Got another idea? How much cranking compression does the engine have. You have to at least have 90 psi of cranking compression for the engine to be able to run, being that it is a fresh engine that hasnt hit yet i was wondering if it has built any pressure yet? I build a sbc one time that i was having the same problem with couldnt get it to run, wouldnt even hit. I pulled the spark plugs and squirted a little oil in each cylinder, The oil helped seal the rings enough to build some cylinder pressure and sure enough got the motor to fire off, went from having no cylinder pressure to 150 psi or so. also if the engine has been flooded the gas can wash the cylinder and the rings will have a harder trying to seal. Its just an idea hope this may help some.
Great thoughts ! I am getting popping in the exaust and I've had the plugs out several times .Usually after trying to start for a few minutes the popping stops so I think at that point it' s flooded so I pull the plugs and dry them out. ( thats what got me thinking weak spark). I checked my compression and am between 90 - 100 psi. I hadn't given any thought to washing the cylinders though...if I don't suceed soon I'll change the oil . I had a problem with a fuel line I Jerry rigged and I got the right fitting last night. (fuel leaking and checking spark probably not so smart) so I took last night off and tonight I'll hit it again
1 more thought, you may have gotten the distributor back in 180° off! With the coil wire removed from the distributor and grounded,pull #1 plug and bump the starter,with your finger in the spark plug hole. DO NOT put your finger deep into the hole! Do this in as small bumps as you can and when your finger is forcefully pushed from the hole,stop and turn the engine clockwise by hand with a ratchet and socket until your timing marks line up on O to 4°BTC! Take off your distributor cap and make sure your rotor points to #1 cylinder! What you described in your last few posts sounds like your firing on the exhaust stroke! Good luck! Maybe this will do it for you!
I verified #1 is on TDC with rotor on #1 wire. When I checked that I had spark it was with #1 plug removed and grounded. I doubted myself on everything I can think of and re-checked it . I"ve done a half dozen small block FORDs in my time and never had one I couldn't figure out! I WILL WIN (i have no choice)
I bet simple mans on to something there, But i usually had it pop back through the carb when it was 180 out. But that sounds right.
Yeee...haaaa Yep you guessed it I made her run last night!!!! :bananaman I ended up flooding it a couple of times. I had gaped the plugs according to the MSD manual at .050" . So thinking again about a weak spark I re-gapped them at .035. With only a little encouragement she started up and ran strong . So I dialed up the idle to 2000 rpm and broke the cam in . What great feeling ! I then celebrated with a couple of my home brews and called it good night . Thanks to all of you for offering sugestions . Just walking away and sharing ideas with others is what makes hobbies like ours fun . I till have to finish the interior and I'm sure this to will present it's challenges
I'm not 100% sure about the root cause but I think I still have a grouding problem. Reducing the gap on the plugs was only a band-aid . But now at least I know I haven't lost my touch with motors
