Conditions for initial start?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 44,592
Likes: 1,822
From: Huntsville AL
Ignition SW On - 9V at the + side of the coil
Ignition SW Crank - 12V at the + side of the coil
The above depends on the charge condition of the battery, 9V at the coil should still start the engine. I assume you are verifying the coil wire is firing using the timing light??? That would rule out the coil and points so why is the coil discharge not making it through the Dist cap onto the rotor and then onto the spark plug towers.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 518
Likes: 38
From: bumpy roads NJ
Ignition SW Off - 0V at the + side of the coil
Ignition SW On - 9V at the + side of the coil
Ignition SW Crank - 12V at the + side of the coil
The above depends on the charge condition of the battery, 9V at the coil should still start the engine. I assume you are verifying the coil wire is firing using the timing light??? That would rule out the coil and points so why is the coil discharge not making it through the Dist cap onto the rotor and then onto the spark plug towers.
Ignition SW On - 9V at the + side of the coil
Ignition SW Crank - 12V at the + side of the coil
The above depends on the charge condition of the battery, 9V at the coil should still start the engine. I assume you are verifying the coil wire is firing using the timing light??? That would rule out the coil and points so why is the coil discharge not making it through the Dist cap onto the rotor and then onto the spark plug towers.
And yes, using the timing light on the coil wire is how I figured it was good. I also took off the cap and cranked and saw the points sparking. I kinda ruled it down to the rotor/cap, hence ordering a replacement to make sure. If that doesn't fix it I'll be fresh out of ideas. I tripped checked all my work (go figure, I'm an electronics engineer haha) so this issue is kind of stumping me beyond a failed component at this point!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 518
Likes: 38
From: bumpy roads NJ
Update
Ok so an update...
I got an AC Delco cap and rotor... Both were significantly different than the one that was on the car. I also got my spark tester light to go in-between the plug/wires.
Put in the new cap and rotor, put the tester between #1 and #2 plugs and got some lights going on during cranking. Drained out about 2gal of old fuel and put in 5gal of 93.
I put some gas into the carb to fill the bowls and cranked it. It turned over, we had some combustion (and smoke!) And the wife told me the fuel meter moved, so we're good on that angle. I think i ended up killing the battery though, so it's on the charger. If anything I'm probably going to get a red top just to have everything fresh.
So now that we're assuming everything is in place, is there anything else I should set? I set the throttle on the carb and the idle screws on the side, and the float screws on the top (going off memory, 1 turn for the throttle, 1.5 turns on the idle screws, float screws were pretty much good). Should the distributor be angled a certain way or anything crazy like that?
I think tomorrow might be the day! Appreciate your help so far fellas!
I got an AC Delco cap and rotor... Both were significantly different than the one that was on the car. I also got my spark tester light to go in-between the plug/wires.
Put in the new cap and rotor, put the tester between #1 and #2 plugs and got some lights going on during cranking. Drained out about 2gal of old fuel and put in 5gal of 93.
I put some gas into the carb to fill the bowls and cranked it. It turned over, we had some combustion (and smoke!) And the wife told me the fuel meter moved, so we're good on that angle. I think i ended up killing the battery though, so it's on the charger. If anything I'm probably going to get a red top just to have everything fresh.
So now that we're assuming everything is in place, is there anything else I should set? I set the throttle on the carb and the idle screws on the side, and the float screws on the top (going off memory, 1 turn for the throttle, 1.5 turns on the idle screws, float screws were pretty much good). Should the distributor be angled a certain way or anything crazy like that?
I think tomorrow might be the day! Appreciate your help so far fellas!
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,033
Likes: 9,155
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Congrats!!!
You should make sure you are timed correctly meaning zero on the balancer is in fact pointing at #1 and not 180 degrees out....it happens all the time
You should make sure you are timed correctly meaning zero on the balancer is in fact pointing at #1 and not 180 degrees out....it happens all the time
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 518
Likes: 38
From: bumpy roads NJ
Gotcha -- I used a TDC stopper in the spark plug hole to find tdc, marked it on my balancer, then spun the engine the opposite way, marked it again, and put true TDC at half way between the 2 marks. It made true TDC 5* on my balancer. Im going to regap all my plugs and then verify im on TDC compression, and that the rotor is pointed at #1 and give it a go!
