Well I have been trying to get my 83 to start for the last couple days. I got a Painless harness on it for 90-92 TPI.

I pulled a spark plug while it was cranking and it sparked.

I smelled fuel on the plug so I got fuel.

I know the wires are on the distributor correctly.

I am looking at the position of the valves and it seems to me that the rotor is pointing at the proper cylinder in the firing sequence.

the only thing I can think of is that the valves are too tight. but I didn't think I put them very tight at all. Does anyone have an ideas to shoot at me? any help is very well appreciated. Sorry for any information I forgot to tell but please ask any questions. thanks

 

Maybe back off the valves a little and try and see what happens.

 

your valve timing might be off - did you at any point remove the distributor or remove your timing chain? if you only messed with the distributor it could just be 180° off, take it out, rotate it 180 and plop it back in.

 

I am going to try and loosen the valves if that doesn't work then I am going to try and move the distributor 180 degrees. But I really think I got the distributor in the right place. but who knows it doesn't hurt to try. thanks guys

 

take the number one plug out. take the bat wire off the distributor. have someone bump the engine over while you have your thumb over the #1 hole. when the compression stroke comes around it will push your thumb away letting you know its at or close to TDC and that the number one wire should be where the rotor is pointed.

thats how I always do it.

 

I still am gettnig nothing. I got the feeling that a couple of cylinders felt like they fired but I have tried everything in terms of moving that distributor. I have had it all the way one way and all the way the other way and still nothing. I was getting a coulp[e puffs out the intkae one way and a coulpe puffs out the exhaust another way. but absolutely nothing in between. I can't figure it out. is it at all possible for some injectors to fire and others not to? I have only pulled the number one plug a couple times so now I am going to pull the others ot make sure that all smell like gas.man this sucks I am getting very discouraged. I was so eager to go Fuel injection now I wish I just bolted on a carb.

 

did you set the timing with a gun when you did this or merely guess where the distributor should be? even if it's not 180 off anymore it might not fire if it's too far advanced or retarded

dont let it discourage you, it's a good learning experience

 

I can't get it running to use a timing gun I am just trying to get it to kick over.

 

you dont need the engine running to set timing. as long as it's cranking and you're getting spark you can set timing.

 

oh ok I am going to try that then. I thought it had to be running. I'll let you know how today goes. I am going to spend the whole morning on it starting now at 7:30