Wont Start After Rebuild

[Teletom]

Hey everyone, finally got the 1800 back together and attempted to start today, but no luck.

I am working with a 78' carb'd 1800, cranks fine, spark at plugs (wasn't before but that was due to the two wires connected to the alternator not being hooked up) but no ignition. I set the engine at TDC so cylinder 4 is at compression and then set the dizzy to spark to the #4 plug. Carb is giving her fuel, made doubly sure. So i'm slightly stumped, she cranks and cranks and cranks but no sign of firing.

Do I need the sensors underneath the intake hooked up by chance? I heard elsewhere that they are mainly for emissions and people plug them. Also considering I'm getting spark it seems like more of a timing issue that I cannot resolve. Even with spark coming out of the wires is there anything that would make the plugs spark? I connected the ground from the chassis to the trans if that is needed info. Would a weak spark create this issue, or would I at least hear it try to fire with a weak spark. Any ideas are greatly appreciated. Want to get her running soon! Thank you all.

[djape1977]

cam/crank timing?

[Teletom]

#4 & #1 at TDC with the dots on the crank pulleys lined up the the marks on the cam housings. Aux pulley lined up tension spring bold. When the #4 and #1 cylinders are at TDC there is a notch on the crank pulley pointing towards almost the center of the aux pulley

[narfire]

Perhaps, if you have not already done so, have someone crank while you rotate the dist. cap.
I found quickly that on the 80 dist. the #4 pin inside the cap does not line up with the plug wire outlet.

[Teletom]

I did a little bit, also noticed it was shocking me through the cap. so there must be a hairline crack. Even with that though with no one touching it it should still spark the plugs correct?

[RRoller123]

As Narfire says, definitely make sure that the distributor rotor points directly at the Brass pickup for the number 4 cylinder. It can be vary far away from where the number 4 looks to be on the outside of the cap.

[blazingspider]

#4 & #1 at TDC with the dots on the crank pulleys lined up the the marks on the cam housings. Aux pulley lined up tension spring bold. When the #4 and #1 cylinders are at TDC there is a notch on the crank pulley pointing towards almost the center of the aux pulley

Are you sure 4 and 1 are at tdc? On my 77 when that piston pair is at tdc the notch on my crank pulley points to the long 0 degree mark on my timing belt cover.

[klweimer]

You could run a quick compression test on the cylinders. If it's good, I would suspect a distributor timing issue, if bad, I would suspect a crank to cam timing issue. When you pull the spark plugs, see if they are wet with gas. With the #1 plug out, verify TDC is where you think it should be. You can easily see the top of the piston.
Kirk

[zachmac]

Is the choke working properly. I cranked and cranked and cranked but even on a hot day unless you are initially choking the intake you'll never get it to fire. Do we understand you correctly that you are getting spark at the spark plugs (pull a wire and stick a screwdriver in the socket and hold it close to a ground point while a friend cranks the car and check for spark; make sure you are not holding the conducting parts!!!!). A stuck open choke caused me the same problem for a week before I figured it out!

[zachmac]

Is the choke working properly. I cranked and cranked and cranked but even on a hot day unless you are initially choking the intake you'll never get it to fire. Do we understand you correctly that you are getting spark at the spark plugs (pull a wire and stick a screwdriver in the socket and hold it close to a ground point while a friend cranks the car and check for spark; make sure you are not holding the conducting parts!!!!). A stuck open choke caused me the same problem for a week before I figured it out!

[bulldog4444]

Give the carb a small shot of starting fluid (have a fire extinguisher handy) and see if she tries to start. If yes, it is fuel related, if no it is ignition related. It just saves a lot of time and frustration separating which system to troubleshoot.