ok.. now it will not start at all..

[robert.humm]

she seems to be getting plenty of fire.. just not starting up. what is the deal???

 

[BlackBII]

Getting spark at the plugs?
Getting fuel into the cylinders?
Have compression?

Answer each one of those. If No on any of them, we can diagnose further.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

do you have a timing light exactly how are you checking fo spark

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Did you put the duraspark ignition in put yor finger in the #1 spark plug hole and turn the crank with a socket ignition off untill you feel pressure the put a skinny screwdriver in and turn some more until it reaches the top and starts to drop a little turn it back a little then pop the cap and see where the rotor is pointing with the cap. you can either use that as your timing point or turn the distributor by lifting it up and turning the rotor where it ends up on #1 on the cap about 10-11 oclock. If it dont go all the way down turn the crank until the oil pump shaft lines up then take it back to top dead center on #1 cylinder and see how close you are to #1 on the cap if you are close put it back together and try to start it see if you can get 12 degrees with the timing light. Another way is to crank it with the light on different plug wires until you see the timing mark then use that plug on the cap to set the firing order from 1-4-2-5-3-6 123 passenger side 456 drivers 1 being closest to battery

 

[kimcrwbr1]

use the pointer not the round thing to time it with and if you use a screwdriver to find TDC do it slow and dont bind it in the cylinder pull it out as you go up. You can pull the coil wire off the dist cap and stick a plug in it touch it to a good ground and crank it you should get a steady bright blue snap but dont get your hand too close it hurts.

 

[enginepaul]

You only need your finger over the spark plug hole if you have any compression at all. And again, make sure the rotor is pointing at #1 terminal and firing order is right.

 

[Hotrodlincoln]

What did you change?

If you are getting spark make sure the float bowl has fuel (a couple pumps on the throttle should tell you if there is fuel in the carb as long as the accelerator pump is working right).

If you know you're getting spark and fuel set the engine at TDC on number one. Turn the disty until the plug wire for number one on the cap is lined up with the rotor.
Set the disty but keep it loose enough that you can still turn it some by hand. Turn the cap counter clock wise to advance the spark (farther before tdc). Once you get it started reset the timing and make sure to tighten the disty down good.

 

[robert.humm]

i got it back running. i had a bad ground to the block. i still haven't gotten the duraspark swap in.. been a busy week for me. hopefully next weekend.