sounds like you have a carb. problem, not a dist. problem. it appears you have gas vapors in the crankcase...
X 2 on this. Never even heard of that happening until now. He's either got a bad fuel pump leaking fuel into the crankcase or the carb's float is sticking allowing it to overflow fuel into the carb's bores.
The oilpump drive has a loose fit in the oil pump and will move around a good bit. I like to take a small dab of moly grease and apply it to the bottom end of the distributor shaft to help the drive into the shaft's socket easier. You simply needed to turn the oil drive shaft a bit to align it with the hex socket in the distributor. I use a 1/4" drive 5/16" deep socket taped to a long extension to do this.
If there is that much fuel vapour in the crankcase, I would first change the oil. I assume this is the result of several failed start attempts. Then, I would suspect that the cylinders have been washed-down with fuel. A couple of squirts of oil in each cylinder should help seal the rings again and restore compression.
Wow!! explosion from within the block, as stated, fuel vapor in there somehow, glad you didn't get hurt too bad, I would have to shake the roaches out of my drawers after that, as stated before the fuel vapor could have gotten in there several ways and it would be a smart move to find out how it got there, just another thing to deal with. Glad you're ok though. I would disconnect the battery before trying to install the dizzy again.
The carb is a brand new Edelbrock that I installed 6 months ago just before I put the car in storage. The previous carb was hammered and could have been leaking stuff everywhere. Yes, plenty of failed start attempts when I first installed the new carb and intake 6 months ago. The car has been sitting since, though. Only a couple, three failed start attempts while I was trying to install the distributor. I was definitely shaken. Didn't know I needed a blast shield to change the dist. First thing I did after I realized my hand was still attached to me was to unhook both battery cables.
Went out front yesterday morning and saw the dipstick from my Mav sitting in the middle of the driveway. It was about three feet from the car. The explosion that charred my hand blew the dipstick completely out of its housing. Even after what happened the day before, I had to laugh. Also noticed that the oil light on the dash was on. No keys in the ignition and negative pulled from the battery. I was like "No s**t there's something wrong with the oil.".
If the key is off and the - cable is disconnected from the battery, and the OIL light is illuminated on the cluster...You have a short in the wireing from + to ground. Most likely at the cluster/ignition circuit through the oil sending unit wire. This would explain your makeshift dipstick bazooka...One spark(Made by pulling the dist out) and boom. The short circuit ignited the high concentration of fuel vapor in the crank case. Disconnect both cables on the battery and drain your oil/change the filter. You need to track down an electrical problem which is causing (I think) all your starting problems.
Thanks. That's a big help. Now, how do I go about tracking down the electrical problem? I just replaced the ignition switch. Could I have bumped something?
Have you tested to see if you are getting spark at the plugs??? Pull a plug wire and hold the boot close to the end of the plug (Or a bolt on the engine)...Have a helper crank the engine over and see if you get a spark from the wire (You want to see a blue colored spark not yellow) Yellow means your not getting enough voltage to fire the plug. If you are getting a good spark the ignition system is not your problem. Have you changed the spark plugs??? Did you gap them properly (.035) is where they should be. If you get no spark at the plugs...Perform the same test at the coil (Dont get zapped) seems to hurt more from the coil than the plug wire......Go figure...If you get no spark at the coil...(With the key on) Check to see if you are getting at least 8 volts at the coils + terminal...If so...Have your helper crank the engine and see if you are now getting 12 volts at the coil (You should see 12 volts when cranking) if not, you have a problem in the start wire circuit from the switch ( The one bolted to the top of the column down low) Or the switch is not properly adjusted (It can be adjusted by moving it toward the inst panel or towards the floor) (Up and down so to speak) If its not properly adjusted the actuating rod will not push the switch all the way to the start terminal in the switch. It can also not allow the switch turn off when you turn the key off depending on which way its misadjusted. OR the start circuit in the solinoid is bad (This is where the 12 volts comes from to load the coil on start up. Once its running it gets its voltage through a resistor wire which supplies 8 to 9 volts so as not to cook the coil and kill it prematurely.(this wire is hooked to the run circuit off the ignition switch) Now...If your not confused beyond all possible belief...and you are getting proper voltage at the coil but you are getting a yellow spark...The coil is weak and should be replaced. OR your points are not properly adjusted (if you still have points in the distributor) Now...If you have points...The gap should be adjusted to .017. You set this gap with the rub block on the points sitting on the high spot of the points cam on the dist shaft (Not the flat part) (Were not going to worry about dwell at this point so forget I mentioned it) Also make certain the small ground strap attached to the points at one of the points mounting screws is not touching the housing of the distributor. Also...The condensor (The small can with a wire on it that comes with the points) I have had occasion to get bad new ones...If its bad...This will keep the spark from getting to the plugs so to speak and not allow the engine to run. I am going to stop here...give you time to wrap your head around the info and do a few simple tests as described above...You will need a helper and an accurate voltmeter as well as a fully charged battery to do this soo. Good luck and let us know how you make out... PS: Dont use any metal on the carb to test for spark, you could cook yourself again.
Wow, thanks for the info! Actually makes perfect sense. I had an idea that is what I needed to do next I'm just glad I was on the right track. I won't have time to check this until this weekend but here's what I've already done: 1. Before I went to replace the distributor I checked the spark at the spark plugs and It was not strong. Not blue. Didn't change the spark plugs. Didn't check the gap. Will do that too. 2. Checked spark from coil and there was plenty which lead me to believe the distributor or the Pertronix in it was bad, hence the new distributor. I actually went with one with a new points system and new condenser in it. Figured at least I could adjust it if it didn't work. Set the gap at exactly .017 at the high spot on the block. Can't adjust a bad Pertronix and can always throw it in later if everything is working. 3. Bought a brand new coil while I was at it. Did not check the voltage at the coil. 4. The ignition switch is brand new and I'm pretty sure I installed it properly. It had a lock pin in it and it dropped right in with the key in the lock position. No adjustments, just bolted it right in and pulled the pin. So all that being said, I still need to check a few things. I guess my original question should have been: How do I go about tracking down the short in the wiring from positive to ground that's causing my oil light to stay on? I figure I need to tackle that first, right?
http://www.1bad6t.com/Maverick/repair/chassis_electrical_05.html Check this site out...Wireing diagrams to help you sort through your cars issues... Yes find out why the oil light is on. You know it should be on with the key on engine off right? (Sorry just covering the bases) It should not be on with the key off...The wire diagrams will help you trace the wire...Good luck!!!
Well it is impossible to have the oil light on, I dont care if the car is shorted out to the moon, if either of the battery cables are disconnected from battery the circuit is open, the only way the light was on was because the sun was shining through the whole in the dash or you have a battery under the front seat tied into the car.
The sensor switch needs to be grounded. If it has any type of sealer on the threads it may not be getting a good ground. If the wire going to the sensor is broken the light will stay on
Wrong. the sensor grounds the light, so a break in wire will turn off light and so will insulated threads. regardless, the bulb is powered from ign switch, so it cannot work with key off. It wont start beacause the crankcase is so saturated with fuel. Fresh oil change and replace all plugs or at least pull them and dry them all off it might start.
