Anyone have any ideas why my car wont start?

[toupee]

My car doesn't want to start.  Here's what I know. 383, 262/268 cam, btw.
It turns over just fine.
The engine generates about 4 in-Hg vacuum when cranking.
The timing is currently set at TDC.
The timing light flash indicates i'm getting current through the wire when I should.
The battery shows 12.5 volts.
The cables going in to the fusebox show 12 volts.
The wire running from the fuse box to the ballast resistor shows 10 volts.
When cranking the + wire going to the coil shows 8 volts or thereabouts.
Tried another ballast resistor with the same results.
Unplugging the coil to distributor cap cable gets a electric "pop" noise from the - terminal on the coil when cranking.

[A383Wing]

Put the coil wire back in and pull one of the other 8 off the cap...have someone crank over the engine and see if there is spark coming out of the cap....possible to have spark going in but not out.

Got any gas in it? Does the fuel pump fill the carb? When you work the throttle, does the accelerator pump squirt gas?

Just a few suggestions to try

[Blue Pentastar]

I agree with the fuel pump idea or some other fuel related option. Had it been running and died or only showed up after the car had been setting for awhile it won't start.


Mike Schrader

[General_01]

Is it supposed to be timied at TDC? I am thinking you need to be at least 5* BTDC. Have someone turn the engine over while you turn the distributor a bit and see if you can get it to fire. Once running, set the timing.

[A383Wing]

Engine should fire from anywhere between 20* BTDC and 20* ATDC.....it won't run very good, but it should at least fire up

[toupee]

The fuel pump is working.  The gas is 2 week old 91 octane.  If manually pumped I definitely get a stream of gas. Actually if I turn it over and pump the pedal to try to start it I get a strong gas smell.  So I'm actually getting enough gas to flood it. 

[A383Wing]

So then you have a spark issue....either no spark coming out of the cap and not reaching the plugs, or spark at the wrong time like a timing chain has slipped.

Bryan

[toupee]

My timing light flashed when the mark on the damper indicates TDC as I'm cranking.  So I know I'm getting at least some current through my #1 wire and the timing is fairly well on. 
I don't know how hot the spark is.
I'm curious if I might have a bad vacuum leak.  16" is normal at idle I think, so even just cranking 4" seems low to me.  Anyone know what general reading I should get with the engine just cranking?

[GN]

I had a similiar problem with my 318 Charger. Replaced this and that but it turned out to be a weak battery. I put in a higher CCA battery and she starts fine.

[toupee]

The battery is a Die Hard rated at 1000 Amps and 800 CCA.  Can a battery showing a 12 volt charge have experienced a loss in it's amperage rating? I kinda thought there might be something going on with the battery too.

[GN]

With the old battery when I cranked the engine I watched the fan when the engine turned. It turned slow which led me to belive that the battery was weak.

[BigBlockSam]

 

[Steve P.]

So is this a new problem with this motor?? How long have you had it?? Last time it was running?? Did you change anything since it last ran? Have you pulled a plug to check color at the plug?? Is it flooded??

If you think the engine is turning over slow you can set up a set of jumpers from a running car.

Though it is true that the motor SHOULD run AT TDC, I want to know WHY it is at TDC?? It may have been timed right and the chain has skipped. This would retard the cam and the ignition timing. 2 or 3 teeth can kill a motor..  So again, why is it AT TDC??

[toupee]

Earlier in the year the motor had a cylinder with basically no compression because of a bad valve.  Over the course of the summer I replaced the iron heads with new stealth ones, a new lunati voodoo 262/268 cam, new timing chain and sprockets, new eddy performer rpm, new eddy 750 performer carb.  The motor is at TDC because this is the first time I've tried to start it since getting it back together.

[ACUDANUT]

Okay, check the positive side of the coil, and see if has power/voltage with the key on.  If so, pull the coil wire that goes to the dist. cap and see if it arc's by getting it close to a good ground. manual crank the engine by jumping the relay to the starter, or have someone turn the key and see if you have spark comming from from coil.  If NOT...bad coil.

[A383Wing]

Read first post

[toupee]

Oh, and the coil is a new generic black unit from Summit.  The distributor, cap, and rotor.. along with the ignition control unit all look almost new, though I didn't buy them.

[Geezer]

More food for thought.
If you have 12v at the battery you should have 12v
at the resistor. There is something wrong there. perhaps a ground problem.
Speaking of ground problems, make sure your ignition box is grounded.
Verify this with a meter or test light. Lastly, verify your firing order one wire
at a time.

Hope this helps.

[oldkimmer]

............U do realize that when your timing marks r lined up on the timing gears that u r on #6 compression not #1?, so then is the dist out 1/2 turn?, BBs turn anti clockwise........do u have adjustable rockers?...did u pump up ur hyd lifters?....good luck to ya.......kim......

[69ISFINALLYMINE]

From what I have read through your posts you said that your engine is getting fuel and it sounds like you have pleanty of spark to get it to fire.  You confirmed that you have an arc when you pull the high-side coil wire and touch it to ground when cranking.  You confirmed that it is at least getting to your #1 cylinder plug wire by way of your timing light clamped to that wire.  You could check the other seven wires but my bet would be that you are getting spark there as well. 

Your engine might not be cranking fast enough to fire though.  The next time you crank the engine use your timing light as a tach and count the number of pulses for a perioud of time to calculate rpm.  For example, 10 pulses in 6 seconds would be 100rpm.  If it is really low, like 20 or 30 rpm, then your starter is either bad, you have a dead cell in your battery, or you are not getting good conductivity through the battery/starter/engine block circuit.   

If the rpm test proves that it is cranking too slow check the battery first. Remember that even if your battery is fully charged and showing 12 or more volts you should meter the battery voltage with a hand-held voltmeter while cranking.  If you have a battery load tester that will be the best way to test the battery.  A battery can look good(voltage wise) before cranking, but can drop to a low voltage while cranking when you put a load on it.  Another related question:  I'm sure that you painted this motor up after working on it, right?  If so, check that you have a good solid ground between the starter and the block and from your battery ground cable to the engine.  Any poor connection in those areas will decrease the amount of current that will be able to flow through the starter circuit and limit cranking speed.  This is a common.

Just my .02 worth. You said that you have fuel and you said that you have spark.  If the timing set is installed correctly (judging from the work that you did I'll give you credit and say that it is) then all that is left is engine rpm.  Good luck and let us know!

Daran

[idahogrumpy]

  Do you have compression? Could the valves be hanging open? Distributor installed correctly? 180 out.  Kyle

[ACUDANUT]

After just buiding my 383, it appears that #1 and #6 are almost at the same spot (both cylinders are all the way up)
with the timing marks correctly set.

............U do realize that when your timing marks r lined up on the timing gears that u r on #6 compression not #1?, so then is the dist out 1/2 turn?, BBs turn anti clockwise........do u have adjustable rockers?...did u pump up ur hyd lifters?....good luck to ya.......kim......