Help with car not starting

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WisconsinCutlass

Greasemonkey
May 28, 2014
192
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Sorry for another noob question. I'm in the process of learning and thank everyone here for the help in advance. My problem now is last weekend I went to start my car and it wouldn't start. I thought I had flooded it while I was messing around with the transmission kickdown cable so I left it sit with the plugs pulled and air filter off. Put it back together on sunday and still couldn't get it started. It sounded like it wanted to but just wouldn't. I had to leave till Thursday when I tried it again. After a couple tries I got it started. I tried to let it idle and it died. That was the last time it ran. I tried to start it today and nothing. To me it didnt even sound like it was trying to fire. I even tried starting fluid to no avail. All it will do is backfire. I pulled a plug and left it sit on the intake while the gf turned the key and I could see the spark. I'm still thinking that it has to be something with the spark because it wouldn't even start with the starting fluid. I'm not sure what to start checking. Almost forgot its a 72 olds 350 motor and it has petronix flamethower HEI distributor. Am I even on thre right track thinking it's spark? Before last weekend I had no problems getting the car started.
 

CWPottenger

G-Body Guru
Oct 9, 2012
848
323
43
If it is backfiring and you have spark, then I would look at other potential issues. Since you were in messing with the kickdown cable I would inspect around the engine to make sure that you didn't pull off vacuum lines and verify your timing. Is there any fuel in the carb?
 

truracer20

Master Mechanic
Feb 16, 2014
492
31
28
western PA
Does it have a good hot spark or a weak spark? Did you leave the ignition on while messing with kick down cable? Is your coil wired to an oil pressure switch? If the spark is weak and you left the ignition on and the coil isn't wired to an oil pressure switch(or similar) then you may have burnt the coil out.
 

pontiacgp

blank
Mar 31, 2006
29,270
20,391
113
Kitchener, Ontario
The next time you think it's flooded hold the gas pedal to the floor and start the car, then slowly release the pedal while the gas is burnt off. I wouldn't use quick start, that is hard on the motor. Pump the carb by hand to see if you have fuel being sprayed in the to carb.
 

WisconsinCutlass

Greasemonkey
May 28, 2014
192
68
28
Yes when I move the trottle there is gas spraying into the carb. I didnt have the iginition on while messing with the kickdown cable. I did that on a Friday night and didnt try starting the car till saturday morning. Im not sure if the coil is wired to an oil pressure switch. I will have to go look tomorrow when I have some time. How can I tell if the spark is good hot spark or weak.
 

axisg

Comic Book Super Hero
Jul 17, 2007
2,685
2,354
113
YYZ
a good spark is blue in colour, a weak one is yellow to orange. Any chance you crossed a plug wire or disturbed the distributor ? Backfiring when trying to start tends to be a timing issue. If you didn't touch the distributor don't start messing with it. You need fuel, spark and air timed correctly to make an motor run. The kickdown cable is relatively close to the distributor. ANy chance you moved the positive lead off the cap or if its clipped in loose ?
 

kyleBblazercrazy

Greasemonkey
Feb 16, 2014
129
25
18
Kentucky
Trying to start but won't stay running. Is the fuel pump working? The starting fluid should have fired though if it was fuel. Check the distributor hold down be sure it hasn't been bumped out of time. Coil and plug wire connection for loose wires. May even pop the cap off and see if the rotor button is corroded to hell.
 

WisconsinCutlass

Greasemonkey
May 28, 2014
192
68
28
a good spark is blue in colour, a weak one is yellow to orange. Any chance you crossed a plug wire or disturbed the distributor ? Backfiring when trying to start tends to be a timing issue. If you didn't touch the distributor don't start messing with it. You need fuel, spark and air timed correctly to make an motor run. The kickdown cable is relatively close to the distributor. ANy chance you moved the positive lead off the cap or if its clipped in loose ?

When the plug was sparking it was gold in color. I will pull a different plug and see if its the same. If the spark is weak does that mean the coil is shot? I hopefully will have time to pull it apart and look at it on wednesday
 

axisg

Comic Book Super Hero
Jul 17, 2007
2,685
2,354
113
YYZ
The gold spark could be caused by anything on the electrical side ei: weak battery, coil, cap, rotor, wires and/or plugs. When it was running would it smooth out after a few minutes or run ragged ? Either way you can at least pop off the dist cap to check the condition of the rotor and check for buildup on the terminals of the distributor cap. There will be some white residue on the terminals which can be cleaned to get it running but anything excessive and the cap and rotor as a set should be replaced with quality parts. Then put the battery on a trickle charger or take it to a parts store to be tested. A weak battery makes the whole system work harder. The coil typically works or it doesn't, and those fireball units are pretty solid. Once they start to go bad they get really hot before they fail completely. Next pull each the plugs one at a time. Clean them with a wire brush to get the crud off and re-gap them. If any look really oily you have bigger problems. Internet search what your plugs should look like and it will give you an idea if they need to be replaced or not. Then once all the electrical side is clean try to give it just a couple squirts of gas and see if it will fire. I know it sounds like a big to-do list but it should only take 30 mins or so as long as your stuffs are in good shape.
 

truracer20

Master Mechanic
Feb 16, 2014
492
31
28
western PA
I missed the Hei part of the distributor description, I was thinking you had a small cap Flamethrower III with a remote coil. Your coil should be fine.
How do you plugs look? Any shiny appearance to them? If so they may be fouled and would need replaced.
 
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