Wiring question

[Oldscarnut]

I swapped a1968 Olds 350 W-31 Spec engine into a 1980 El Camino with an anemic V-6. It had a computer controlled carb, and and ECM of sorts that I was advised to snip and remove when going to '68 specs. Originally I had decided to go with the retrofit distributor too, but later was convinced that HEI would be superior in every way. The El Camino harness has the infamous pink wire to the distributor which I found and it is plugged-in. I am getting spark to the plugs, but the engine does not fire. It has air, gas and spark but makes no attempt at starting. I checked the distributor and was correct CCW firing order (Oldsmobile). I brought #1 to TDC and guestuimated 14 degrees advance (B). It should be close enough to fire as I move the distributor + or -...yet not once has it picked up backfired or shone any sign of firing. Of course I trashed the ECM unit that was mounted on the kick plate inside, under the glove box. I can't rehook it up and see if it starts, but all who advised me said I could clip it and can it which I did. Is it possioble there is some fail safe switch that is causing it to just crank and crank and crank and crank? Compression leakdown is coming soon, but this engine has never fired and has all new rings, pistons, valves, cam, pushrods and lifters. Something simple is just blocking my old school mechanic. Anyone have any ideas? I have two great mechanics just scratching their heads...and one can't afford a bald spot!

 

[ELCAM]

Pull the distributor cap and see which direction the rotor turns. I got my 350 olds powered El Camino cheap because it "didn't run" The distributor was wired backwards for CCW I screwed around with it for a while checked manuals and the internet everything said it was correct but it wouldn't start or even misfire. Finally I just pulled the cap cranked the engine and saw it was backwards from all the data. Started right up once it was wired for CW rotation.

 

[Oldscarnut]

Pull the distributor cap and see which direction the rotor turns. I got my 350 olds powered El Camino cheap because it "didn't run" The distributor was wired backwards for CCW I screwed around with it for a while checked manuals and the internet everything said it was correct but it wouldn't start or even misfire. Finally I just pulled the cap cranked the engine and saw it was backwards from all the data. Started right up once it was wired for CW rotation.

I hope it will be that simple since so many people already had me check for CCW rotation. So if I get what you are saying. iyours turned CW like Chevy, so youd changed the wires to CW Chevy firing order?

 

[ELCAM]

I did it the I don't have any info way. Which way does the rotor turn? Set engine to TDC #1. See which wire tower the rotor points to, install wire 1 and follow the firing order. Now you mention it it was the same as a Chevy.

 

[Ugly1]

The only other thing is if the distributor is in backwards. I did it on my El Camino Chevy motor. Is an easy oops.

 

[g0thiac]

I swapped a1968 Olds 350 W-31 Spec engine into a 1980 El Camino with an anemic V-6. It had a computer controlled carb, and and ECM of sorts that I was advised to snip and remove when going to '68 specs. Originally I had decided to go with the retrofit distributor too, but later was convinced that HEI would be superior in every way. The El Camino harness has the infamous pink wire to the distributor which I found and it is plugged-in. I am getting spark to the plugs, but the engine does not fire. It has air, gas and spark but makes no attempt at starting. I checked the distributor and was correct CCW firing order (Oldsmobile). I brought #1 to TDC and guestuimated 14 degrees advance (B). It should be close enough to fire as I move the distributor + or -...yet not once has it picked up backfired or shone any sign of firing. Of course I trashed the ECM unit that was mounted on the kick plate inside, under the glove box. I can't rehook it up and see if it starts, but all who advised me said I could clip it and can it which I did. Is it possioble there is some fail safe switch that is causing it to just crank and crank and crank and crank? Compression leakdown is coming soon, but this engine has never fired and has all new rings, pistons, valves, cam, pushrods and lifters. Something simple is just blocking my old school mechanic. Anyone have any ideas? I have two great mechanics just scratching their heads...and one can't afford a bald spot!

I think it's a fuel or timing issue, but the ECM shouldn't be of concern as you are running the carb and spark from vacuum advance. Now to rule out something like a device for anti theft, is use a wire that goes from the plus side of the battery to your distributor, to see if it is the pink one lmao.

 

[Ugly1]

I think it's a fuel or timing issue, but the ECM shouldn't be of concern as you are running the carb and spark from vacuum advance. Now to rule out something like a device for anti theft, is use a wire that goes from the plus side of the battery to your distributor, to see if it is the pink one lmao.

But he did state he had spark so that shouldn’t be the problem. Nor the module in the HEI or the fusible link of the starter. He’d have no spark if that was the case.

 

[g0thiac]

But he did state he had spark so that shouldn’t be the problem. Nor the module in the HEI or the fusible link of the starter. He’d have no spark if that was the case.

Yes, but consistent spark is the focus here. If theres a circuit that doesn't stop spark completely, but hinders it then thats still a problem.

 

[69hurstolds]

I'm no electrical guru, but what coil wire colors are you using? Rule of thumb for HEI- Don't use a Chevy coil in an Oldsmobile HEI.

You usually find red/yellow or red/white wires on the cap-installed ignition coil. The difference is magnetic polarity to which the spark plugs like it or don't depending on how you hook it up. Most Oldsmobiles usually ran red/white, and chevy used red/yellow along with I think Toronado and most Cadillac. They need to be matched with the pickup coil. I can't possibly believe it would work very well if they were mismatched, or they wouldn't make a huge deal of it. The typical Chevy HEI coils use red/yellow wires, with a bright yellow pickup coil connector. Easy to match since you have a yellow wire with a yellow pickup coil/pole piece connector. The other pickup coils are blue/black/clear (may be white-ish). They would use red/white wires.

What is the strength of your spark? I will echo the wire position and firing order check for your cap. When looking at the #1 spark plug termina on the cap, the #8 plug should be just to the right of it, and then #4 just to the right of #8, and so-on and so-forth. And if it's pointing generally where you have #1 spark plug, is #1 it on TDC of the compression stroke?

 

[64nailhead]

Do you own a timing light? Where is the timing set to?