General no start question

[WH23G3G]

I just did a cylinder head on a different car I'm still trying to get up for sale, I did a gasket rebuild, the motor looked exceptionally clean inside, possibly replaced awhile back. It has adjustable valves like the 225. I also replaced the distributor o-ring so I removed the distributor. When I put it back in the rotor pointed to the #1 just like the book said. I've never messed with adjustable valves, but it seemed fairly basic. I turned the crank so it was on TDC for each set of valves and adjusted them so I could pull the feeler gauge out with a slight drag. They may be off some but it can't be much. Before I did this project the car would crank slowe but not intermittenly. Now when I got to start it up with a fully charged battery, it will crank slowly, stop, then start cranking again. Randomly it fires up, but doesn't run, last couple of times it just cranks slow, stops, and keeps cranking slowly. It cranked slowly before this project but didn't stop and start cranking again. I also hear what could be described as sounding like sparking when I'm cranking, but nothing is flaming or smoking while I do this. What could it be? I'm thinking a weak starter. What could the noise be that sounds like sparking while I'm cranking it?

[Chryco Psycho]

pull #1 spark plug & stick a finger in the hole & bump the engine over until you feel compression get the timing mark close to TDC & make sure #1 spark plug wire is where the rotor is pointed

[TylerCharger69]

I agree   you should bring cylinder 1 to TDC  FIRST....THEN  stab in the distributor to cylinder 1.   There is a chance that you are 180 degrees out  in which case, you would want to point the distributor rotor to number 6   I'm almost positive that that's what the issue is....being 180 out,  judging by the symptoms you have described.

[WH23G3G]

I checked the distributor today on this vehicle with the timing marks at 0 on the front cover. The rotor was pointing exactly at #1 on the cap. Before I took the distributor out the timing was perfect and when I took it out and reinstalled it I didn't move it anything noticeable so it can't be off that much. I had the starter tested by Autozone's machine, it said it was bad, then Advance tested it on a far less advanced machine and said it was good. So I'll get it tested again tomorrow by one more shop. The battery cables on this might be the problem too, they are the original 31 year old cables and the lead is soft and you can no longer tighten the negative one down any. So it maybe losing ground. The new starter is only $20 and I can replace the cables for less than $20. Since it was doing all this before I did the cylinder head work, I guess I need to remedy it and rule it out. I'll post my results.

[pistolgrip]

is your number 1 cylinder up to the top as well as the timing marks lined up and the dist. at number 1. the timing mark can be lined up and the dist pointing at number 1. and the number one cylinder could be down, thus 180 out....

good luck
pistolgrip

[WH23G3G]

Yes the #1 piston is up all the way when it's on the timing mark. It was like that when the car was running perfectly before I replaced the leaking head gasket. It was leaking oil, but didn't get driven enough to get coolant mixed in. Today I replaced the battery cables with OEM replacement cables from Standard, they were really nice. I also installed a new battery. I had the starter tested 3 times. Once by Autozone, they told me it was bad, then by Advance they said it was good, and then I tested it myself at an Autozone and it was good. After I hooked up all the new battery cables the correct way and installed the starter and battery. It initially cranked at normal speed but still wouldn't start. Then I tried it again it cranked at normal speed but then it also quit again and then continued on. The noise coming from the engine bay when I'm turning the key, doesn't sound like valves clattering, it sounds exactly like an open spark. I checked all my cables, which are new and my coil wire, and they're all fine. I don't know what this noise is, of course I can't watch it and start it at the same time. The carb is getting fuel, because I took the air cleaner lid off and it had some residue spray on the underside of it, and the carb throat is wet from where the needles shot fuel into it. It's got to be that the valves are way off adjustment. Is there a way to loosen all up and start over and know that you have them adjusted right for sure? And if you adjust to specs cold, won't they be right on when it warms up? One mechanic told me that the valves are probably out of adjustment because if and intake and exhaust are open the same time it won't start. But I don't know why it cranks, stops, and continues. All the grounds are hooked up in the right place, clean, and tight. It did this before I did the head gasket and gasket reseal. It also had perfect compression even when the head gasket was leaking oil. When I took the head off, the pistons turned back bright shiny metal with just a light spray of carb cleaner and you could see the crosshatch marks all the way the down all 4 cylinders so the engine is still pretty tight. I belive it's been replaced. This is the first car I've had to adjust valves on, so I followed the factory repair guide, and it seemed like I had the gap right.

