Tried all I know but just won't start!!!

[BirdsThaWord]

Car is a '68 Firebird with a 350, holley carb. Just replaced the points distributor with an HEI. While at it, I replaced the wires. Keeps seeming soooo close to starting, but just won't. Also, as I move the distributor around, it spits fuel up & out of the carb sometimes, depending on where the distributor is. Smells like it's getting WAY too much fuel. I ran the power to the distributor from an unused, keyed hot post on the fuse panel. My multimeter says 11.98 volts at the post I attached to. I made sure TDC and plug wires in right order. What am I missing? Please give me some ideas on what else to check. Thanks!

[baktrak09]

Do you have a pressure gauge on the fuel line? Not trying to insult you intelligence, but are you sure your getting spark? Are you positive that you are not 180° out?

[smhigh]

Pontiac Firebird- 350 V-8 tuneup specs

THE FIRING ORDER IS AS FOLLOWS

1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 DISTRIBUTOR ROTATION IS COUNTERCLOCKWISE,AND THIS APPLIES FOR THE YEARS 1967-74 AND COVERS THE 350,400 AND 455 V8 FIRING ORDER

SPARK PLUG GAP SETTING IS 0.035

DISTRIBUTOR POINT DWELL IS 30

IGNITION TIMING FOR MANUAL AND AUTO IS 9B

IDLE SPEED FOR MANUAL IS 850 RPM AND FOR THE AUTO TRANS IS 650 RPM


My friend and I were doing his Firebird and had problems and discovered we had the dist. wires set in clockwise.... changed them to counter clock wise and the engine roared to life.

Too many sbc chevys over the years

[BirdsThaWord]

Do you have a pressure gauge on the fuel line? Not trying to insult you intelligence, but are you sure your getting spark? Are you positive that you are not 180° out?

I'm surely getting spark. Did the pull the plug and watch it fire thing. Sure I'm not 180 degrees out. Checked it twice with the finger on plug hole blown off at TDC and button facing #1. Not sure of fuel pressure, but it sure is pumping a crap load of gas into carb, if anything too much gas.

[CamaroAJ]

sounds like its a tooth or two off.

[BirdsThaWord]

Pontiac Firebird- 350 V-8 tuneup specs

THE FIRING ORDER IS AS FOLLOWS

1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 DISTRIBUTOR ROTATION IS COUNTERCLOCKWISE,AND THIS APPLIES FOR THE YEARS 1967-74 AND COVERS THE 350,400 AND 455 V8 FIRING ORDER
Checked all that!
SPARK PLUG GAP SETTING IS 0.035

DISTRIBUTOR POINT DWELL IS 30
HEI, no points or dwell to adjust
IGNITION TIMING FOR MANUAL AND AUTO IS 9B

IDLE SPEED FOR MANUAL IS 850 RPM AND FOR THE AUTO TRANS IS 650 RPM Can't set idle speed yet. Gotta get it running first.


My friend and I were doing his Firebird and had problems and discovered we had the dist. wires set in clockwise.... changed them to counter clock wise and the engine roared to life.
Set counter clockwise. Followed this: http://boxwrench.net/specs/pont_265-455.htm
Too many sbc chevys over the years

Read in another thread about a sticking float causing similar symptoms. Will check for that tomorrow.

[BirdsThaWord]

sounds like its a tooth or two off.

How would I correct that?

[baktrak09]

is the rotor pointing to #1 plug wire?

[LSx_88_Ciera]

1 or 2 teeth off I hate that saying, there is no such thing. You just have limited adjustment room not a wrong tooth since there is no certain tooth engagement required.

First of all verify that you don't have any loose connections, you are not using a ballast resistor, the coil has power in start position not just run. If all those check ok then I would start from scratch with the dist install. Sorry if this is over simplified but it is my method and I am never more than a few degrees off at start-up.

1. Remove dist.
2. remove plugs they're probably fouled by now
3. bring #1 up to TDC comp (by hand not bumping starter)
4. install new plugs
5. drop dist in far enough to engage cam gear orient it where you want #1
6. mark dist housing where #1 terminal lines up
7. remove cap
8. lift dist enough to disengage cam align rotor to mark drop back into cam gear
9. install cap
10. bump motor while holding dist down til it drops into oil pump shaft
11. tighten clamp enough to prevent unassisted movement
12. fire and set timing

[H2Ogbodies]

Well, IF you were a tooth or two off, you would need to pull the dist. and turn the oil pump shaft a little and drop the dist back down in. You could have a worn chain too-how well did it run before? Is the HEI all new, used? #1 position on an HEI cap is two terminals from the plug-in clockwise. Your plug gap should be .045 with the swap to HEI. You also need full 12 volts to the coil at least....although at this point I doubt this is your problem with it not firing. If your float is too high or if you have a stuck needle/seat, this could dump too much fuel-fouling your plugs making it too hard to start now. Btw, if you have a worn chain, stock timing settings don't mean much-instead set your initial timing to your highest intake vacuum reading by using a gauge to go off of-that will compensate for the slightly worn timing chain unless it is excessively worn-most often this is an issue with stock type nylon coated steel teeth-not so much with aftermarket rollers.

