My best guess is that it's a timing problem but my car wont start. I had to pull the distributor to change my magnetic pickup and when putting it back in it didn't seem to line up correctly. So now all my engine does is crank crank crank and then when I stop and the key goes to the "on" position you can kind of hear the car sputter which resembles it running. Any ideas. There's a lot to the story so anything you need to know just ask. GM HEI on a 350.

it sounds like you have your distributor in 180 degrees out .pull it back out ,make sure
your on the commpression stroke on cylinder 1
and your roter pointing it then drop it back in a little rotation to set it is ok

good luck

If the distributor was 180 backwards the timing mark on the balancer wouldn't be lined up with zero right? Because it is. Also I had my valve cover off and the #1 piston was at the top of it's path. Is this correct? I really don't think it's backwards.

Yes, it would be aligned with zero because the distributor turns once for every two revolutions of the crankshaft.

With the timing mark at 0, it is firing on either number 1 or number 6. So if you think you are 180 off, set it back to 0 then pull the distributor and rotate 180. Just make sure that when the timing mark is set at 0, the rotor should be pointing to number 1 or 6.

------------------
-Mark
TC# 717
ACES #1641
1967 Chevelle SS396/375 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1BadRat2)
1967 RailVelle (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1badrat3.jpg)(Parting out)
1964 Chevelle 283/195
1975 Corvette 396/425 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1BadRat1.jpg) "Wow, that's a mighty strong 350!"
Rat Garage (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/RatGarage.jpg)

Flipped it 180 and still no luck. Not even the little sputter when the key goes to the "on" position. Any ideas?

Now your going to have to go back to the basics. Do you have fuel. Do you have spark. Find top dead center. Where is the timing mark? Where is the rotor pointing? I have had this problem too when starting a fresh 396. I had it 180 out even though I was sure I didn't. Pumped enough gas into the mufflers that when it fired it made my oval a round muffler. I had to go sit down for a while too. Good luck!!

Yes I have fuel because it's shooting straight up through the carb into the air every once in a while. Yes I have spark, I just tested it. No the distributor isn't 180 out and even if it was I just switched it 180 and it worked even worse so I have back to the original spot. What else could it be? I'm almost positive the distributor is in right. Could it be somethine with the spark plugs or spark plug wires? How about somewhere else ie. Starter or who knows what? I need help though.

Get yourself a remote starter (the kind that has alligator clips at the end of the wires and a push button on the other end. Open up the wiring harness above and behind the master cylinder and pull out the purple wire (the one that is about 1/8th inch thick) scrape a little insulation off the wire so you can attach one of those alligator clips to the bare copper. Attach the other alligator clip to battery positive. Now with the key off you can crank the engine while you observe your timing marks. Remove the #1 spark plug and stick a finger in the hole and "bump" the engine over till air squirts out around the tip of your finger(*compression stroke). When it does,look at your timing marks and stop "bumping" when they line up at zero. Now check to see if your distributor still lines up at the #1 post on the distributor cap. If it doesn't reset the distributor. Remember also that when you get the distributor set correctly and it won't drop down all the way because it hasn't engaged the oil pump shaft yet all you have to do is give the starter a couple of bumps and it will drop right down. Works perfectly. Remote starter buttons are one of the mechanics handiest tools.

Once again I'm almost positive the distributor is in correctly. I'll go ahead and check over just for the sake of it. Would the distributor being off just a tiny tiny bit matter to the point of the car not starting?

One tooth will make a major difference.

One tooth will make a major difference.

Well then back to the distributor I shall go. I'll post updates tomorrow.

He is right about one tooth making a difference. Check your firing order against your distributor wires. Be sure that the rotor is pointing at the 1 plug wire when at tdc. I have been there. When you find it youll kick yourself.

I know it's gotta be one of those "i'm an idiot" things but it's just not making sense. I swear the distributor is in correctly. I have taken it out and put it back in at least 20 times lining it up every time. I guess the next step is going to be to have it towed somewhere so someone else can take a look at it. I just don't see what else could be wrong.

just curious but do you have 12 volts going to your distributor and do you have the grounds hooked to your coil under the cap? i left the ground wire out and what a headache. it really sounds like you are losing your voltage to dist while your cranking and the coil is splashing in the on position

Yes I have 12 Volts and yes I have it grounded. I've got voltage while I crank it too. I pulled the plug from the #1 cylinder and kept the plug wire on it then had my brother crank the engine while I watched for spark and felt for compression. They are at the exact same time. Now why wouldn't my car start?

If you haven't already, replace the plugs. I've seen plugs that don't produce enough fire cause this erratic problem. Everything seems to work, you even get spark, but it will not start.

