No start

[pinellas50]

The truck ran fine so I decided to do a tune up on it. New cap, rotor, wires, plugs. Put everything back together and now it won't start. I have checked the firing order against this:
http://www.whitetyphoon.com/firing_order.html
many times and it is right on.

I have even tried moving the wires around one way and the other by one terminal...I don't know if that makes sense reading it....and nothing.

The flat spot on the back of the distributor is kind of pointed towards the passenger side as opposed to straight back.....I don't know if that is relevant information or not.

I can smell the fuel dumping. And I do believe it has spark(can't verify that one right now cause it's only me at the house).

Is there something I could have screwed up here? I need help before I roll this thing out into the street and set it on fire.

I keep hearing about the love/hate relationship...........I'm still hoping I find the love part of that with this truck.

 

[WyoSyclone]

Re: No start

Make sure the rotor is the correct diameter for the distributor cap.... have had a parts person pick up the wrong one off the shelf and didn't realize it was wrong till it wouldn't start.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: No start

Check the ecmb fuse, I had one blow on my while I doing tune up. I was ready to push that truck out in the street and light a match as well.

 

[wildphil]

Re: No start

Before you removed the number one spark plug did you check to see were it was on the dist. cap? If not then it #1 could be firing at a different spot on that cap that the picture shows. What I mean is with the motor on tdc you can drop the dist. in and wherever the rotor points is were #1 will fire. It does not have to be like in the diagram. If you did not make sure were #1 plug came off. Turn your motor to tdc then pull the dist cap place #1 plug wire on the cap were the rotor is pointing and then wire in order from that spot.

 

[MRKING]

Re: No start

If nothing else works , put the old parts back on and see if anything changes .

 

[pinellas50]

Re: No start

Before you removed the number one spark plug did you check to see were it was on the dist. cap? If not then it #1 could be firing at a different spot on that cap that the picture shows. What I mean is with the motor on tdc you can drop the dist. in and wherever the rotor points is were #1 will fire. It does not have to be like in the diagram. If you did not make sure were #1 plug came off. Turn your motor to tdc then pull the dist cap place #1 plug wire on the cap were the rotor is pointing and then wire in order from that spot.

No I didn't. I did look at it and thought I had remembered where 1 was until it came time to mess with the new one. I'm going to have the wife help me check for spark and then I guess it is time to pull the #1 plug and try to find TDC. Then go from there.

I'll let you know what happens.

 

[Loeryder]

Re: No start

I thought the flat spot on the distributor leaned towards the driver side.

Sounds like your distributor could be off as well.

I had one that was 180* off and it gave me hell until I just pulled the distrib and retimed the motor.

Pull plug #1 and turn motor until you find TDC on the compression stroke.
Pull the cap and look at the rotor, it should be pointed at plug #1.

Sounds like you'll find your answer there.

 

[Loeryder]

Re: No start

 

[pinellas50]

Re: No start

I thought the flat spot on the distributor leaned towards the driver side.

Sounds like your distributor could be off as well.

I had one that was 180* off and it gave me hell until I just pulled the distrib and retimed the motor.

Pull plug #1 and turn motor until you find TDC on the compression stroke.
Pull the cap and look at the rotor, it should be pointed at plug #1.

Sounds like you'll find your answer there.

I just did this. On compression stroke, the rotor is pointing at #5 and there is no mark on the balancer to line up with the timing marker thing that would lead one to believe that I truly found TDC.

I think it might be time for a tow to the shop followed with a for sale sign. I haven't had one positive expierence with this thing and it has been in the paint shop the majority of the time I have owned it.

 

[pinellas50]

Re: No start

So I moved the wires around to where the normal #5 post is now the #1 thinking someone put the distributor in wrong. Now it turns over very hard locking up on compression strokes.

This has to be just a stupid timing issue. Like the distributor being 180 out or something.

I'm going to start throwing things so I'll get back to it tomorrow. I absolutely hate when you go in and mess up something that is working perfectly fine.

Thanks for the help so far.

 

[Don W.]

Re: No start

So I moved the wires around to where the normal #5 post is now the #1 thinking someone put the distributor in wrong. Now it turns over very hard locking up on compression strokes.

Timing is advanced to far but you're on the right track. Retard then timing a bit and try again. Meantime find the mark on the dampener and paint it so you can see it. Mine has 2. Unless you're sure paint them both, one will be correct for #1 unless the dampener has slipped bad.

 

[pinellas50]

Re: No start

Loeryder got it and Don reinforced the idea. Whoever was in this motor last dropped the distributor 180 out and left it that way. It never even dawned on me that someone would do that and not correct it. And I am assuming this was done at a dealership when the new short block was put in in 03.

Anyway, I put the plug wires on accordingly and it lit off immediately.

Lessons learned:
- Mark your plug wires before pulling them off the cap regardless of how hard they are to get to.

- Do as much work as possible on your truck yourself

- Don't assume that other people will put things back together correctly just because that is what you would do.

Thanks everyone for your help. It's been quite a learning curve for me as this is the first GM vehicle I have ever owned.........I came over from the other side of the fence. And sorry for the temper tantrum. I honestly bit off a little more than I could chew with getting this truck and doing the restoration, but I'm getting through it. I don't plan on beating this truck to death so hopefully I can work on the love part of the relationship. I won't be investing in a for sale sign in the for seeable future.

 

[wildphil]

Re: No start

If your truck was running fine before you changed the wires and you did not move the dist dont move it yet. Mark the grove or groves on the damper with white paint or chalk. Line one of them up to tdc then put your wires on the cap starting with #1 were the rotor is pointing IF THAT IS THE COMPRESSION STROKE. If it is not the compression stroke it will be 180 degrees out. You will feel more air pushed out of the plug hole on the compression stroke than the exaust stroke. If it does not start line the other grove up to tdc and wire #1 from were the pointer of the rotor is. if you have not moved the dist. it is on just like it was when you started. You should be able to get it to run. If you run into problems just ask questions.

 

[wildphil]

Re: No start

Just read your post. I know that would be your problem. Most of us put the dist in on tdc with the rotor pointing to #1 cylinder. But it can be put in pointing anywere is long is you start #1 plug wire there it makes no difference. Except if you change the plug wires and dont check were #1 plug wire is. You know now. We all have learned things the hard way sometimes.

 

[pinellas50]

Re: No start

Yeah wildphil. Actually I have to give you props on pointing me in the right direction in the first place. When I found the one combo that resulted in the real hard starting I felt a lot better about it not being something major.

Thanks again everyone.