Help An Idiot Out Please
Thread Starter
Keeping Cool
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 488
Likes: 2
From: Redondo Beach CA
Help An Idiot Out Please
So I get my new wires from Jegs MSD 8.5mm.. Go to put them on and no the car runs like poop... I swear that i marked them correctly, but the car would back fire and cough. Switched the wires around again to double check and bam the same thing happens. When I took the wires off the car I noticed that when marking them, the order was reversed. Instead of the 1,3,5,7 wires coming off the same distributor cab leads it was 2,4,6,8 that were going to the driver side of the car. I spoke with a friend of mine and he said there was a chance that the idiot who built my motor may have turned the distributor 180 which would change it all.. Any way I am lost. The car drove fine this morning with just a little miss and now it just won't run at all. Could I have screwed up something else? Looks like this is gonna cost me
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
Ok, start at the beginning...
Practice safe mechanicking. !!!!!
Turn the engine over till #1 (driver's side front cylinder) is at top dead center compression, that is, the intake valve has just closed, and the piston comes to the top.
At this point the rotor should be pointing at the #1 position on the distributor cap.
From there you go through the firing order.
You've got a wire out of position. Don't ask me how I know. <G>
Jim (fellow idiot sometimes)
Turn the engine over till #1 (driver's side front cylinder) is at top dead center compression, that is, the intake valve has just closed, and the piston comes to the top.
At this point the rotor should be pointing at the #1 position on the distributor cap.
From there you go through the firing order.
You've got a wire out of position. Don't ask me how I know. <G>
Jim (fellow idiot sometimes)
Thread Starter
Keeping Cool
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 488
Likes: 2
From: Redondo Beach CA
Thanks Jim.
Unfortunately I can not even get the damn distributo cap off the car. When the guy did my install he left no room to work. I will have to remove some major components to get at it. I also remember him telling me something about turning the distributor and this would increase hp? I have no idea what he was talking about, but after looking at the distributor cap I can see that it is in fact turned. I looked at another vette and his cap is facing directly towards the driver side of the car, mine is pointing towards the driver seat. I am sending her to a guy I know, he is not cheap, but he has done some work on my other cars and I was pretty happy. Man this new engine is running up the $$$$$$$'s
Thanks Again
Pete
Unfortunately I can not even get the damn distributo cap off the car. When the guy did my install he left no room to work. I will have to remove some major components to get at it. I also remember him telling me something about turning the distributor and this would increase hp? I have no idea what he was talking about, but after looking at the distributor cap I can see that it is in fact turned. I looked at another vette and his cap is facing directly towards the driver side of the car, mine is pointing towards the driver seat. I am sending her to a guy I know, he is not cheap, but he has done some work on my other cars and I was pretty happy. Man this new engine is running up the $$$$$$$'s
Thanks Again
Pete
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
Wow pete...
Giving up already? <G>
I know how frustrating it can be, believe me, when things don't go right.
You'll get 'er squared away, report back with all the details. It's going to be much easier now that it's going to be 'stock' methinks.
Jim
I know how frustrating it can be, believe me, when things don't go right.
You'll get 'er squared away, report back with all the details. It's going to be much easier now that it's going to be 'stock' methinks.
Jim
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,694
Likes: 0
From: Beaverton Oregon
So I get my new wires from Jegs MSD 8.5mm.. Go to put them on and no the car runs like poop... I swear that i marked them correctly, but the car would back fire and cough. Switched the wires around again to double check and bam the same thing happens. When I took the wires off the car I noticed that when marking them, the order was reversed. Instead of the 1,3,5,7 wires coming off the same distributor cab leads it was 2,4,6,8 that were going to the driver side of the car. I spoke with a friend of mine and he said there was a chance that the idiot who built my motor may have turned the distributor 180 which would change it all.. Any way I am lost. The car drove fine this morning with just a little miss and now it just won't run at all. Could I have screwed up something else? Looks like this is gonna cost me
As Homer would say - D'oh!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
from what I have seen on that build, I wouldn't be surprised if it was 180 out.
however, the distributor cap has a set of connectors on the left side, well, what is supposed to be the left side. they are 4 wires that go into it. Check to be sure that is on the left. These wires feed the coil.
however, the distributor cap has a set of connectors on the left side, well, what is supposed to be the left side. they are 4 wires that go into it. Check to be sure that is on the left. These wires feed the coil.
Thread Starter
Keeping Cool
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 488
Likes: 2
From: Redondo Beach CA
Anyway yeah I just replaced the wires and nothing. So the car is off to the shop once again. I have said it before I am an Idiot when it comes to the mechanics of a car and a genius when it comes to cleaning them... Every time I attempt to fix something myself it ends up costing me double so from now on it goes to the shop for fixing and my shop for cleaning.
Thanks for all the input.
Pete
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