Motor start up after a rebuild
 

Just curious if these two things are the same. Saw this on a vid.

# 1.... Get motor to TDC, rotor facing # 1 on cap, then advance distributor about 1/4 to 1/2 assuming this is about 10-12 BTDC...........motor should fire up.

# 2....You would say put the motor 10-12 BTDC on balancer but have the distributor rotor still facing # 1 on the cap.

Just trying to learn as i go along

Rich

I always rotate the engine to TDC compression stroke on cylinder #1, then roll the engine back to the 12° advance mark on the timing pointer. Drop the distributor in with the rotor facing #1.

Should fire right up. Remember Pontiacs rotate counterclockwise, so double check the firing order.

1. Set the #1 cylinder to TDC on the compression stroke and align the harmonic balancer/pulley mark to the desired initial timing (e.g., 6-10° BTDC).

2. Connect one lead of the test lamp to the distributor side of the coil (negative/\(-\)) and the other to a good chassis ground.

3. Turn the ignition key to the "RUN" position.

4. Loosen the distributor clamp and rotate the distributor body counterclockwise until the light turns off.

5. Slowly turn the distributor body clockwise until the lamp just turns on.

6. Lock the distributor clamp in this position.

HTH

I always put number 1 cylinder at 16 degrees BTDC and the rotor pointing to #1 on the cap, always starts right up.

What Kenth says is the best (with points dist) in case the cam timing has been messed with. I would add to make sure the dist is pointing close to #1 plug.. the combination of the dist near #1 and the #1 cyl at compression insures the engine is not 180 degrees out.

George

Hey thank you very much guys for the suggestions...................im surprised some of you havent said , make sure you have a fire extinguisher dumb ass......................we all seen some of your other dumb questions. Tomorrow is D day, the motor and trans are going in, hopefully get it started later in the week...............as some of you have seen my posts about the leaking rear main, this will be the 4th time doing this, im thinking if i can go a year without a leak, im doing damn good. lol

Rich

This what I do but I use a timing light instead of a test light. Then not only is the engine timed to start right up but also I know I have spark to run.

Do what has been suggested above. In addition, pre-fill the carburetor fuel bowl. This can be done through the vent with a very small funnel. You want the engine to start within 5 seconds of cranking. ( three 5 second long cranking times and the engine better be running). Especially a flat tappet engine.

Long story so I will just make a suggestion from that experience.

Yes, you need a fire extinguisher at hand, but if you use it on a carb it will make a mess of it and your first fire up and run session will need to be delayed while you rebuild the carb .

Keep a water saturated shower towel on hand ( like in a bucket of water ) and toss that over the carb to kill the fire, that is unless you have fuel flowing everywhere.

A box fan sitting on an overturned 5 gallon bucket blowing in the grill helped when I’ve done new engine-camshaft run ins.

This is very good advice and I use this method. I also have a CO2 fire extinguisher if things get out of hand. Dry powder extinguishers may put the fire out, but the powder is extremely corrosive and ruins everything it touches.