Hi, I had to replace the inlet manifold seals due to the water blowing itself out. That's all fixed now but the car won't start. The only thing I can think of is the distributor not being in the right slot. I thought I'd marked it but may be one spline out? Would that stop it starting? I've got fuel through and all other electrics are where they should be. Plugs leads etc weren't touched and though I put a new cap on I swapped one lead at a time! Can anyone shed light on anything else I may have missed? Any help greatly appreciated!!

 

Could be the distributor, although if it was one tooth off you probably would have noticed when you dropped it back in, as one tooth is a big difference, maybe 20 degrees or so.

Now that you've cranked the motor that mark is no longer any good, so you've gotta pull the #1 spark plug, find TDC, if your finger is over the hole you'll be able to feel the compression stroke, you want the top of the compression stroke, and then try to drop the distributor back in with the cap pointing @ the number one post on the cap.

If it were just wires being in the wrong place it may start, I've fugged up wires and had these motors running on 4 cylinders, they pop like hell, shake & sputter, but they start. lol

 

Take all 8 plugs out, and find #1 compression as described. Another easy way to find it is to put a piece of hose in the #1 spark plug hole and listen for the hiss as you bump the motor over a little at a time. Once your reach the point where #1 is beginning to have compression, rotate the engine BY HAND until the timing mark is a little advanced from where you want it to fire; say, around 12 - 15° BTDC. Look down in the distributor hole at the oil pump drive rod; with a long screwdriver or something, align it to about 35 - 40° away from straight front-to-rear, going from left front to right rear (it will point roughly to the #3 intake port). Hold the distributor body above the hole in the exact position it should drop into the block at. Rotate the shaft until the rotor is pointing about 15° to the front from straight to the left side; i.e. about 75° CCW from straight to the front. Drop it into the block. As the gear teeth engage, the shaft will turn; it should end up with the rotor pointing about 30° CCW from straight to the front. Make sure it goes all the way in. If it doesn't, have someone bump the starter gently while you hold the dist body still and push down on it, to allow it to eventually align with and engage the oil pump drive rod. Tighten the bolt mostly tight, until it's hard to turn it, but still possible (so you can adjust the timing after it's running). Assemble the car (plugs, dist cap, plug wires, etc.). Fill all the fluids, hook up all the wires & hoses, etc.; i.e. COMPLETELY FINISH the job before starting the car. Reach in the window and start it up. Let it warm up a little bit, and fine-tune the timing.

 

Thanks, I'll try!

 

All sorted now. Starts fine. Thanks for all the help. New problem on another thread!