Hello, I have a 1991 camaro rs with the 3.1 in it, I'm having a hard time getting it to start because the ignition timing is off, i've put the #1 cylinder at tdc in the compression stroke and dropped the distributor in so the rotor Is in line with a point on the cap to set base timing , when I try to start the engine it turns over and tries to start causing backfires and sometimes just turning over, I know it's a ecm controlled distributor but I should still mechanically get it started then set the timing, i've tried turning the distributor clockwise and counterclockwise to try and get it running but no luck. Any help would be grateful, from my research I'm reading the front passenger cylinder as #1 and that's what I have it set to with 1,2,3,4,5,6 firing order, it is a crossfire engine.

Thanks for any help you guys can give

 

When you set the distributor make sure you have the rotor on the dizzy pointing at 7 o clock, (aimed to cyl 1) and also be sure the knotch on the balancer is visible on the timing tab. Set it to 0 degrees btdc. That should get it to start. If not you can turn the dizzy a bit to advance it to start it You could have the timing 180 degrees out of wack.

Just take the dizzy out and turn the engine over by hand with a socket on the crank till the notch lines up with 0 degrees btdc on the balencer, then toss the dizzy in making sure to get the rotor to point to that 7 o clock area as best as possible.

And yes firing order is 123456

 

Iv tried that and no avail, it just backfires through the exhaust and sometimes the intake, or not at all, I noticed theres 2 timing marks on the harmonic balancer, which one needs to be at 0*? or is there a way to tell what each mark means.

 

Line it up with the thicker wider notch