If it is 180 out Im assuming I just rotate the engine 1 full revolution and put the distributor back in?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 44,592
Likes: 1,822
From: Huntsville AL
Gotcha -- I used a TDC stopper in the spark plug hole to find tdc, marked it on my balancer, then spun the engine the opposite way, marked it again, and put true TDC at half way between the 2 marks. It made true TDC 5* on my balancer. Im going to regap all my plugs and then verify im on TDC compression, and that the rotor is pointed at #1 and give it a go!
If it is 180 out Im assuming I just rotate the engine 1 full revolution and put the distributor back in?
If it is 180 out Im assuming I just rotate the engine 1 full revolution and put the distributor back in?
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,033
Likes: 9,155
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Gotcha -- I used a TDC stopper in the spark plug hole to find tdc, marked it on my balancer, then spun the engine the opposite way, marked it again, and put true TDC at half way between the 2 marks. It made true TDC 5* on my balancer. Im going to regap all my plugs and then verify im on TDC compression, and that the rotor is pointed at #1 and give it a go!
If it is 180 out Im assuming I just rotate the engine 1 full revolution and put the distributor back in?
If it is 180 out Im assuming I just rotate the engine 1 full revolution and put the distributor back in?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 518
Likes: 38
From: bumpy roads NJ
TDC was correct, after cranking and cranking the Mrs noticed some seepage around the carb. I took a look and it definitely looked like some gas was leaking out. So instead of chancing anything I ordered a new Holley 4160 (0-80508S) should be here Wednesday 😮💨. Thought about rebuilding what I already had but everything else is new so may as well keep it symmetrical!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
7 Bolt-On Upgrades From Extreme Online Store to Level Up Your C6 Corvette
Pouria Savadkouei
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 518
Likes: 38
From: bumpy roads NJ
Carb is on, and we're further than before. Seems like now, if I hold the key in the start position, it'll stay running... if I let go, the car dies. I can rotate the distributor a bit and it helps (atleast sounds better) but same thing.
I now have fuel pressure holding on my gauge too! The Mrs is still on standby with the fire extinguisher 😅 just in case.
Any ideas?
I now have fuel pressure holding on my gauge too! The Mrs is still on standby with the fire extinguisher 😅 just in case.
Any ideas?
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,033
Likes: 9,155
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Sounds like the power to the coil. You should have either 2 sources, one from the starter when its cranking, and then another when its in run. There should ne a white and a yellow wire going to the coil. I dont know If the wire for "run" is fused
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 518
Likes: 38
From: bumpy roads NJ
Yeah, I know for a fact the run wire is there, I ohmed it out. The resistor wire should be there as well. The only difference is that (in my pic above) that pink wire with the spade terminal sticking out was also on the coil. I think that's probably the missing key. So as recommended above, now that I have proper fuel, I'm going to retry running a 12v source straight to the coil to see if that fixes everything.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,033
Likes: 9,155
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Good luck!!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 518
Likes: 38
From: bumpy roads NJ
Luck was needed!!! But I decided to trace everything backwards. The R terminal was the r terminal, but for some reason the resistor wire was not sending 12v with key on. When I tested it before it was good, so I'm not sure what happened. Also when I tested last time I had no fuel, so no start again.
So I ran a baby 'key on' 12v jumper to the coil and it started right up!!
I'm not sure what's going on with the resistor wire, but I guess I'll replace that whole harness sometime before the year is out. For now I ordered a few resistors (I'm looking for a 1.5ohm so I've read) and I'm just going to run a key on 12v to the resistor and then to the coil.
Appreciate all the help from everyone on this journey! Now I just have to figure out how to tune this thing haha
So I ran a baby 'key on' 12v jumper to the coil and it started right up!!
I'm not sure what's going on with the resistor wire, but I guess I'll replace that whole harness sometime before the year is out. For now I ordered a few resistors (I'm looking for a 1.5ohm so I've read) and I'm just going to run a key on 12v to the resistor and then to the coil.
Appreciate all the help from everyone on this journey! Now I just have to figure out how to tune this thing haha