I'm totally stumped.

86 trans am, 305, edelbrock performer carb.

I replaced the distributor rotor and cap, and now the car won't start. I've checked and rechecked the firing order, verified that I had spark, verified that the engine block is grounded, and I can't get the car to make a sound.

I tried spraying starting fluid into the carb throat, nothing, just cranks. No popping, no misfire, nothing. Fresh battery.

The distributor hold down screw is tight, so I don't think I rotated the distributor while it was off. But if I did, could I have screwed up the timing so badly that the car won't even missfire while it cranks?

 

Does this still have the original style coil-in-cap?

Where/how is the spark being tested?

 

Yes it does. I verified spark by popping the plug wire off of the #2 plug, putting it onto a new spark plug, grounding the body of the plug, and cranking the engine. I was able to see a clear blue spark.

The car was running fine two days ago.

 

Just installed a new coil. Verified blue spark again, this time from a different distributor lead. Still nothing.

The butterfly valves in the carb are actuating. I noticed that the accelerator pump was visibly squirting fuel, I disconnected it for now just in case I was flooding the engine, will try again tomorrow.

I'll also try pouring gasoline down the carb inlet to make sure the needle isn't stuck open.

Am I going crazy?

 

Kind of off the wall... Is your catalytic converter plugged? You might not have anywhere for the exhaust to go which would keep it from starting...

I'm just spit-balling here, but maybe?

 

Get it started? If you are getting fuel and spark it should at least sputter. Pull a plug and see what it looks like. If all wet, flooded and will not fire. Pull the distributor cap and make sure the rotor is pointing to no. 1 tower when engine is at top dead center mark on balancer. You changed the rotor and cap so be sure those pieces are properly seated and aligned. HTH, GL!

 

Weird that it's not even attempting to sputter or pop, I doubt it's timing since a poorly timed motor will still backfire. Check the wires coming off the side of the distributor cap on the coil.

 

Are the plugs soaked with fuel? That will shunt any spark energy to ground before a spark can develop across the gap.

 

Cleaned the carb. Nothing obviously wrong with it, floats within spec. Replaced all spark plugs and wires. Nothing.

Old plugs were worn out, and fouled out, some smelled of fuel, others were dry.

Pulled the dip stick, oil doesn't have coolant in it, so it isn't a head gasket.

Gonna pull a valve cover tonight and check if the valves move when the engine spins. Maybe I had a coincidental timing chain failure.

Doubt it, I went around to the exhaust and smelled gas after cranking.

I'll try to find TDC tonight and see if things are lining up.

This one's a mystery.

 

Have the ignition module under the distributor rotor testes. If it went bad then the vehicle will not start. I have had this problem a few times.

 

I have had one that was bad and it would still spark but it caused the timing to be 45 degrees off (electricaly).

 

I rreeaaallly hope you're onto something. I pulled mine off a little while ago. Vatozone gave me the wrong replacement. I'll have to get a ride to have it tested tomorrow.

 

Replaced the ignition module. Still nothing. Just a very slight hint of a sputter.

Pickup coil tested at 800 ohms.

I think all that's left at this point is to replace the entire distributor and reset the timing.

 

If anyone was keeping track, after replacing the distributor, it turned out to indeed be the timing. Apparently I had it just wrong enough that the engine wouldn't even sputter.

Not sure how I screwed it up. Maybe the old distributor cap wasn't seated correctly? Maybe I put the wires back one position from where they should have been?

In any case, expensive mistake, but I'm glad to have a smoother running car after going through everything. Thanks for the help.

 

Glad you got it figured out!