[H2Ogbodies]

You may want to also check primary and secondary coil resistance too. I believe primary should be .3K to .9K, and secondary is 9.30K to 30K. If primary reads even at 1.0K or 1.1K, it can keep from firing.

[BirdsThaWord]

is the rotor pointing to #1 plug wire?

Yes. Had a buddy verify to make sure I'm not crazy.

[BirdsThaWord]

I think you're right. After reading another thread on here, I'd say the plugs are fowled by now. I'm going to start from scratch again as you say, with new plugs in.

1 or 2 teeth off I hate that saying, there is no such thing. You just have limited adjustment room not a wrong tooth since there is no certain tooth engagement required.


First of all verify that you don't have any loose connections, you are not using a ballast resistor, the coil has power in start position not just run. If all those check ok then I would start from scratch with the dist install. Sorry if this is over simplified but it is my method and I am never more than a few degrees off at start-up.

1. Remove dist.
2. remove plugs they're probably fouled by now
3. bring #1 up to TDC comp (by hand not bumping starter)
4. install new plugs
5. drop dist in far enough to engage cam gear orient it where you want #1
6. mark dist housing where #1 terminal lines up
7. remove cap
8. lift dist enough to disengage cam align rotor to mark drop back into cam gear
9. install cap
10. bump motor while holding dist down til it drops into oil pump shaft
11. tighten clamp enough to prevent unassisted movement
12. fire and set timing

[BirdsThaWord]

Maybe the chain is worn, not sure as I haven't pulled the front off. It had run before, but after driving a few blocks, it was stumbling to the point that I had to keep gassing it just to make it back home. Was told on here that the coil may be bad. That's why I pulled the old distributer and went with an HEI. I'll gap the new plugs at .045 as you say. I don't have 12 volts, just under at 11.98. I'll also check the float today. How can I set the initial timing at the highest vaccum reading without it running?

Well, IF you were a tooth or two off, you would need to pull the dist. and turn the oil pump shaft a little and drop the dist back down in. You could have a worn chain too-how well did it run before? Is the HEI all new, used? #1 position on an HEI cap is two terminals from the plug-in clockwise. Your plug gap should be .045 with the swap to HEI. You also need full 12 volts to the coil at least....although at this point I doubt this is your problem with it not firing. If your float is too high or if you have a stuck needle/seat, this could dump too much fuel-fouling your plugs making it too hard to start now. Btw, if you have a worn chain, stock timing settings don't mean much-instead set your initial timing to your highest intake vacuum reading by using a gauge to go off of-that will compensate for the slightly worn timing chain unless it is excessively worn-most often this is an issue with stock type nylon coated steel teeth-not so much with aftermarket rollers.

[BirdsThaWord]

You may want to also check primary and secondary coil resistance too. I believe primary should be .3K to .9K, and secondary is 9.30K to 30K. If primary reads even at 1.0K or 1.1K, it can keep from firing.

How do I check this? Please explain. I do have a multimeter.

[BirdsThaWord]

O.K. Here's what I did today:
1. Started from scratch, removing the plugs first. FOULED with a capital F. Wouldn't have produced enough spark to run a go cart. Replaced the plugs.
2. Ensured 12 Volts getting to "Batt" plug on distributor.
3. Found TDC on #1 with timing at (close to) 0. Button facing approx. #1 cylinder direction.
4. Re Installed plug wires accordingly (Counter clockwise) to firing order.
5. Tapped float housing to possibly loosen possibly stuck float (This is a carb I put on a month ago, rebuilt Holley)

Results: Stopped spitting gas. Still wont start.
Anyone live in Orlando?

[BirdsThaWord]

I take that back, it's still spitting gas, but now it's on fire when it comes out! WOOOOOOOAH! I tapped the feed wire into the pink ignition wire under the dash. The fact that it's now on fire when it comes out tells me that it wasn't getting as much spark before. Now what? Anyone? Anyone? Don't want to foul the new set of plugs!

[NOT A TA]

Are you positive you're not at TDC on the end of the exhaust stroke instead of compression?

[AtomicFirebird]

Car is a '68 Firebird with a 350, holley carb. Just replaced the points distributor with an HEI. While at it, I replaced the wires. Keeps seeming soooo close to starting, but just won't. Also, as I move the distributor around, it spits fuel up & out of the carb sometimes, depending on where the distributor is. Smells like it's getting WAY too much fuel. I ran the power to the distributor from an unused, keyed hot post on the fuse panel. My multimeter says 11.98 volts at the post I attached to. I made sure TDC and plug wires in right order. What am I missing? Please give me some ideas on what else to check. Thanks!

Shows you how much I know, I was going to say it was the rebuilt Holley and/or the fuel lines. The distributor does not control the release of fuel into the carb, the fuel pump does. The pontiac fuel pump sits up against the cam. As long as the cam is turning, fuel (will) come out of the carb. Now, unless the filters and fuel lines are clogged and the jets are dirty and/or clogged it should give fuel to the cab. If the carb is not getting fuel properly, it's a fuel problem. You had spark and sometimes fuel. Now the carb is not getting fuel! Sorry brother, West Palm Beach.

[AtomicFirebird]

Never mind about the fuel.