Rebuilt distributor - now car wont start

[The73vetteman]

This is my second question today concerning my distributor rebuild (beginning to wish I'd never started the job!)

Before removing the distributor I set the engine to TDC. This afternoon I reinstalled the dist, taking care to ensure that the rotor arm was pointing to #1 plug lead. Engine turned over freely but wouldn't fire.

Tried adjusting timing and and fowards a couple of dgrees but still nothing.

Cranked over the engine by hand and checked that the points are opening - they are.

Tried starting engine again. Still wouldn't fire, but this time something made a loud metallic bang, twice. Sounded like hard metal on metal contact.

Any suggestions for what I should try to get the engine to fire, and any idea what the bang was?
:confused
'73

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Was #1 at TDC of the compression stroke, or TDC of the exhaust stroke? Best check.

 

[DDLS3]

Yep thats my best guess too. Rotate the engine until the piston comes up TDC again and re-install your distributor. The only real way to tell is to remove the valve cover to make sure that both valves are closed at TDC.

 

[drags1998]

Your going to need a friend to help. Remove coil wire from dist. and ground it. remove #1 spark plug,put your thumb or finger in the plug hole,have your friend BUMP the motor over on the starter.You will know when you are close, the compression will blow your hand out of the hole!NOW check to see if the timing mark is at the correct spot (roughly 4-6 BTDC) Now check to see if the rotor is pointing at #1 on the cap (if not Fix it so it is) Now for the snap noise you heard, When you re-installed the distributor did you get it into the oil pump correctly? if not, it is possible that you have hurt the oil pump or the dist. Hard to say!!!!! Good Luck Paul

 

[GTR1999]

When you rebuilt the distributor what did you do to it? The end shimming I set at around .007-.010". On the cam gear there is a spot face,when that's install on the main shaft it should be pointing to the rotor as a reference mark,maybe yo hace this 180* out?
Otherwise bring it back to TDC and reinstall the distributor,it should fire up then.

 

[The73vetteman]

The rebuild consisted of replacing the main shaft and tach drive. I decided against replacing the bushings as they looked in good condition and there was no discernable play.

I checked the position of the spot face on the drive gear; it was pointing in the same direction as the rotor, although I'm not sure why this would make a difference.

Anyway, I also checked the points gap and found my ignition-related problem. Seems I'd set the gap so wide that the points never closed! Dumb thing to do, I know, but at least I found it. Once I'd put everything back together the engine fired up - once. Now I think I'm having starter trouble, but that's a subject for a different posting.

Thanks for all the help guys!

'73