Well, after replacing almost every fluid and filter in my '91 Z28 I decided to clean the distributer cap and wires. I cleaned them fairly well and put them back on. I had disconnected the battery before hand and I must have not connected it properly when I was done becuase the car would not start at all (no gauge lights, starter not turning etc.). I didn't think it was the battery so I checked the distributer wire layout and compared it with my Haynes Manual. The layout was right but at that time I didn't know the cap was not in line with the engine so I reconnected the wires WRONG. I feel really dumb. I also noticed the battery was not plugged in securely so I tightened the conection, start the car up and BOOM! Well not a literal BOOM but it was a bad sound. I looked at the wire layout again and noticed the distributer was not in line with the engine. I redid the wiring correctly I think with the layout giving in the Haynes manual. If I remember the cap has its front facing the passenger side and not facing the front of the engine. Anyway with the correct wire setup the car now refuses to start. The engine rotates but there is no firing I think, cant hear it anyway. I thought about it and came back after 6 hours to try again but no luck. The starter turns but no response from the engine.

Its a '91 Z28 with a 350 TPI, all stock.

 

BTW, there was a little smoke comming from the air intake after I tried to start the engine with the incorrect wiring.

 

Take the cap off and make sure the rotor isn't fried. Make sure you didn't accidentally unplug the coil or either connection to the distributor itself. Is the cap sitting on the distributor correctly?

How was the cap not "in line" with the engine? It isn't possible to put my cap on wrong, but I haven't had the stock distrubutor for a while.

 

Its best to try seeting up the timing from scratch at this point. Id pull all the plug wires. Set the number 1 piston to TDC. Check your rotor allignment. It usually is set to be pointing at the number 1 cylinder when its at TDC.

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1987 T/A GTA 5.7L, Bored .020 and ported for .202 valves, edelbrock headers, flowmaster exhaust, JET STAGE II chip, Comp CAM, Adjustable fuel pressure, Airfoil, K&N filter, B&M stage 2 shift kit, and a home depot ram air(Hey it looks good and it works)

 

How do I go about setting the timing on this peticular engine? My manual doesn't expain it well...if it even covers my engine.

 

My guess is that maybe ..just maybe ...just maybe the timing chain jumped a tooth.That will cause the car not to start at all...but rotate. are you hearing different noises from the engine when attemping to start? You are just better off talking to an experienced mechanic that you trust. many will tell you a bunch of lies. I had the same prob. when it was really a ignition coil. Ask around and see how you can redo your timing chain,have your distributor tested,firing order,and TopDeadCenter timing. also check your sensors and wires and ECM aswell if your car is fool injected. that is really about it when starting a GM motor.Good luck.

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It is not how you stand by your car,but how you race it.

 

I doubt the chain jumped. Couldn't have done it while the car wouldn't even crank ... Anyway, number 1 is under the driver's side of the plenum extension. (if you have TPI) Of the two in the front of the dist, it's the one on the driver's side. Counter clockwise, the firing order (and, thus the order of the wires) is: 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 Good luck!

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R.C. Righter
86 Trans Am

 

opps I forgot to make sure that you check the fuses. Also to check if your timing chain jumped a tooth...try to remember where the rotor was. was it pointing between cylinder 1 or 8? if was on 8 then the engine is trying to start on piston 8..that is not good. #1 piston is the one that starts everthing. The firing order for a GM V8 is 1-8.-?-?..i can't remember ...check your book or goto Autozone or auto parts store. I agree, redo your timing.

 

Can you explain that a little more =) I have TPI. Its a '91 Z28 with a 350 TPI all stock. Right now I need to know 3 things:

1) Where the bloody hell does the #1 wire go on the distributer. I have a distributer with external coil and two wire harnesses going into it at the bottom from the driver side. Also there is a line on the tap going from the center of the cap to the drivers side.

2)What is the firing order. (Please confirm 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2)

3)What is the direction? I looked at my rotar and it turns clockwise.

 

The rotor turns Counter clockwise. The firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. Spark plug 1 for Piston 1 on the cap should be located on the drivers side facing towards the left headlamp...it is very difficult to expalin without a picture...if you can wait i will try to give a picture of my TPI rotor and cap with detailed arrows.

 

AAAAHHHHHH!!!

The rotor turns CLOCKWISE.

You have the correct firing order. That's the number sequence cast into the intake.

If the distributor is still installed in its factory location, then #1 is on the very front, just to the driver's side of straight ahead. #8 is just to the pass side of straight ahead; #4 is one more position to the right; etc.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

If you still have the stock distributor then the #1 terminal is the first terminal to the right of the driver's side distributor cap hold down bolt.
bsa

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"If they do not run, Then they will die." - Stonewall Jackson
#3
'87 IROC, 355 TPI, Converted to SD, 700R4, B&M Megashifter, 3.42, Trick Flow Twisted Wedge Heads, Edelbrock Intake, Accel Runners, Comp Cam, Crane Gold rockers, Lucas 24# injectors, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster 3'' exhaust, Mallory Ignition, Transgo Performance Shift Kit, Corvette Servo, 2,000 Stall Torque Converter

 

thanks guys!

 

Oops ... that IS clockwise, isn't it? ... duh ... Minor automotive dyxlesia kicking in ...

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R.C. Righter
86 Trans Am

 

here's a fairly decent timing article i wrote for my website, good luck!

http://www.iroc-z.org/tech/distributor/settingtiming

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Webmaster: www.IROC-Z.org

 

Just one thought, and im sure this isn't it, but when you put the cap back on did you plug in the big connector that goes behind the tach drive wire? That plug being loose or not connected will cause the engine to do just what your describing....

Just a stupid thought....

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My 1986 Z28
GM350, T-5, 3.23's, lots of go fast goodies, 4th gen Firebird interior etc...
85 IROC w/ 1364 miles!

You'll always find what you've lost in the last place you look

R.I.P Dale Earnhardt

 

=P, Im not sure what wire that is but I assembled it the way it was before I messed with it and it was wroking then. There are 2 sets of wires that plug into the bottom ofthe distributer on the drivers side of the distributer but I didn't unplug those nor did I mess with them. Last I checked all the wires and plugs in the vacinity of the distributer are connected.