In the process of taking off my distributor to take out my ignition module i must have made a mistake because after putting it back on the car will not start... when i crank the engine it almost starts but lets out a couple bang bangs...!!!! it could also be that i did not put on the distributor caps in the exact order they were beforehand... would this make the difference?? or could i have scrwed something else up?????????????????? replies much appreciated!!!

 

I suppose you could have it in backwards/reversed.. but I dont really recall what that'll make the engine do.. been so long since I did it.

 

Yes- this could make a difference- too many distributor caps on one engine can mean bad things! And if they are in the wrong order.......look out!

Do a search on this site for the firing order for a small block chevy.
Then ensure the plug wires are on the distributor in the correct order.
If the car still won't start, it is time to do another search about how to set your distributor back into the block with the #1 piston in the TDC position and blah blah blah-

All this stuff has been covered numerous times in other posts- the search feature is very useful and the information you need is already covered-
Best-
S-D

 

Did you remove the entire distributor from the engine, or just remove the cap?

If you didn't put the spark plug wires back onto the cap in the exact position they came from, that is bad.

 

I'd pull the driver side valve cover & #1 spark plug, turn the motor over by hand until the #1 piston is at the top after the intake valve closes. Then take the cap and distributor (off the car at this point), find the #1 terminal, (the cap is indexed to go on in one position only), & make sure when the distributor goes in the rotor is pointing towards where the #1 terminal should be when the cap gets installed (you can use a paint pen or sharpie to mark the housing where the #1 terminal should be). Also, I'd pay attention to where the module plugs will end up so they wouldn't be smushed against the firewall, & that your not off by one tooth or something.

 

Before you take off the valve cover, try to pull the #1 plug and stick your finger over the hole. Bump it till it puffs air, then turn it ovver to TDC.

 

one too many caps...LMAO

 

Just as ljnowell said, pull the #1 plug, put your finger over the hole and have someone bump the starter over in short bursts until your finger gets popped off the hole. Then look at your harmonic balancer and turn it to 0 deg int the shortest path possible.
Now look at where your rotor is pointing and make sure it is pointing to the plug wire on the cap that goes to the #1 plug. Then be sure that you follow the firing order that has been provided (1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2).

 

yes and thats all there is to it .....let us know if it fixes it ...


by the way why did you take the distributor out to change the module?

 

Also make sure you hooked the pickup wire into the module correctly. I did it wrong before and couldn't get the car to start.

 

thanx alot ya'll... am trying a few of your suggestions..... get back to you with results!