my 85 camaro w/305 just died wouldnt start back up looked around found the distributer was loose took it apart and had some moisture in it as well cleaned it up and reset the ignition timing and it still wont fire (reset the timing using a haynes book) any idea on why it wont start.

 

If it was loose ur timing was probably so far off from jiggling around that it won't start. How did u reset timing if it won't start?? My guess would be your 180 out after the reinstall. It is cranking though??

 

i pulled the distributer and tuned the crankshaft to 0 degrees then reinstalled

 

On the compression or exhaust stroke ?
Zero comes up twice per cycle

 

compression. i think know where i messed up i read in a haynes book to point the rotor between 1 and 8 which would spark cylinder 8 instead of 1 now im just waiting for a day off to work on it. then i open another door how do u adjust the timing i know u need a light but do you just rotate the cap clockwise till its perfect or something else?