Arrrgh....

bohica2xo said
Ok, take a deep breath. I have done worse things to a new cam without any failures. If you slobbered it up with a decent moly assembly lube, things will be just fine.

Take the cap off of the distributor. turn the engine over with a wrench. Does the distributor turn?

If the distributor is turning, turn the engine to TDC o the compression stroke. Does the rotor point at #1?

If it is pointing at #1, turn the distributor in the advance direction to where the points open far enough to set the gap with a feeler gauge. That should leave you 3 to 5 degrees BTDC.

If the distributor turns, the cam is turning. If it is set on #1 @ TDC compression for #1 - it should fire when you try it for real - unless you look around on the bench and find 12 lifters / pushrods / rockers you forgot to install...

B.

Okay, we never checked to see if the distributor was turning, but it's a new, freshly-ground cam, and the distributor drive gear on the bottom of the distributor LOOKED perfect, and one of them came out of a running car, so how could they be at fault; they both went in easily...

But, I'll print out your "to-do" list and take it with me, tomorrow.

Can't imagine how the distributor could NOT turn unless..... hmmmm... there IS a roll-pin that stakes the nylon drive gear onto the shaft.....

Maybe it's missing??? But, out of BOTH distributors???

Argghhhhh,....

The car is 35 miles away, but I'll be working on it tomorrow...

Thanks for the good advice; I'll have a report tomorrow night.