1986 4+3 Nash, 122k miles.
I bought this car not running. I had to replace the ignition cylinder to get it out of gear and the battery was dead when I picked it up.
Previous owner replaced alternator, fuel filter, and coil (looks like a transformer in a stereo), but said it would backfire and not start.
I charged the battery and it is turning over the car now because I found out someone had already bypassed VATS.

When I started troubleshooting, I found good voltage at the battery with an acceptable drop while cranking (this is the same battery but after slow charging), saw good voltage at the alternator, then tried to check for spark with my wife assisting. She did not see anything. Next I checked the distributor and found the battery wire loose! I plugged it in completely and she saw light from my spark tester and as well we could both hear the injectors start to tick! I cranked it x2 for about 5s each but the battery started sounding a little weak and we had to get the kids fed so I pressed pause. Next step I assume is fuel pressure from pump.
Before I go to the trouble to test that, I am wondering if since the distributor had been unplugged if I should try cranking some more? I don't want to kill my starter or battery, but it seems like a big coincidence for that to have been unplugged and crank / no start scenario....

Also, thanks to everyone who helped in my ignition cylinder thread, especially WZR! Great forum so far.

 

Updates. No need to read the above unless you just want some back story.

I eventually found out that the previous owner must have installed a fuel pump and guess what? He wired it backwards. No fuel pumping in the direction it needed to go. Lol.
So, I kept the old pump as a spare because it actually turns on fine. I also replaced the regulator for good measure.

Today, I compression tested all but cylinder 8 because I could not get my tool on there. Every cylinder was pretty much right at 120psi (cold and with my crappy China gauge, so I think it is a good reading).
I tested the resistance of each injector. Half were at 19.5 ohms, half right around 24. I did find a broken vacuum connection at the HVAC check valve, so a vac leak to the plenum. Part incoming tomorrow.

At this point, since I have fuel, air, compression, and spark (measured with a test light), I have to be close.
My theories are:
-water in the gas tank, so I can drain that out to dry and try again with fresh gas.
-distributor timing is off (I am only versed in newer than 2006 BMWs so this is all foreign to me...)
-injectors are leaking or clogged.

Can someone chime in and let me know what I should try next?

 

To check for water in tank just syphon off the bottom of tank into a glass or clean clear container if it's there it will show quickly, have you done a fuel pressure test 35 psi

 

10-4. I’ll check for water tomorrow.
yes, fuel pressure bumps up to 35-40 with key “on”.

 

Spray some engine starting fluid into the plenum then try starting it. See if you get it to at least run a few seconds. If so, then you know you have a fuel issue and not ignition.

 

I tried some starting fluid last week with my brother in law but it’s kinda tricky with the plenum.
Should I open the throttle, spray some inside, then run and try to start it?
We tried about 2-3 times (spraying past the butterfly) and once I tried actually spraying while he cranked it and got a backfire (ouch, ears). I think we kinda got a sputter but nothing very exciting.

 

Alright so I siphoned off about 12oz of gas and there was a small amount in the bottom. Maybe 1/2-1oz?

I went ahead and drained the tank (via fuel pump, hose attached right at the sender) into x2 5 gallon gas cans. There does not seem to be a ton of water in there, but definitely some. Since the water settles to the bottom, I likely had some in the fuel line. Hopefully that will move me along in the right direction.

Would it be foolish to siphon the gas off of the top of the water? You can only use so much in the lawnmower and I think we have to pay like $25 to dispose of it here. Can’t really store it at my house either.

Is there an easy place to drain gas before the rail and oil of the line? Basically from the line from the pump all the way to the injectors. And I guess I should probably pull the whole sender and try to evacuate any liquid from the bottom…

 

I would get a larger container and draw off almost a gallon and see how much water you get, reluctantly I am doing the same to my 81 it too got some water too when the drain clogged. But what I'm doing is drawing off a few containers and if they're not contaminated they go right back in

 

It honestly was not a ton of water, but the fuel did not look very clean, so I bit the bullet and pumped it all out with the fuel pump. I will pull out the sender and clean out the tank, and as well blow air through all the line length that I can. I don't know for sure if water in the gas is my issue, but it certainly won't hurt. I am kind of leaning toward ignition timing. The previous owner said he experienced some backfires (I assume out of the intake) which COULD point to timing being off I suppose.
It is also possible that most of the water was removed by me cranking it to try to start and I never got much pure gas in the rail...

