ballast resistor if its a 12 volt hei system it needs full 12volts to run correctly

 

I WOULD say a jumped timing chain, but all your test say NOPE.
I drove my previous car to the repair shop.
The mechanic was amazed the engine ran well enough to make it across town....he removed the timing cover and showed me the floppy timing chain.
On my Vette I had a no-start problem a few years ago/checked everything as you did.
I removed the one month old cable drive HEI distributor and installed a 1982 GM HEI distributor.....the engine started immediately and ran like a champ.
I installed all the 1982 internal parts into the month-old distributor...the car starts/runs like a champ
I HATE ignition problems

 

Just picked up a spark tester at the local FLAPS, will post the results after dinner. I agree with drwet has to be no spark.

 

It's a stock GM Vette dist with the snake oil points eliminator.

 

I forgot...what year did GM eliminate the resistor wire that goes from the fuse block to the distributor?

 

remember no points no resistor ,hei don't need one

 

trust me,I'm not an expert on this but you say your timing mark is 12 degrees before top dead center and your rotor is pointing directly at the #1 on your dizzy.I don't think it should be like that,the rotor should be offset( advanced )from the #1 on the dizzy.Sounds like you're on 0 degrees btdc.I have an old dizzy cap that I cut in half so I can see exactly where the rotor should be at 12 or 15 degrees before top dead center.If I were you I would cut a cap and see where you really are,then advance it a bit and see if it trys to start.

 

Spark tester says I have spark so it's not that.

 

0, 4,8,10, 12, 14 doesn't matter at this point it should still start. Even at 180* out it would backfire.

 

This might sound stupid, but I’d try feeding a bit of fuel right down the throat of the carb. Unless your plugs are already wet from too much gas.

 

Well if you're getting spark/ignition, spray some carb cleaner down the choke, it should try to start and die. If not, its ignition.

 

Plug are not fuel soaked but it is getting fuel. I still think it's an ignition issue, going to remove the Accel gizmo and ballast and put points back in the car tomorrow.

 

I know you said the squirters are shooting, but if it’s anything like mine, when cold, I can pump the gas until the cows come home, but it won’t even think about lighting off unless the choke is closed. I often have to stop and re-set the choke by planting it to the floor. Only then will it fire. If you’re not sure if the choke is working, you can have a friend cover the choke horn with something (not flammable!) while you crank to simulate the choke.

 

you can always set your phone up as a video cam and point it to the plug and look for spark ,,

 

Well there's your problem. Stab an HEI replacement dist in there.

If you don't have a remote crank switch, you can use your remote timing light to see if the coil is firing, and if each coil wire is getting spark. Not a comprehensive test, but a quick way to find a bad coil (or HEI module, if so equipped).

 

I have already used the timing light to verify that plug wire #1 is getting a signal so the coil is doing it's job. I don't think the engine cares at this point if its a points dist or HEI dist, I have two spare points dist so I will build one of those up today. Also going to pull the starter heat shield so I can hook up my remote trigger and get out of the car to TS his while cranking.