[tick68charger]

i had the same problem when i put my 440 together i had spark, gas and the rotor was at #1, but would not start.
did you change your wires and route them to the service manual?
i have always had small blocks. i don't know the size of your motor but the firing order on all mopars is
1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 my service manual failed to specify that a small block rotor turns clockwise and the big
block turns counter clockwise. so i had my big block ignition wires routed backwards on the cap.
rerouted the wires to the cap and when i cranked her over and she fired wright up . it took me a week to
figure this out

[WH23G3G]

This is a 4 cylinder 1.4L on that 76 B210, I'm trying to sell. It's going to contribute to my interior restoration on my 73. But I figured out why I wouldn't start. It was 180 degrees off, so at 10 degrees the rotor was pointing at #4 instead of #1. I took out the distributor, put the timing marks on 10, turned the distributor shaft 30 degrees after #1, and dropped it in, it kicked back the rotor to #1 position at 10 degrees. It fired right up on the first try. This was a lot of work I just did to it, basically everything from the engine was taken off to do a full engine gasket reseal with the engine installed. Now the CHG light has come on and the alternator is less than a 3 months old. It's also leaking coolant from the water outlet, leaking coolant from the radiator petcock area, the valves need adjusting to hot, and smoking from the exhaust pipe to manifold. Hopefully, the smoking is a hole in the pipe or loose flange bolt. I don't want to have to pull the head again. But I should be able to remedy the rest of this stuff and sell it.

[RD]

I just did a cylinder head on a different car I'm still trying to get up for sale, I did a gasket rebuild, the motor looked exceptionally clean inside, possibly replaced awhile back. It has adjustable valves like the 225. I also replaced the distributor o-ring so I removed the distributor. When I put it back in the rotor pointed to the #1 just like the book said. I've never messed with adjustable valves, but it seemed fairly basic. I turned the crank so it was on TDC for each set of valves and adjusted them so I could pull the feeler gauge out with a slight drag. They may be off some but it can't be much. Before I did this project the car would crank slowe but not intermittenly. Now when I got to start it up with a fully charged battery, it will crank slowly, stop, then start cranking again. Randomly it fires up, but doesn't run, last couple of times it just cranks slow, stops, and keeps cranking slowly. It cranked slowly before this project but didn't stop and start cranking again. I also hear what could be described as sounding like sparking when I'm cranking, but nothing is flaming or smoking while I do this. What could it be? I'm thinking a weak starter. What could the noise be that sounds like sparking while I'm cranking it?

when doing a valve job, the intake and exhaust clearances are different between the rocker and the valve.  Setting the clearances need to be done cold initially, but when the vehicle is warm they need to be adjusted to the proper clearances hot.

The valve adjustment should be done with both valves in the relaxed position (i.e. no tension on either rocker arm.

If not done this way, you will cause too much pressure to be placed on the cam lobe thus causing the engine to fight to turn over.  not saying you did this, but if you did not adjust the valves by the book, you better relook the situation.

[WH23G3G]

It was the first time I've ever had to adjust a car with adjustable valves. I thought I did it just by the book, but I'm sure I got some of the clearances off a bit. It starts up fine now, but you can just a little, very little valve clatter. I followed the factory Datsun service manual procedure, as well as referring to 3 other auto shop manuals. That's why I didn't believe that was the reason the car didn't start and it wasn't. It was the timing being 180 degrees off. So I just need to adjust the valves to hot now, after warming it up and it should be fine.