 

Today I drained every last bit of fuel out of the tank, scrubbed the tank, blew out the lines, cranked with the spark plugs out to prime and hopefully remove any remnants from the rail. I also replaced the plugs.
Still no start, though I did get a couple of “woof” sounding backfires. I’m wondering if it’s ignition timing or closely related to the distributor.

Any input at this point is appreciated!

 

you have pretty much exhausted most I don't want to things so maybe it's time to give the Distributor a little twist, but let's first verify it's close to correct. pull #1 Tap around to TDC your groove should be somewhere on the the scale, (while your looking at the Scale Dampener area look at the Balancer look for rubber sticking out or signs it moved, Many cars have had the damaner slip making setting timing tough) a good indication would be Piston up rotor pointing at 1 but off scale below. or your on scale and off everywhere else.

 

I will take a look at that, thanks.
Since I’m thinking of it, the previous owner did replace the coil. I’m too young (haha) to know much about distributors and coils… is it possible the rotor could have been moved 180° when he did that? I read several cases of that happening.

 

No Rotors are fairly Monkey Proof, But what isn't is if he replaced the Cap, Rotor & Coil.Because under the Coil there's is a Ground Bridge and if left in the old cap and Not Brought over No Joy will Not Be had by all. Common Sense would say no Ground no Spark but a Coil has so much power maybe it could get a weak Spastic one out.

Before you start pulling things apart try a free no labor test, disconnect the Brown Lead (Tach Filter) from Distributor cap and try to start just incase it shorted to Ground is taking out ignition.

https://www.autozone.com/ignition-tu...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Thanks again. No love with the Tach filter lead pulled off. That small ground piece is intact also!
Just as an additional test, I sprayed some ether into the butterfly open (1x 2sec blast each side), let it close, and ran back to crank. It did not give me anything. I am thinking I should have had something even though I was attempting this by myself. Last time when my brother in law was helping me, we had some minimal action from the engine, but it frankly was not that exciting which stuck in my mind. Nothing like July 4th when my dad and I cranked my 98 K1500 with some, it fired up with authority.

So, maybe there is "just enough" voltage to sort of light up my spark tester, but not enough to actually make the plugs do much. Or, the timing is off. When we did try the ether before, I got one deafening "pop" as I sprayed and he cranked. Didn't do that again. LOL.

When I get another set of eyes, I will try a plug grounded somewhere on the car (I will unplug the fuel pump fuse for that test) and as well I will try to get CYL 1 at TDC and see what the rotor is doing. This is a frustrating point to be at, but hopefully I am somewhat close!

 

At least it's an L-98 and it's a fairly basic small block, I had an intermittent no start and shut down with an Opti-Spark car and things are not as visible, and it's probe this read that all would be good 2 seconds later NFG.
But you sound like your ignition is just down, with Ether I figure you would get some kind of boom even out the top

 

Well, I had a really good find today.
In preparation for getting to TDC and checking against the rotor position, I pulled off the distributor cover. To my surprise, the cap screws were not in. The metal contractor piece had bent and was probably 60 degrees off. I guess it was still spinning enough to make a weak spark on my light. Unfortunately that piece is too mangled and the cap broken. Maybe Autozone has those on the shelf because I would love to crank it with those in position and see what happens!

 

 

Is that one threaded bore for cap retention maybe have a twisted off fastener there? It's a difficult view but maybe? Screws generally are serviced with a correct cap I believe. A correct cap might be a difficult 'walk-in' buy at a local. NAPA maybe and if not on the shelf it would be a same day (depending when you place the order), or a next day with no shipping involved.

A GM# 1977046 (cap), GM# 10498150 (rotor) should easily be used for reference at any 'local'.

 

Well that will keep it from running, so get the cap and rotor
And I can't believe it, a rotor isn't Monkey proof that's a first.

 

Well, she started right up with a new rotor and cap! But now I have this fun noise... I am hoping it is just a misfire. Would that throw a code? I only have a code 34 after this start up (MAF). I had trouble plugging in a passenger side spark plug wire, maybe it didn't seat all the way. Or maybe a lifter from sitting that will smooth out? If it is a knock I am going to be so sad. It sounds more top end though.

Thanks for the help thus far...