360 Engine cranks but won't start

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Well now, a 69 Bee would have at least a 383 bigblock in it and the dist plug wires are set up backwards because it turns in the opposite direction (counterclockwise) of a small block (clockwise).

However, if it has been changed out to a 318 like you say, than it should be the same as yours!

No its a 383 I have no idea where I got 318 from
 
Ok so this is where I am at. I bought a TDC Indicator and put it in the #1 spark plug hand cranked the engine until it popped out I was then at -10 on the balancer. I had no idea what that means so I dropped the dist back in. Nothing. I ended up leaving the key in the run position ooopppps! Im recharging right now. In the meantime I took the cap off of the dist and looked to see where the rotor cap was facing it was not pointed @ #1 so I left it out hand crancked the engine until I knew it was in position to keep the rotor cap where I wanted which is pointed at #1. Now I have to go home and hopefully start it up since the battery is recharged. I gotta get this done! Im so bummed.
 
10 mark on the balancer is close enough. But it's nearly impossible to get the cap in the exact right position pointing at #1 wire. what you may need (assuming everything else is in order...) is to leave the distributor a little loose and then have someone move it back and forth a few degrees around that position while cranking. Know what I mean?
 
Well now, a 69 Bee would have at least a 383 bigblock in it and the dist plug wires are set up backwards because it turns in the opposite direction (counterclockwise) of a small block (clockwise).

However, if it has been changed out to a 318 like you say, than it should be the same as yours!

It is a 383. Thats weird it fires in the opposite direction? Well now that does me no good to try and use his a a reference.
 
10 mark on the balancer is close enough. But it's nearly impossible to get the cap in the exact right position pointing at #1 wire. what you may need (assuming everything else is in order...) is to leave the distributor a little loose and then have someone move it back and forth a few degrees around that position while cranking. Know what I mean?

Not really. When you say crank you mean by hand? I am pretty close to the #1 but will check again. The long narrow end of the rotor "nose" needs to be pointing at the #1 spark plug correct?
 
Man what if I have a bad dist! Is there a way to test that?
 
71066_318_firing_order_1.gif
 
I have an image that has the location of the clips on it. It kinda helps me with the location because my cap only fits on one way.
 
it's not a matter of getting the rotor in the right place...its a matter of turning the cap to align #1 cylinder wire with where the rotor is. You only have two choice of where your rotor points.... Know what I mean?

If you are at TDC and drop in your distributor, just make sure you put #1 plug wire on whatever toower the rotor is pointing at...and then go around clockwise with the others 8 4 3....
 
so look at where the rotor is pointing...put the cap on and mark whichever tower the rotor is pointing at. That will need to be #1 cyl wire.
 
it's not a matter of getting the rotor in the right place...its a matter of turning the cap to align #1 cylinder wire with where the rotor is. You only have two choice of where your rotor points.... Know what I mean?

If you are at TDC and drop in your distributor, just make sure you put #1 plug wire on whatever toower the rotor is pointing at...and then go around clockwise with the others 8 4 3....

What I was trying to say is my cap only goes on one way because of the type of clips it has. Right now I have the rotor pointed at #1 and I have it wired according to the diagram.
 

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What I was trying to say is my cap only goes on one way because of the type of clips it has. Right now I have the rotor pointed at #1 and I have it wired according to the diagram.

Ok gotta go to school I will let ya know what happens.
 

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plug your coil in... that might help. LOL

That was an in-between picture. I was trying to see if it was the coil that was the problem. I hooked up the new one and got backfire. I did not have backfire with the old one. But the bottom of the new one looked like the inards were about to shoot through the bottom! That worries me. But needless to say the picture was taken afterwards. I had it on there when I tried to start it.
 
so look at where the rotor is pointing...put the cap on and mark whichever tower the rotor is pointing at. That will need to be #1 cyl wire.

Well I tried to start it last night. It was a no go. I had it hooked up to the old ignition coil. Before when I tried the new ignition coil I got load a** backfire this time I did not. I need help. I cant figure this out for the life of me. I will work on it again tonight.
 
I think you need to get someone physically there to help you so something doesn't go terribly wrong.
 
How bad would it be if I just bumped the engine with the TDC tool in it?
 
Stop...I think the picture in 32 and 33 isn't a small block.
I believe your issue is with the dist drive gear. The top dead center and the balancer at (10*) is good. One more step. you've done the hard part.
PM you phone number and time to call , I will talk to you about it.
b
 
Stop...
I believe your issue is with the dist drive gear. The top dead center and the balancer at (10*) is good

Please don't make that assumption. "We" aren't there. So far as the dist. gear and the dist, you can throw both of them in there with your eyes shut. It simply does not matter where either of them are. Plug the no1 wire into wherever the rotor points, with the engine timed "ready to fire" at about 10-15 BTDC and it WILL run.


I told her in a PM. I think since she's taken "a step back" it's time to start over so to speak

1.....Post up what this TDC device is, a balloon? Positive stop? other? etc

2....Verify CAMshaft timing is OK. Did this run previously OK, or is it a new build? What kind of mileage / wear is on the timing chain?

3....REALLY verify TDC and the timing marks.

4...GET good spark. Replace, repair, do what is necessary.


5....SET the timing, and you can double check it with a timing light "on the starter"

6....Run a compression check if there is any question that it does or doesn not have decent compression

7...Last, worry about fresh fuel, is it getting fuel, or flooding, and are the plugs fouled?

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WHY IS IT that the distributor gear and distributor "need" to be in a specific position?

Easy........so the factory assembly line folks can "wrench, repeat."

So the plug wires "lay" like they are supposed to time after time

So the tune up guys "see" what they expect to see.

THE PITFALL: Not all Mopar distributors, and certainly not aftermarket are made so that the drive tang and the rotor are indexed the same.......This means if you TRY and do this "by the book" the rotor isn't gonna come out right, "anyhow."
 
How bad would it be if I just bumped the engine with the TDC tool in it?
If it is a hard stop, the results could be simply a dent in the piston crown, or as bad as a cracked pistons, bent rod, etc. All depends on how deep the stop was set when this happened and how fast the engine was moving. Unless I knew 100% that it was set very shallow, then I would be thinking " Crap, time to pull the head and check the piston top and the compression height."
 
WHY IS IT that the distributor gear and distributor "need" to be in a specific position?
Easy........so the factory assembly line folks can "wrench, repeat."

10-4, I did my first one in 1968 with the "anywhere method" and the wife drove it fine for the next year while I went overseas. While there, I saw in a car magazine "the book way" and it seemed reasonable to do it a standard way...
 
The entire problem "with the book" ............ and crackedback has written on this a fair amount, is that SOME distributor drive tangs do not have the same relationship to the rotor as "originally"

One of the members on here wrote "it can point to china" which has stuck LMAO
 
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