Spark, fuel, compress. but wont run?

[78SS]

Hey guys, months ago I posted about adjusting the rockers. Well i finally got around to finishing everything. (Head Gaskets). Now she wont start. Ive tryed everything...

It has spark. I changed the coil to a high performance one because I figured the spark might not be strong enough. I put on longtubes so I used shorty plugs. I took them out and put the stock ones back in to elimiate that variable.

She cranks and cranks and cranks. None of the almost catching thou.

Has fuel, even used ether. I can smell fuel on plugs. Its running an edlebrock 600 cfm carb.

I then figured it might be my rockers to tight and not getting compression. I back them off 1/4 turn. it has compression when I crank and stick my finger in the whole. Got a cylinder compression tester but it ended up being broke. Im going to get another one right now.

The engines out of an 87 SS. The cars a 78.

And ive checked the timing 5 times. TDC on #1. Ive triple checked the firing order.

The car also ran before i got it. This has never happened to be before so hopefully you guys can help!

Thanks, Matt

 

[Brickbeats]

check engine rotation...

these are a few issues I've encountered in a no start condition-

engine rotation= i got so used to olds motors i had forgot that Chevys rotate in the opposite direction

distributor= I've had a 231 that had a loose nut on the pick coil and was causing it to fire at the wrong time

also, check the initial timing if you are using the computer controlled engine management

 

[Blake442]

Did you change out the distributor for a non-computer controlled one?

 

[foxtrot]

Sometimes when a cars sits for a while, debris's can cause issues with the carb. You had mentioned seeing fuel on the plugs which made me think of this. Have somebody crank the engine for you and look into the primary side of the carb to check. If this is the case you will notice that the carb is squirting gas the entire time the engine is cranked.

 

[78SS]

engine rotation= i got so used to olds motors i had forgot that Chevys rotate in the opposite direction

hmm, where are you going with this?


I have compression. Gauge hits 120.

im using the firing order 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2
with the distributor rotor rotating in a clockwise direction
-(from montecarloss.com)

And blake im not sure about the distributor. I heard the car run before i bought it. granted it idled at like 2500 because the carb and choke wernt adjusted. What should i check on that? It looks like a standard HEI. Have the 3 connections and then the primary hot and tach hookup. Has 12v there.

On my ford 347, i had the firing order all messed up, and it still ran even thou only 4 wires were in the correct order.

 

[Blake442]

Look for a vacuum advance diaphram on the side of the distributor.
If it does not have one, than it is a computer controlled distributor, and will not work in your non-computer equipped car.

 

[78SS]

It does have a vacuum diaphram.

 

[jrm81bu]

Are you absolutely sure the distibutor is not 180* off?

 

[foxtrot]

Fuel Baby Fuel! Too much that is...

 

[78SS]

awesome, thanks guys. She runs now. It was 180 off, but i must have fix another problem somewhere along the way because i flipped it 180 like 3 times due to it not starting.

Im excited!