help!!!! Engine Wongt Start!

Ok, i have a 350 carbed engine and it caught a carb fire last august, just getttin everything together to make it run again and it cranks but wont turn over. I have a new distributor, carb, wiring harness and such and finally got it all together and it wont start. I am getting fuel in the carb at 6.5 psi, and spark from the distributor. yes i did put the distributor in the right way with TDC and all that. i am stumped, oh and i also have a electric fuel pump up by the engine.

since what u said hardly made sense,im guessing it turns over but doesnt start?

#1. thats too much fuel pressure for a carb,drop it drop to like 5.5 or 6 psi. what kinda carb. are u running?

#2. if i was u,i would bump the motor over w/ the #1 plug out untill u hear it hiss,then put the plug back in and see where the rotor is pointing (at the #1 plug wire).

it is a brand new holley 600 vaccum secondary carb....i dont have a fuel regulator, just a gauge. yes it wont start. i will try and check where the rotor is but as i said i put it in at tdc pointing to number one. twice in fact....do you think it could be a internal problem???????

Did you pull the #1 plug as suggested above when you set it at TDC? If not, you could be 180 degrees off.

6.5#s is fine for a Holley. On a Qjet it would be a problem.

Any signs of flooding? A common problem on new carb installs is dirt getting in the bowl inlet needle(s). On a Holley you can pull the brass sight plugs on the passenger side of the fuel bowls. If after cranking the engine (presume you have a mechanical fuel pump) you pull the sight plugs and gas comes pouring out, you have dirt in the needles.

Sounds like the distributor is off 180 degrees. I made the same mistake last weekend. Stumped me for a few hrs.

ok, i put it at tdc and looked at the distributor rotor. Yes it was right on the 1 plug. so its not the distrbutor. when i pump it a coouple times it floods, but thats it, i dont know if thats what your talking about. its an electric fuel pump. PLEASE HELP!!!!!

TDC on the compression stroke or on the exhaust stroke?

u sure u hooked the spark plug wires up correctly on the distributor? id check the fire order n make sure

so u have an electric fuel pump on a carbed car,w/ no regulator?? is the pump made for a carb and designed to push only 5-7 lbs or is it a fuel injection pump?

if its a fuel injection pump w/o a regulator that thing isnt gonna run w/ 40 psi of fuel being shoved into it lol.

P.S. - firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2

i am sure of the firing order on the distributor.

also, i dont know what stroke i did it on, how can you tell and whats the difference?

its for a carbed car....and when i read my fuel pressure it said 6.5 no regulator but oh well....i want to get a mechanical one and be done with it.

what kind of distributor is in the car?

I think its my starter tell me what you think of this.


I tried starting it....tries to start for 1 second and the starter starts to click, every time i do it. so i went under the car and took a hammer to it a couple of times, it starts for a second and dies. look under car and starter is smoking a little. what about that?

brand new mallory HEI:D

turn the key on and see what the volt gauge reads.

when u turn it over,is it slow?

yea its slow...i have a fan hooked to my water pump and can see that from inside the car so i can see what the engine is doing i guess. yea its slow

yea,could be the starter.

try hooking a battery charger to it,on 12 volt 10 Amp or so. let it sit for a few min and try to start it then.

voltage gauge reads normal

battery charger like at walmart for 70 bucks? too steep for my wallet

i figured u would have 1 layin around.

if the voltage is good,i would say its the starter then.

yep pretty sure thats what it is. tried to get my starter off, but only could get the long bolt off....short one is too tight, any suggestions??

Originally posted by 85camaro350
yep pretty sure thats what it is. tried to get my starter off, but only could get the long bolt off....short one is too tight, any suggestions??

Workout. Just messing with ya. :) Try a 6 point socket and a long cheater bar, or breaker bar. If it's rusty, spray some PB blaster on it first and let it soak a few minutes.

used a socket with a bar on it, long one too, and still wont come out. Man is it on there, whats PB?

PB blaster is a rust penetrating catalyst spray. It really does a good job of freeing up siezed bolts. It really works, like it says. You can pick up a spray can of it probably at the zone or NAPA. Or wherever. Your choice.

ok guys im at my whits end, got the starter off and got it tested and its good...was putting it back on and snapped the shorter bolt in the block, where i cant touch it, just see it...how do i get that out?...and now i know its not the starter...maybe il try to jump it from the solenoid, if i can ever get that bolt out....how do you do it?

can u get some vice grips on it? if u can try that.
do u have any PB blaster,WD-40 or anything like that? if u do, load it up w/ some of that.

good luck man

nope cant grip it with anything...its in there where you cant touch it....what do i do?

Just drill it out, then pick out the remains. If you damage the threads, no worries. Simply tap it out to the same size. And if that messes it up, drill it out again, and heli coil it.