HEEELP! Why isn't my car starting?

Swede958 · Feb 19, 2004

Ok, I'm about to murder my car. We had a discount at work (30%) so I thought I'd upgrade my ignition. I got a cap-a-dapt, a new style cap, wires, and a new coil (socket type plug).
I put them on, and run the car... it backfires twice and i shut it off. Turns out I routed the plug wires wrong. (Just to clarify, the #1 cylinder is on the passenger side right?) So I re routed the wires, now when I try to start it, all the car does is try to turn over, and the carburetor starts spitting gas out of the two vent holes in the top (edelbrock type).

Why is this happening? I can't figure out what is going on. Just tried putting the old wires and stuff back on, same thing...

I'm raelly getting fed up and would really appreciate any help.

THe Swede

6Stang7 · Feb 19, 2004

First off, did you touch and/or move the distributor in anyway? Now next I would make sure that you have all the wires run correctly, and didn't mix any of them up. You're right, cylinder 1 in on the passenger side, closest to the radiator. Now, remove the spark plug from that cylinder, and turn the engine over untill you feel air compression. Pull the cap off and see which tower the rotor is pointing to, that is the tower for cylinder one. Place the plug wire for cylinder one there, the going in the counter-clock wise direction, place the rest of the plugs on. You firing order is 15426378, and cylinders are from 1 goes back for 1-4, and 5 starts front driverside and goes back to 8. After you have finished that, you know that you wires are run correctly. Next I would say to check you point gap (if you still have points), then check you spark to make sure you have a nice healthy spark. Let us know if this solves it.

-Shaun

10secgoal · Feb 19, 2004

Swede,hehe ok.... Here we go. Check for spark. Stick a screwdriver in the coil and one in the wire. Bring them closer together as someone, or you turn over the motor ( if it's you doing it at the starter relay, don't forget to turn on the damn ignition). If you don't have an MSD or other aftermarket box, look closly, you won't see much. If you have one, be careful, they hurt when they bite...ALOT If you have spark, great. Then you did something dumb like we all do. Forgot a wire here or there. If it's got spark, and won't fire, it's timing if you did nothing else. But if it's spitting, it sounds like it has a spark to it. Yes, left front it #1 and remember to go counterclockwise. Ya just goofed somewhere swede. You'll find it. Don't fret my friend, just tell her you love her and don't curse at her and she'll get over it.

12sec67 · Feb 19, 2004

10secgoal said:
If you don't have an MSD or other aftermarket box, look closly, you won't see much. If you have one, be careful, they hurt when they bite...ALOT

tell them why you know about that

injuner · Feb 19, 2004

A real easy way to test for spark is to pull a spark plug wire off of a plug, put in on an old functional plug, and then ground the plug to the car while someone turns the engine over, there is a lot less chance for getting shocked.

BTW, I got zapped good on a buddies 68 skylark. I got tired of turning off the engine to adjust dwell (GM's have an allan head adjustable screw inside of a little door in the distributor cap), so i started to turn it with the car running. It went great until I grounded myself somehow. It was weird, I felt the energy actually bounce around in my body and I was all tingley <sp?> for about 5 minutes after the shock. At least I know my heart works!

TurboDoctor · Feb 20, 2004

Swede, what part of austin are you in ? If you can figure it out, and have some free time I would come over and take a look see.

bnickel · Feb 20, 2004

make sure you got the firing order correct and remember that the right bank is numbered 1-4 and the left bank is numbered 5-8, i've seen a lot of people try to use the small block chevy numbering pattern which won't work. also did you get the rotor for the big cap bercause the small cap rotor won't work with the big cap. my bet is you just have the wires mixed up somewhere. also i'm pretty sure the rotation is counter-clockwise.

Swede958 · Feb 20, 2004

Well, had a guy from work come over to help out on this.
For everyone's questions... the first time I wired the plugs, it was pretty much retarded (major brain fart). Didn't know at the time, ran the car, and it backfired a couple times. IT did run miraculously, but I shut it off. I did have the correct rotor for the capadapt and was getting fire. After I fixedt he wires the car didn't want to run, read below to see what we think is the problem.

As far as we could tell, the carb is just dumping way too much gas into the engine, we believe that the backfires (while not sounding major) did some damage to the carb that prevents too much gas from entering the bowls. Everytime I'd try running the car, I'd pull a plug afterward and the tip would be wet with gas, too much gas was preventing a spark. So... I'm gonna try a rebuild on the carb and if that doesn't work...

