Sorry, i know i have a couple threads going but i have been at it hard for a week now alone and this discussion board is the only help i have. so here's what i've got.

my stock 72 malibu(350 2 barrel) was running but i could hear 3 loose rockers on the driver side so i reset the lash on the drivers side only. it started up but one rocker kept backing off. then i found a black widow under the car and tried to scare it out from the chassis by running the car at part throttle. the car died so i restarted it no prob, then it died again but that time it wouldnt start up again.

i stopped working for the day and when i came back i redid all my brakes. its been a week and now im working to fix the no start. now another week spent trying every thing to start it with little progress.

the points and condenser are new, the plugs look pretty clean with a little black dust and wet with some gas. i thought it was carb probs so i replaced the old float(set float height and drop height) and checked the gaskets( which are very new) thinking it wouldnt run cause it wasnt getting gas. the mixture screws are 2 turns out. i thought the gas could be stale so i tried to siphon it out but had trouble and mixed it with a half tank of fresh stuff.

it turns over fine and fast enough, my starter sounds great until i wear the battery down, but then i noticed the alternator getting super hot so i thought maybe that was sucking up power or something but it could be all the failed start ups heating it up. when i crank it, it sounds like it will start. it turns over quick then you hear that first fire in the combustion chamber so i let the key go but it wont continue to run.

lastly.......i pulled the distributor, set the engine at top dead center, installed the dizzy after lining up the oil pump rod, rotor pointing at #1 cylinder, checked point gap, checked to see if plug wires were in correct order, turned the dizzy cap counter clockwise a little to advance timing and still no start.

any ideas are appreciated. im moving to houston for school in 23 days and will be leaving the car behind so i want to get it running and drive it before i take off for the next 2 years.

thanks Ben

Back to basics.

First, black, fuel-wet plugs are not good. Not saying they won't fire, but not good. I'd replace them, or at least blow 'em dry or use one of the little plug sand blaster's to clean 'em up.

Next, do you have spark? If not, start there.

If I am following correctly, it will fire when the key is in "start", but will not stay running in "run"? If so, this is a clue. There is one wire to supply the coil when cranking the starter and second to supply it the rest of the time the car is running. This second wire is a cloth covered resistance wire. There could be problem here if 1.) you have no spark and 2.) if I understand you correctly. If both are true, check for voltage at this wire with the key on.

My best advice is to get the black widow out from under it, drag it here when you come to Houston and sell it to me for $500. :thumbsup:

Which school you going to?

thanks for the new ideas. ill check to make sure im getting spark and ill see what i get from those wires.

i have been thinking about trying a hotter spark plug, would that help anything? its a stock engine(cold engine right?) so a little hotter plugs compared to the stock ones wouldnt hurt would it? how do i know what to get though. the auto store guys dont seem to know a thing about hotter plugs.

My best advice is to get the black widow out from under it, drag it here when you come to Houston and sell it to me for $500. :thumbsup:

sorry cant help you here. it has been all work and no play with this car but its my first muscle car and i plan to see it through to the end.

Which school you going to?

im going to UTI. i cant wait, it will be my first time moving out. this car made me decide to go there and got me into cars.

hey i got it. it was the spark plugs. its running pretty smooth, h=just a few more bugs to work out.

Great news!