[estokes-bonnie66]

Put a built 400 with new engine harness in 1966 Bonneville. Using Dave's HEI and stock coil from carb days, now FiTech. I believe I have the distributor wired properly, stock pontiac. With the balance line on the timing mark the dizzy clocks to the passenger mirror. This puts the vac adv pot hitting the firewall components when #1 is aligned.

When I try to start all I get is muffler bangs.

What next?


Ed S

[johnta1]

Sounds like timing is still off?
Rotate crank to #1 TDC and see where the rotor is point? (should be at #1 plug wire)


If firewall keeping dizzy from moving enough might have to move plug wires one post away? (then rotate dizzy to get to where it lines up with rotor)

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Originally Posted by johnta1

Sounds like timing is still off?
Rotate crank to #1 TDC and see where the rotor is point?

And make sure that's TDC COMPRESSION and not TDC exhaust.

I'm with John on move the wires if it needs more advance. That or reclock the distributor.

Clay

[DiamondJim]

Turn the motor to TDC then drop the distributor in with the vacuum advance where you want it while trying to get #1 basically pointed toward the steering wheel. That is the way Pontiacs are set up so the plug wires work out best. I hope this makes sense.

[mgarblik]

Not to insult you in any way.......but any chance the plug wires are set up in the cap for a clockwise firing order? It happens to the best of us. Pontiac engines= counterclockwise.

[estokes-bonnie66]

Thanks for the comments, I am using the factory pontiac manual. I was looking for rules of thumb kinda wisdom.

It is super hard to turn the motor over with A/C and high compression etc. I will put a cork in #1 and wait for it to pop out as the balance line shows up.

Where does the rotor usually point to at TDC? In a chevy it points to #1, etc.

[johnta1]

Yes, the rotor should point to the # 1 wire for #1 cylinder.
As mgarblik said, the Pontiac rotor rotates counter-clockwise instead of clockwise like a chevy. (so wires go counter-clockwise on cap, same firing order)

[tom s]

Remember #1 is front one on the drivers side!Tom

[DiamondJim]

This is what I meant by number one oriented toward the steering wheel, with motor at tdc the rotor button should be just beginning to touch the number one position (counterclockwise) rotation. This should get it close to fire and get it running smoothly by ear before using a timing light for your final distributor position. and lockdown. Hope this helps

[DiamondJim]

I hope you don’t take this wrong but you said it was very hard to turn the motor over, Are you using a 15/16 socket on the crank bolt? I can turn over most engines with a 1/2 drive ratchet that way. If that’s hard for you just get a short piece of pipe to stick over the ratchet handle for more leverage.

[tom s]

OK,just static timed a engine on the run stand.Put a cork in #1 and rolled over until it poped out.Moved the mark on the crank to the 12 degree.Verified I had 12V at the coil.Put the timing light on #1 wire and turned the ing on.Rotated the dizzy back and force until it flashed.Locked it down and will be ready to light it off when the builder can come to my garage.FWIW,Tom

[estokes-bonnie66]

So I put a cork in #1 and turned the motor until it can out. Put a stick in the hole until TDC. Mark on balancer is spot on engine mark. Distributor rotor points toward #1 cylinder.

This puts #8 post as far as possible from #8 cylinder and my spark plug wires no longer reach. WTF? They are AMES wires. Gonna get some NAPA wires.

Is there a difference between standard and HEI spark plug wires?

built 400 with HEI


Ed S

[johnta1]

On the pic posted by Diamond Jim, where is your #1 distributor post?





If it's like where #5 or #7 is, you might have to take distributor out and rotate the rotor to get it in the area of the #1 in pic.
If the crank isn't moved should be easy to relocate. The oil pump shaft slot may have to be rotated also.

[estokes-bonnie66]

According to the pic my #1 is where #7 is in the pic.

[Bill Hanlon]

Assuming you like the position on the distributor body (ie. the caps' dwell setting window and where the vacuum advance is pointing), try this:

Remove the distributor cap and primary wiring.

Mark the distributor body position with a Marks-A-Lot, a dab of paint, etc. to somewhere that won't move, like a nearby bolt on the firewall. Call this position 1.

Mark the rotor position to top edge of the distributor body. Call this position 2.

Remove the distributor hold-down.

Pull the distributor straight out (no twisting) slowly, noting the direction the rotor is turning. Do not allow the rotor to turn once you take the distributor out.

Mark the new rotor position on the top edge of the distributor body. Call this position 3.

Move the rotor exactly 1/4 turn counterclockwise.

Using a screwdriver, turn the oil pump shaft exactly 1/4 turn counterclockwise.

Check that positions 1 & 3 are still aligned. Put the distributor back into the block.

Re-install the distributor hold-down.

Position 1 should still be aligned as when you started.

Rotor should now be 1/4 turn CCW from position 2.

Put the distributor cap back on.

Remove the #4 spark plug wire from the distributor cap. Move #1 spark plug wire to where #4 was.

Move #7 spark plug wire to where #1 was.

Move #6 spark plug wire to where #7 was.

Move #4 spark plug wire to where #6 was.

Remove the #8 spark plug wire from the distributor cap. Move #2 spark plug wire to where #8 was.

Move #5 spark plug wire to where #2 was.

Move #3 spark plug wire to where #5 was.

Move #8 spark plug wire to where #3 was.

Re-attach primary wiring.

[DiamondJim]

Pull the distributor and wires and drop it in again. with the motor at tdc on compression stroke and the vacuum over toward the drivers side with room to move and and adjust with number one like in the picture. You can look down the hole and turn the oil pump shaft with a large flat blade screwdriver. The distributor gear will rotate slightly when meshing with the cam gear so it may take a few tries to get the oil pump meshed and the positioning correct for number one being toward the drivers seat but that’s the right way to do it. Put the wires back on per the pic.

[estokes-bonnie66]

Got the timing sorted. Having changed everything is tough. The new built motor has the timing all in the wrong place. Got the FiTech to idle long enough to set timing. Then refined it to 3000 rpm. Having to deal with the FiTech at the same time is not good.

Thanks,

Ed S