The plugs are brand new.

Everybody who responded to your problem could have been correct. Have been where you are ten or two times in my life. I Believe you need a second hands on opinion to cure your problem, even if it requires a 40 buck tow to a shop. It is probably something very simple that has been overlooked. As I said we have all done it, Welcome to the club.

Just so you know I've a number of friends who are mechanics come take a look and they're all stumped as well. I've started building a new motor because I just don't care anymore.

Some more thoughts on your problem. A year or so ago the late departed I-man posted something about being careful when removing the star wheel from an HEI, that if something wasn't correctly aligned upon reassembly problems would result. I assume the engine was running before you undertook this last endeavor. If so why not borrow one of you "Mechanic" buddies HEIs and see if the thing will start. Somewhat cheaper than building a whole new engine. Sounds like you have more dollars than sense!!!

You have to have three things for the engine to run; spark, compression and gas. Obviously all these things have to happen at the correct time. You said you have gas, spark and compression. I think we can rule out gas and compression as a problem. Your problem is in your ignition or timing. It seems to me your are either not getting full voltage to the distributor or your timing is still off, as the others have said. I don't know what else to recommend without actually looking at it myself. I would be curious to find out what it is. Please post the problem when you find out.

This reply is for Mr. Eacker. I want you to know there is no reason to put mechanic in quotations. If a man makes a living troubleshooting and fixing the problems other people have with their cars does this not make him a mechanic? And another thing, you don't know me so don't make assumptions. I'm a 19 year old college student who works part time. The money I make goes into my car and pays for school. I don't have a lot of money. The engine I have in my car is an oil burning 5 year old stock crate motor my cousin beat the crap out of for four years before he gave it to me with two heads that don't match. Besides I already had plans to build another motor for my brother to help him out with his senior project so this was just the final string in the decision to start the project. As to 1Bad Rat I'm going to have it towed to my dad's friend's shop and have him spend some time with it. I'll definitely let you know what comes of it.

1. Broken wires in the new mag pickup. Wires break INSIDE the insulation, so they don't look broken.

2. Distributor gear has to come off to access the mag pickup. It can be installed 180 degrees off, and will be 1/2 tooth goofy. The engine might run, but the rotor won't properly align with the contacts inside the distributor cap. The distributor will have to be turned a bit from it's previous position in order to have the timing set properly.

The drill mark on the side of the gear aligns with the contact on the edge of the rotor.

3. Pickup wires not connected to the module.

4. Throw a timing light on the thing! If you have spark at #1, see what the timing is when one of your buddies cranks the engine.

[This message has been edited by Schurkey (edited 01-13-2002).]

I've been wondering about the distributor gear. I wasn't sure which way it was supposed to go. I've tried it both ways and there's no difference as far as it starting but it seems to line up better one way. That's definitely good to know so now I can eliminate the gear being on wrong. Thank you.

19Chevelle70, Try not to be so touchy. Live and learn.

Just think before you start typing and I wont need to be.

So is the car fixed or is it still sitting. There are lots of people out here to help (one thing I wish I had when I was 19 and building my car). Was reading the post and didn't see any new info here.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ss396boy:
So is the car fixed or is it still sitting. There are lots of people out here to help (one thing I wish I had when I was 19 and building my car). Was reading the post and didn't see any new info here. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I agree, whats the status?

So as I had done probably 30 times before I started from scratch and set the timing TDC pointed the rotor at the #1 spark plug just as always same everything. Then tried to start it... Nothing as usual. Moved the rotor one slot to the right of TDC just in case... Nothing. Moved it one slot to the left of TDC just in case... Nothing. I left it there and came back a little latter and just rotated the distributor as I had an uncountable number of times and tried it start it again. It sputtered like it was about to start which gave me hope. So I just laid on the gas and cranked it over and it kept sputtering and sputtering then bam... It started (Ran like crap but started) So of course I set it back to TDC and tried it start it again. Nothing. Then back to one slot left of TDC and it started again. So with the timing set perfectly and the car at TDC it doesn't start but when I set the rotor pointing at the #2 spark plug when it should be at the #1 it starts. Once again it runs like crap and at about 2000 RPM it starts to miss in every cylinder. So anyways my dad's best guess was that maybe the timing chain jumped a tooth. I've started a new posting in the Engine section about this timing chain problem just trying to find out more about what the symtoms would be. It seems that might be it. Please let me know all you can about it. Hey but it started right? And that's a major start. It's still a mystery as to why it decided to this time rather than the previous 30. Could it be that maybe some water got in the carborator? Oh well thanks for all the help here.