houseumbrella

So I went to do a TPI swap, realized I would have to put aLOT more money into it than I'd thought after I had the intake manifold, runners and plenum on, so decided to put the TBI stuff back in. everything's hooked up, torqued down, and ready to go. the car has been sitting for about 10-11 months. my problem is that when I put the key in and turn it the car wont turn over. the interior lights dont turn on. the cluster guages dont even come to life. i clipped the ground wires (the wires bolted to the block) but have them spliced back onto the driver's side (5 altogether). when i clipped them, 4 were wired to the passenger side and only 1 was on the driver's side (to best of my knowledge). i tried jumping the battery. it has juice, i know the battery is NOT the problem, but any suggestions are MORE than welcomed. PLEASE help, i don't wanna have to put it on craigslist!

305 TBI
Auto tranny

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iTrader: (14)

trace wires, you are missing something.

start at the starter and go back, is there 12v at the starter? is there 12v at the ignition connection on the solenoid with the key in the start position? is the primary engine ground attached and is the ground strap on the back of the passengerside head bolt to the engine and to the firewall?

oH HorizoN

I know the wires you are talking about. Are you sure they are properly grounded? Double checking is worth everyone's time.

Also, It'd be nice to know everything you have dismantled/disconnected in this 11 month time period.

Check your timing, I'm assuming you messed with the Dist. a bit, or at best, bumped it possibly.

And hopefully there wasn't any fuel in the tank when you did this...

houseumbrella

the distributor came out, but as of right now i'm not too concerned with the timing if i can't even get my interior lights to come on. im sure the timing is off, but if nothing electrical is working i think i should address THAT first.

there's 12v at the starter (thick red wire and orange wire), 12v from the solenoid to the ignition (purple wire), i don't know where to find the primary engine ground (THAT could very well be the problem), and that braided "strap" from the passenger side head bolt to the firewall was NEVER removed. I couldn't reach that bolt to get it off, let alone loosen it. where's that primary engine ground at? is it just a thick black wire in the wiring harness?

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iTrader: (14)

its the large black cable from the - on the battery.

houseumbrella

oh, yea. i never touched that. i found the problem. there was one wire that was suppose to be bolted onto the starter that was hiding from me. it's bolted on now and everything comes to life FINALLY. it turns over, but as expected doesn't turn on. now imsure it's the timing. any tips???