Turbodoctor: I'm in south austin, pretty much right next to brodie and slaughter ln.

The Swede

P.S. thanks for all of the input so far on this guys

speedy66 · Feb 20, 2004

I had a similar problem. look over the cap for cracks.. I had a no fire situation. well actually it shut off while driving.. my cap was cracked.. the more I'd crank the more fuel it would dump..before you spend money to rebuild just look over the cap carefully..

edelbrocks are pretty much imune to backfire.. Mine would back fire when its cold if I tried dumping the throttle..

just check the cap carefully

6Stang7 · Feb 20, 2004

Don't hold me to it, but I don't think that's your problem. The needle and seat along with the flow prevents too much gas from getting into your floats; however, I don't see how this could change from a couple backfires. How long were you cranking the engine for before you checked the plugs? If you crank it too long, you will of course, flood the engine. I would check timing, points (if you have them), and spark at the plug itself before I would tear into the carb. From your sign it looks like you have a carter carb, so if you do have to adjust your floats in the end, you have a really easy job ahead of you.

-Shaun

Swede958 · Feb 20, 2004

thanks for the ideas guys. batt was too low to start trying right now. just for kicks I priced what a rebuild for that might be (though I know remember about the edelbrock/carters being pretty much immune to back fire), looks like around 50$ with my discount.

I through a 4100 I had on and connnected everything, for the revolution it made it seemed to be spouting gas as well I'm not sure what is going on. I checked the caps (both old and new) and both seemed ok Speedy66, but I'll check again. I don't have points 6stang7, I have the pertronix unit... I looked to see if it was melted or anything, but it looked normal.

I'm charging the batt right now, we'll see what happens.
The Swede

FIRE14142002 · Feb 20, 2004

Did You By Any Chance Take The Distributor Out When You Were Working On It? If You Did You Just Need To Find Where The Rotor Is Pointing When #1 Is On The Compression Stroke(very Important) And Place The Wires On From There In The Correct Order. I Believe It Is In Your Timing Somewhere. When It Backfired Did It Backfire Through The Carb? If So You Hav Ethe Wires Wrong.

Swede958 · Feb 20, 2004

WEll, threw the 4100 on with a charged battery, still spitting gas up? I have no idea what's going on now. I guess I'm just gonna have to wait till Sunday to work on it, I'll find TDC on number 1 cylinder and make sure the rotor is pointing the right direction and go frm there....

Thanks for the helps guys... if ya'll have any idea what my cause 2 different carbs to spray gas out of the vent tubes, please let me know!

The Swede

D.Hearne · Feb 20, 2004

How old is the motor and the age of the timing set in it? My bet is also wrong firing order try also the 13726548 order. You may have a GT or 351W cam in there and not know it. If neither order works and you have not removed the distributor and reinstalled it wrong, then the timing may have jumped.

Swede958 · Feb 20, 2004

The timing set is probably about a year old, COmp cams double roller. I'll try the newer firing order as well, thanks for reminding me D.Hearne.

The Swede

D.Hearne · Feb 21, 2004

Well that pretty much rules out the timing set as the problem. What cam is in there?

Swede958 · Feb 22, 2004

I fixed it!!!!
I finally figured out what the problem was with why my car wasn't starting, it wasn't the carb but it did have something to do with the distributer like everyone had supposed.

So, after waking up today my dad and I went out check out my car. We watched the timing marks and rotor, and noticed that the rotor wasn't pointed toward #1. We pulled the valve cover and watched the valves, and found the problem...
The A$$MASTER previous owner installed the distributer offset!!! The rotor was pointed 3 spots further down the firing order. That's why my car wouldn't start!!!! Who wants to make 5$ and a beer and help me dispose of the PO and his body?

Thanks for the help everyone gave me and the insight you provided to help me.

The Swede

6Stang7 · Feb 23, 2004

I'll do anything for free beer. Good to hear it's fixed.

-Shaun

D.Hearne · Feb 23, 2004

You mean you bought a car witout driving it first?

hungrymonkey · Feb 23, 2004

you dont have to stab the distributor with the rotor pointing at Number 1. you just pull the plugs, then turn the motor over until you hear the compression stroke. then mark the position of the rotor on the distributor collar. Then run the wires with the number 1 wire being where the mark was.

its the way I have always done it. its a bit less frustration than trying to get #1 lined up where its supposed to be.

HEEELP! Why isn't my car starting?

Swede958

6Stang7

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10secgoal

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12sec67

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injuner

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TurboDoctor

bnickel

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