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No good news guys… I finally found it in me to try and start it and it just puttered up running rough with lots and lots of white smoke coming from the tb. I think the distributor is put in wrong unfortunately. I mean I have good fuel pressure and the engine sounded great when I was just cranking it until I tried to start it. I really thought it was lined up right though… I waited to feel air coming through the spark plug hole then lined the marks up right after. Picture of the distributor position installed. I didn’t look if I had oil pressure or not because it ran for all of maybe 5-10 seconds.
Set up scanner to check cam sensor retard and see what it is when running. Cam sensor is plugged in correct? Balancer could have slipped some, throwing things off for putting in distributor. Youre close or it wouldnt run at all.
Set up scanner to check cam sensor retard and see what it is when running. Cam sensor is plugged in correct? Balancer could have slipped some, throwing things off for putting in distributor. Youre close or it wouldnt run at all.
Originally Posted by LesMyer
But if youre really frustrated, better to put it to bed and get a fresh start tomorrow. Youll get there soon!
I agree with Les. I always find it a bit nerve-wracking when I start up an engine after a major repair wondering if I got everything hooked up correctly. Fortunately, many times, it is a small thing or something off by only a tad.
My first experience with that was my first tune-up on my 71 Dodge Dart. I was so proud but then it didn't start! Ach. Then after freaking out for a bit, I found the rotor arm laying on the windshield wiper. LOL
Thanks guys, I'm still confused about how this is happening. It must be from the engine sparking while the intake valves are open right? If this is the case wouldn't the timing need to be totally off as the spark would fire at #1 TDC on the exhaust stroke? Les, it did start but hardly, it stumbled up right from the start then ran for a few seconds and shut off leaving a big cloud of white smoke from the intake. I'm seeing other people who have just had their timing off by a tooth and it seems the engine will still run fairly well? Much better than mine? The smoke was white and smelled like fuel, I'm not suspecting water in the combustion chamber because I have compression tested it already, it sounded good when I was just cranking it before I tried to start it, and the water level didn't move when I started it. Here's the thing, my scan tool only shows me spark advance which I don't think will be much help here right? I will need to get another scanner to see cam sensor retard, I'm looking at the Dash Command app for iPhone then I will get a Bluetooth adapter as well. I have seen this app supports seeing the cam sensor retard on Android but can anyone confirm it does on iPhone too before I go buy it?
Alright guys, I went back out to take off the distributor cap then rotated the engine by hand until the 6 lined up. I noticed the marks on the balancer weren't lined up completely when the distributor was lined up. I then rotated the engine to line up the marks on the balancer perfectly with the timing cover. The distributor now was a bit off the 6, not much, but definitely not pointing directly at it. Picture attached. I'm not sure what to think here as it seems the distributor is either in correctly, or completely backward making it so the spark plugs fire on TDC of exhaust stroke? I guess I could see by just taking out the distributor and rotating the engine until the marks come back around then putting it back in... That may end up bad though.
Did you turn the engine the correct way when feeling for the compression? What about after feeling compression? Engine turns same way as the balancer bolt does when tightening it.
Just leave the cap off and have someone tap the starter with your finger over the hole. Is the distributor coming up on the "6" position when the puff of compression happens? This will tell you if you are 180 out or not - but I would not expect the engine to run at all by itself if out 180.
05-14-2022, 09:59 PM
I mean I have good fuel pressure and the engine sounded great when I was just cranking it until I tried to start it. I really thought it was lined up right though… I waited to feel air coming through the spark plug hole then lined the marks up right after. Picture of the distributor position installed. I didn’t look if I had oil pressure or not because it ran for all of maybe 5-10 seconds. 
