So, i am swapping a305 motor. I have the one from junkyard on engine stand. I ran a ground and hooked pos. to starter. I ran a wire from distributor to pos. on battery. I have gas, I have spark, but I can't get the motor to start.. I put the no.1 cylinder TDC and aligned the rotor n distributor towards the no. 1 plug. I believe that's right to get u in the ball park 4 the timing. I don't know, can't seem to figure it out. When I use some starting fluid in the carb it backfires and flames come out the exhaust ports. Also, I noticed that gas leaks out the no.8 cylinder. I don't know why, if that's normal if it floods. I have not yet checked compression on engine. I told it was good, any helpful thoughts onto why it won't start? It's a 80-85 305. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

Sounds like when you put the timing mark on TDC, it's the instance of TDC that's NOT #1 firing; rather, it's #6 firing, and the #1 TDC where the exh is just closing and the int just opening.

If all you wanna do is just make it run, move the spark plug wires around the cap 4 notches.

Doesn't matter what year, what size (305, 6-cyl, 454, whatever), what induction system (carb, TPI, whatever), what compression, doesn't matter doesn't matter doesn't matter doesn't matter.

 

this may sound stupid. (because i have done it before) but double check and make sure the spark plug wires are going around the distributor in a counter clockwise direction in unison to the firing order. my car had the exact same symptoms when i did that.