Won't start
 

Engine cranks but no life.

New carb. Fuel squirting in.
Fuel filter has Fuel in it.

Has spark to #1 and #2 wires. Both sides.

I replaced the msd box thinking that was the culprit and went hei. Was super careful on wire placement.

Engine cranks fine. Was running a month ago fine. Nothing changed at that point.

Kinda stumped.
Used a whole can of starter spray and nothing.

Any tips on where to look?

One in a million, but quick and free. Make sure no exhaust restrictions, like a mouse nest.

Some things are not easy to see when it comes to electrical power to items .

For example a voltmeter will read voltage just fine even with just two or three strands of a multi strand wire making connection, however electrical powered items need to access current that they need also.

To have the needed current to power something the wire feeding it needs to carry the needed minimum amount of current.

I would double check all your electrical connection points, especially if you had to make and crimp connections to get this wired up.

Many folks with spark energy issues like I think your having get to the point of frustration where they jump a wire right to the battery, yet do not do the same to prove out that they have a good ground.

A electrical connection that can not pass the needed current will get hot, so you might be able to use that as troubleshooting tool.

Cap and rotor? Cracks, carbon tracking, or burn’t spots under rotor?

It’s plain & simple to me what’s going on.
1) he see’s Spark , yet the motor will not kick with starting fluid being used.

2) this can only mean that the spark that he does see is so weak that the dense atmosphere/ compression pressure at TDC is smothering it out.

Yep. And a "leaky" rotor can drain off voltage to the dist. shaft instead of fighting compression.

Center rotor tab and center cap contact can be troublesome too.


Just something easy and free to check.;)

timing 180 degree out???

timing chain jump? Pull distributor cap make sure it is DRY and then turn crank slightly and make sure rotor turns the same if chain jumped it will be sloppy. Could quick put a timing light on also and see when cranking. Pull Plug and feel for compression

COMPRESSION (TIMING), FUEL, SPARK. All three should at least pop...

FIRST verify that the spark plugs aren't fouled.

He used a WHOLE CAN OF STARTING FLUID, AFTER verifying that the carb was "squirting fuel". I bet every plug is wet, AND there's no oil on the cylinder walls.

I ordered new spark plugs today.
I re did the wires and made sure the dizzy was in the correct place. Still won't fire.

I have a spark to the plug #1
It doesn't even sputter.

When was the last time this motor ran and what if anything have you done to it since that last time it ran?

Run a 12gauge wire directly from battery to + on coil or distributor
Pull wire off when it if starts

Change the oil n filter it’s contaminated

Ran wire from battery to hei " +"
Still no fire.

you can actually see sparks on 1 and 2, but the starting fluid will not ignite?

No.
Unless the timing is way way off I am stumped.
Unsure how that could have happened.
I will reset the the dizzy again.

Everything is new.
Hei is only two wires. Power and tach.

Is this the same motor with KRE heads that you had problems getting the spark plugs out of a while back?

Yes.
But they were changed and all was fine for years.
New carb and new hei.

I just double checked again and the engine is at TDC and on 0 and rotor facing #1
Hei power was run direct...for now.

Any other suggestions on where to look?

I put a wad of paper in #1 spark plug hole till it Flys out to get to #1. D oing it wrong?
It says "0" on balancer too.

Ok, now where getting somewhere!

What made you replace the carb?



Did you replace both the carb and Dizzy at the same time?



So, if all you had done was replace the carb and it did not run then the motor would have certainly kicked real good on starting fluid if not actually run for 2 or 3 seconds because at that point you had the needed functional spark to run the motor.

Just in case here’s where number 1 is.

While plugs are out do compression test. can't hurt.

george

I took off the tripower and put a quadrajet on it. Jeff (shaker) built it for the engine.

I changed to a hei, when the car wouldn't start a month ago. I thought the msd was the problem. I figured now was the time to go to a hei. Fits now.
In hindsight now, same issue with the old and new dizzy.