[cherokeechief79]

my rig has been sitting for about a month.the last time i had it running the the key was left on once it was shut down(bat was very low)last weekend i tried starting it and got nothing.its definately gettin gas.i figured leaving the key on burned the hei coil so i replaced it.still nothing so i replaced the ign module.still nothing.got really pissed and went out and bought a known good used gm non computer hei dist and put that in.still nothing.working by myself it was hard to tell if there was spark at all,i just assumed it didnt because i know its getting gas.tonite i had someone else crank it and sure enough there is plenty of spark.i figure now the only thing would be the dist i put in was way out so i pulled #1 plug and checked the rotor position at tdc once i knew the # piston was coming up.it was fine pointing right at #1 on the cap.now im really at a loss,ive got gas and i have spark.if the timing is off its only slightly and i have the dist loose and tried turning it as i cranked.\
what the heck could it possibly be?it ran fine before the key was left on and the batt went dead.any ideas at all would be greatly appreciated.
oh yeah its a bigblock chevy gen 5 502 with a holley 750 ,electric fuelpump,and a non computer hei dist retrofitted in my 76 cherokee.no fancy wiring either just 12 volts going to the bat terminal on the distributer.
tia

ABOVE THE LAW
76-79 cherokeechief
chevy 502
t 400 np205
dana 60 front
corp 14 bolt rear
fiberglass quarters and fenders

 

[TPIJeep]

Gas fouled plugs? Timing 180 out?

You would be amazed that a gas fouled plug will not do chit! I ruined a set real fast with my TPI conversion wouldn't do jack, changed plugs and started right up.

Just a thought! You covered most of the bases...

 

[reddwarf]

Piston comes up twice. You need to have it where it's at TDC with the intake valve having just closed (before the exhaust opens)

Trust me that's an easy mistake to make

 

[Dan shsss]

Take number one spark plug out and put your finger over the hole and bar the engine over and make sure compresion is comming out... This way you know #1 is on the comp stroke
You can then stick something in the hole like a zip tie on top of the piston ,bar the engine a little more till the zip tie stops comming up then you will know the piston is all the way up.. Then check the rotor position...

good luck

 

[TPIJeep]

How strong is the gas smell? Are you sure the fuel pump is not putting out to much Psi and forcing fuel into the bowl and running into the intake and flooding the hell out of it?

And guys, you described the distributor being 180 degrees out

Keep us posted

 

[cherokeechief79]

thanks guys i was at the shop till 3 am last nite trying to start it but nothing.this morning i pulled a plug and ran a long wire from the plug wire to the top of the plud and cranked it over.it would arc from the outer electrode(the bent pc)to a ground when i got it close but if i held that against a ground it would not arc between the center and outer electrode of the plug.
my friend told me it was carbon buildup on the plugs from running too rich.i havent gone anywhere with it yet ,i just start it in the shop now and then.
i bough a new set of plugs(i got a hotter set)
and it fired up right away just a few minits ago.
this is new to me ,ive never thought plugs could completely fail like that.the gap was not closed on any of the plugs they were just black.

 

[TPIJeep]

cherokeechief79,

I didn't believe it either, a gas fouled plug WILL NOT fire! Strange as it seems, mine didn't even have carbon build up

Glad you got it going!

 

[Pat]

It is called frosting the plugs.. Learned it from a oldtimer..

 

[reddwarf]

And guys, you described the distributor being 180 degrees out

I know I did. That's because YOU DIDN'T :flipoff2: