Timing issue??

[Alan73Charger]

Hey guys,

So the new valve covers are on and the new wires.  The car has fired a couple times but it dies immediately so I've eliminated the no spark issue.  I think the car is just so far out of time it won't run.  That might explain the occasional start when things happen to line up better.  I'm just not sure how it got this way.  The new distributor cap can only go on one way and the plug wires are all in the correct spot.  (assuming the #1 cylinder is where it's supposed to be)  I did run a bunch of new vacuum lines from the new vacuum bypass valve that before was busted and nothing was hooked up there.  One of those lines does go to the distributor advance.  I also now utilize the OSAC valve.  Could all this have thrown the timing off so badly it won't start or keep running?

I made a really short video.  You can hear the car not start, then a click when I stop cranking, but listen to the clunk noise when I turn the key from the on position back to off.  This is what's making me think the car is seriously out of time. 

http://vid1051.photobucket.com/albums/s431/cabsclassics/IMG_3372_zpszkdmjxap.mp4

Any suggestions?  I have a timing light.  Never used it but I'm sure I could figure it out if you guys agree the car is out of time.

Thanks for reading and if u can help please chime in.  I want to get my Charger running while the weather is still decent!

[XH29N0G]

Others will be able to give better information, but I have a few questions. 

Did you pull out the distributor, or just remove the distributor cap? 

Or did you just rotate the distributor and are not sure that you have it back at the same position.

I had mine way out after replacing a cam, and I ultimately solved it by finding top dead center on the compression stroke. I can describe what I did to check that or point you to a thread that describes how if that would help.

[Alan73Charger]

Others will be able to give better information, but I have a few questions. 

Did you pull out the distributor, or just remove the distributor cap? 

Or did you just rotate the distributor and are not sure that you have it back at the same position.

I had mine way out after replacing a cam, and I ultimately solved it by finding top dead center on the compression stroke. I can describe what I did to check that or point you to a thread that describes how if that would help.

Hello.  No I didn't even loosen the distributor itself.  I just replaced the cap and rotor and also put on the new wires.

Thanks

[BSB67]

if it started and ran before, and you did not turn or remove the distributor, then it is something else., i.e. something you touched.  You say it does fire?  because it did not in your sound clip.

Did you verify #1 plug wire off of your old cap?

[Alan73Charger]

Others will be able to give better information, but I have a few questions. 

Did you pull out the distributor, or just remove the distributor cap? 

Or did you just rotate the distributor and are not sure that you have it back at the same position.

I had mine way out after replacing a cam, and I ultimately solved it by finding top dead center on the compression stroke. I can describe what I did to check that or point you to a thread that describes how if that would help.

But yes you can tell me how to do that, or point me in the right direction. 

[Alan73Charger]

if it started and ran before, and you did not turn or remove the distributor, then it is something else., i.e. something you touched.  You say it does fire?  because it did not in your sound clip.

Did you verify #1 plug wire off of your old cap?

Hello.  Your right it didn't fire in the sound clip and it usually doesn't.  But it has.. so that lead me to believe it was a timing issue and I just happen to get lucky now and then.  When it does fire it doesn't run but a second.  And yes I even just looked at some older pics and the #1 wire is going to the same spot I have the new #1 wire going to so I'm pretty sure I have the wires on correctly. 

[XH29N0G]

BSB67 knows more than I do.  

It sounds like you are certain about your wires so the piece below is most likely not relevant - but I'll include it since you asked.

To check for top dead center, pull the #1 plug and make sure compression builds (put finger over the plug hole and have someone jog it with the key), then find where the piston tops out.   I have a little tool for this. http://m.summitracing.com/parts/cca-4795?seid=srese1&gclid=CjwKEAjw8NaxBRDhiafR-uvkpywSJAAxcl6f9QV1oZ8KcH7EXh4suRSHvBtju4906zqWMqKvImNZcxoCxVnw_wcB.  The mark on the vibration damper should line up with the 0 spot.  At this point, the rotor should be lined up with the #1 plug wire on the distributor cap.  Once you have #1 figured out, you can figure out the rest.

I would check to see if there is correct voltage to the coil (using a multimeter) and also if there is spark from the coil by pulling the coil wire off the distributor, putting something in it like a phillips (or spark plug) and then looking to see is a small spark jumps to ground.  After that, I would progress to the plug wires.  

See what others say.

There may be other checks of the ignition to do before doing this.  I would make sure you have voltage to the coil and then trace it from there.

 

[birdsandbees]

Put the old rotor back in and try it. No go, then the old cap.

[Alan73Charger]

Put the old rotor back in and try it. No go, then the old cap.

Worth a shot.  Will do and let you know.

[birdsandbees]

Wouldn't be the first or second bad cap or rotor I've had in my lifetime. Sometimes the center post / brush isn't attached to the tip inside the molding. Maybe your just getting the odd good spark jump to make it fire.

[myk]

Fuel delivery problem?

[flyinlow]

Could not get the video to work.

If it fires and then dies as you release the key to the run position it might be the dual ballast resistor has failed.

The #1 cylinder is the drivers side front.