4.3 no start

[stutaeng]

Yes that’s how I did it, I think the rotor points back to just ahead of one of the bolt holes for the cap, the factory one has a nice little line to line up the roll pins on the distributor gear, this one is aftermarket and doesn’t have that unfortunately, but I did rotate it back a bit

Can you try to install the distributor on the second mark on the harmonic balancer?

Or maybe spin the engine over to the next "TDC" or what you initially think is TDC? Otherwise I give up.

I honestly have never liked distributors after that failed attempt to install it, LOL. I spent too much time messing with that thing on my belly leaning over the engine. SMH.

 

[Cadillacmak]

Wait a minute! If your distributor and your cam are both 180 degrees off, it would run right? But when you corrected the position of the cam, the distributor is now 180 out and it cant run? When you first installed the timing set with the indicator up, that is 180 out of spec, but the lower end doesn't care as long as its timed with the stroke, which 180 is. So your dist had to be 180 out also, otherwise it could not have started.

 

[ORVietVet]

Wait a minute! If your distributor and your cam are both 180 degrees off, it would run right? But when you corrected the position of the cam, the distributor is now 180 out and it cant run? When you first installed the timing set with the indicator up, that is 180 out of spec, but the lower end doesn't care as long as its timed with the stroke, which 180 is. So your dist had to be 180 out also, otherwise it could not have started.

Yea, I think part of the problem here is the verbiage/terms being used but I want pics of components so we can SEE them. Plus, a compression test would greatly help clear things up.

 

[JMF97]

I stopped by and worked on it a bit, you can see what I’m saying about the distributor it seems off but not by much, and I simply can not get it closer I messed around with it for probably an hour taking it in and out gradually turning the oil pump shaft to try to get it to line up better and I couldn’t ever get it any better than this, from my memory the balancer is on the second mark, and I verified that I am getting compression coming out of the #1 cylinder when it’s in this position

 

[ORVietVet]

That is a nasty looking rotor in the center and the mounting screws are rusted?

Can you not turn the distributor, left or right, while cranking the negine?

 

[JMF97]

The contacts inside the cap were really coroded looking as well, I took 1000 grit to them and cleaned them all up. I haven’t tried cranking it and turning the distributor. there is a little bit of movement if the retainer bolt isn’t tightened down all the way, so that’s something I could try next time I have another person up there to crank the engine for me. I have my brother looking for the oem distributor, the one in it now is an aftermarket one we put it in a couple years ago just throwing parts at the thing trying to figure out the low power/rough starting. If he can find that, I’m going to try putting the factory distributor in and see if anything changes.

 

[stutaeng]

Turning the distributor?

Do you mean rotate the base, right? This engine does not have an adjustable distributor base. It's fixed.

 

[ORVietVet]

Turning the distributor?

Do you mean rotate the base, right? This engine does not have an adjustable distributor base. It's fixed.

Yea, that is what I was asking. If it is not adjustable, then the alignment marks should be spot on. IMO.

 

[stutaeng]

@JMF97 Did you figure it out?

I ran out of ideas...:-(

 

[JMF97]

I haven’t gotten the chance to work on it much, I went to the junkyard yesterday and pulled a distributor, coil and ignition control module, I picked a truck that had been hit hard in the driver door, so the parts should have been good. Didn’t change anything unfortunately. I’m going to do a compression test next. Appreciate you all helping me out so far

Edit: by the way, that distributor being a tiny bit off was just the engine not being perfectly lined up with the marks on the timing cover, the top mark looked perfect, but I figured out that second mark lines up with a rib on the bottom of the timing cover, so when I got the marks both lined up perfect the distributor was spot on, I guess that’s why they did the confusing two mark setup on the balancer

 

[ORVietVet]

But still no start? You gotta have 4 things. Good fuel pressure, timed spark, air and timed compression. Is the cranking rhythm normal?

 

[ORVietVet]

Maybe it was said earlier but I am too lazy to look. It has a good BLUE spark when cranking and the rhythm sounds right?

 

[JMF97]

Got it started fellas, appreciate all the help. Did the compression test everything was good there, ended up putting a cap and rotor on it and it fired right up, kind of hard to believe I had two distributors and both of them had bad caps and rotors but it runs so I guess I won’t argue with it. Just wanted to let you all know.

 

[ORVietVet]

New distributors that come with cap/rotors are using the cheapest s*h*i*t parts they can. When I saw those attaching screws for the rotor, it did not look good. Quality costs but it saves time and headaches.

 

[JMF97]

For sure, that was a super cheap distributor, like $50 I think, the original one had excessive play when he bought the truck, so that was intended to be a temporary fix, lasted 4 years so I guess it served it’s purpose, caused me some headaches there for sure though haha. Thank you guys again, I really appreciate all the help