Ok, I guess I'll start with my main problem. My 87, with a carb'd 305, will not start. It used to run just fine, now it won't even turnover. It cranks and cranks but nothing. I've sprayed ether into the carb with no results. The last time we had the car running we set the timing to between 0-2. Now the car won't start now matter where the dist. is turned too. I'm also pretty sure the car has spark, at least my roomate said he saw spark when he pulled the #1 wire and I cranked the engine over. He said the spark looked pretty weak, don't know if that matters. Also what is the timing on these cars supposed to be set at? We replaced the plugs about a month ago, the wires are fairly new, don't know how old the cap and rotor is. This same thing happend before and after messing with the dist a little bit we got it to start but now that won't even work. Any help would be great.

 

check for spark with a spark checker, try a new set of plugs and try to set the timing back to where it was or close to it before you tried to fix it.

 

Do you have the correct plugs for the engine? if its a 305 then I would think NGK UR4 gapped to between 35 and 45thou. or similar.

Does the engine fire at all? Also make sure that you got the plug leads on in the correct order.....

Si.

 

would I need new plugs already? They are such a pita to swap out, at least I think so. I've been reading other posts about something on the distributor that causes spark as well as the ignition control module. Could these be the problems. The plug wires are on the correct spots, as I haven't moved them since the car ran perfectly before hand. Does everyone agree that it has to be spark that I am lacking since the engine won't start at all, even when I spray the ether into the carb?

 

I didn't mean new plugs, just the correct ones for the engine. The previous owner of my 350 had the wrong plug installed and it had great trouble starting. That said it could be persuaded to fire.

Do you get any bang out of it at all or does it just turn over on the starter? If you get no bang at all then, it's either fuel or spark thats missing. As long as the timing is within about 10degrees you should get a bang of some sort.... and the ether in the carb should discount the fuel (mostly) and that really does leave the spark.

If you get no bang then it's a common component. ie. ignition control module, or coil, or power to the above. check the wiring, and all the connections, and recheck the existance of a solid spark.

Si.

 

Yes it's probably a lack of spark.

Too bad you've already twiddled the distributor; now you just have some extra work to do once you actually fix the problem that you didn't need to do before, that you created for yourself. Next time this happens, leave it alone; adjusting the timing will NEVER repair a sudden no-start condition, if the car ran fine before.

I'd suggest first checking the obvious: your rotor. Just replace it if you haven't already since the car failed. Take a good look at the inside of the dist cap while you're there. If that doesn't fix it, the next step would be taking your ignition coil and ignition module to a parts store and getting them tested.

Incidentally, just to avoid getting into a war of words and causing confusion over whether the engine spins or not (i.e. whether you have a starting system problem, or something else):
"Crank" = "turn over" = what the starter motor does; i.e. makes the engine spin; yours does, so it "turns over"
"Start" = "run" = what your car isn't doing; it turns over, but doesn't start running.

 

If it turns over but won't fire off on starting fluid, you have a spark problem. When's the last time you changed the cap & rotor? Coil?...Have the module tested... the usual suspects.

 

rb i was going to let the cranks but not turn over thing slide. funny as hell every time i read that on here. like people calling any soft drink coke.
as for checking everything like rb said it's just about as easy to just replace the rotor and cap instead of looking to see if it's good or bad. if the plugs got gas soaked very good chace they need replaced even if the were new they aren't now.

 

It sounds like you took one problem and made it worse. You should do what RB83L69, have the module and coil looked at but also don't forget the pickup coil. You must remove the distributor to get to that one. Since the distributor must come out, you can recheck the initial timing while your at it. From what I read, you messed with the timing by turning the distributor. You may have turned to much and the timing is all fouled up. Do this: Remove #1 plug, put your finger over the plug hole, have someone jog the engine until pressure blows past your finger. Then line up the timing marks to TDC. Put the distributor back in and point the rotor to #1 plug wire. At least that way you know the distributor is close to the right place.

 

So now I've replaced the coil, module, rotor, cap and still nothing. I guess the plugs are next unless somebody has another idea.

 

thats all well and good but have you checked for spark yet?

 

CHANGE THE PLUGS !

My car sat for a month while I whined on this message board and then I finally took the advise of RB83L69 to change the plugs. I know it's a pain in the a_ _ to change them but after I changed the plugs she fired without even touching the gas. Trust me change the plugs.

Nothing fancy, use the good old AC's