No start, fresh rebuild, help anyone?

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zig

zig

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All right this is my first full build. Tore the car down, bought a used engine, tore it down, took pieces to machine shop and put it together myself using manuals, etc. It is a 73 340 in a 74 duster using the stock ignition. I can crank away, and no start. I put a new distributor in, still no luck. I am getting fuel to the rebuild thermoquad. It sprays through the jets and I can see a build up of fuel inside the intake. The spark plugs don't seem to get wet though.

I was able to get a little cough out of it and once had a fireball out the carb. So I am assuming timing is off. I set TDC, placed the distr in with some help from a friend and still no start. I am thinking of doing a compression test this weekend. Will that show me if my timing chain is off a tooth or two?

Another odd thing is my distribuitor seems to "knock" a bit when I crank the starter. It even moves a little. It is fully engaged, but something seems off. I don't think the distributor should move. It is brand new so that should not be bent. The old one did the same...

Any other ideas to look at? I am going to have a friend of mine come over again to help, but I am thinking I need to tear into the timing chain...
 
When you did your rebuild did you install a new bronze bushing for the oil shaft?
 
I did confirm spark also. I am going to line up again tonight. Where should the rotor be pointed at for TDC? I think towards the front at an angle? I could try flipping 180 easily and see...
 
Does it back fire through the carb when you try to start it?
 
Pull #1 plug out put your finger over the hole,now crank it untill you feel compression you will feel it come up.Now pop the dist cap off and see were it is if it is pointing at #6 on the cap your 180 out.
 
zig said:
I did confirm spark also. I am going to line up again tonight. Where should the rotor be pointed at for TDC? I think towards the front at an angle? I could try flipping 180 easily and see...
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it doesnt matter where the rotor is pointing as long as its at #1 wire on the cap BTDC
 
The rotor see's 2 TDC's , one compression and one exhaust. It is very easy to get the rotor 180 out. Everyone here has done it.
 
I have dun it a few times..
Here is what I would do, put some 30wt oil in a straw and put about a half of a straw full of oil in each spark plug hole.
Sounds like it wants compression.. This has happened a couple times
 
Are you sure you lined up the timing gears correctlyy? Also using a new chain? If your sure then try the above post. Anybody ever use a ball of paper towell in the #1 hole to find TDC? spits it out every time.
 
shanson30 said:
Are you sure you lined up the timing gears correctlyy? Also using a new chain? If your sure then try the above post. Anybody ever use a ball of paper towell in the #1 hole to find TDC? spits it out every time.
Click to expand...

I have neat how it shoots out.
 
I might be wrong but i read some where that the line on the shaft that runs the oil pump and drives the dizzy needs the be lined up from front to rear of car..(the grove on the shaft needs to be vertical..then drop in the dizzy when its a tdc
 
Do you have the firing rotation of the plug wires going the right direction? A small block firing order is in a clockwise rotation.

When I built my first motor...318 in my Dart. I put the plug wires on the distributor in the counterclockwise firing order. Actually got it to run like that....ran crappy and 3 sets of plugs later...my cousin came over, looked at it, got a grin on his face, then asked me what the rotation of a small block firing order was. Boy did I feel stupid. I just looked at the firing order in my dads 74 Dodge p/u with a 400BB. Ooops.lol
 
Youngthrill said:
I might be wrong but i read some where that the line on the shaft that runs the oil pump and drives the dizzy needs the be lined up from front to rear of car..(the grove on the shaft needs to be vertical..then drop in the dizzy when its a tdc
Click to expand...

it makes no difference where the oil pump drive is as long as the rotor is at the number one wire on the cap at btdc
 
zig said:
I did confirm spark also. I am going to line up again tonight. Where should the rotor be pointed at for TDC? I think towards the front at an angle? I could try flipping 180 easily and see...
Click to expand...

At number one on the dist. But set the timing mark about 15 before and line up the rotor to the number one on the dist. A little advance is good to have on new motor, less heat. Also check timing with a light at the break in as well, just to be sure.
 
When you lined up the marks on your timing chain gears did you have the cam marks on the low side and the crank marks on top so they lined up? And if this is when you dropped your distributor in for TDC cylinder #1 . Then you are 180 out. you were TDC for cylinder 6. That is TDC for Chevy but not for Mopar. Unless of course you rotated the wires too.
 
well back to the important issue, pull the intermediate shaft and check to see if it is bent and also that the bushing is new/ if it has been thru a hot tank and that has not been replaced its gonna be an issue sooner or later, and then there is the common misconception that the distributor can be just stuck in ther any old way and it will run properly....pull number one spark plug,put finger over the hole bump engine over till compression blows then line up the balancer the rest of the way using a screwdriver or plastic straw and a ratchet to move the crank fore and aft to find true top dead center and check it against your harmonic balancer, from there drop in the intermediate shaft so it ends up running paralell with the crankshaft, now...drop in the distributor with the rotor pointing towards the front of the engine and the vacume advance nipple pointing towards the passenger side of the engine and rotate counterclockwise till the points start to open or the reluctor is in line with the magnetic pickup......now for the important part set the cap on the distributor and make sure the rotor is inFACT aiming at the terminal inside the cap....If it is indeed pointing to that you may now wire the plugs in clockwise manner 18436572 if the rotor is in between two terminals on the distributor cap then you are one tooth off and no matter where you turn the distributor too it will NOT run properly...it will run but not properly, been thru this issue with a member or two that stand by there guns claiming I'm wrong you decide by checking just the way was stated here....check that intermidiate shaft and bushing first....good Luck to you grasshopper :)
 
when you got the new lifters did you put them in oil and push the plungers up and down to get the air out and fill them with oil???
 
63dartman said:
When you lined up the marks on your timing chain gears did you have the cam marks on the low side and the crank marks on top so they lined up? And if this is when you dropped your distributor in for TDC cylinder #1 . Then you are 180 out. you were TDC for cylinder 6. That is TDC for Chevy but not for Mopar. Unless of course you rotated the wires too.
Click to expand...

Actually MOST American V8's are this way. That is, with the "by the book" marks IE the cam at 6 o'clock, and the crank mark at 12 o'clock, no6 is ready to fire.
 
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