First start after first re-build. N

[ghillieman]

I just finished my first complete rebuild and am ready to start my 69 C20. It has a '75 350, .30 over, flat top pistons, new oe crank, new SDPC Vortec heads with Edelbrock Performer Vortec manifold, Edelbrock Performer-Plus Cam. Everything new, clean, and ready roll.
Well, I went and tried to start her up yesterday. Wasn't getting gas. Oh yeah, the sending unit was off. Gas problem solved.
Still not starting. No spark. It has a GM HEI ignition. I'm getting 12 volts going in, but nothing coming out. During the rebuild I gutted the distributor and replaced everything but the coil. Using my handy little voltmeter I carefully poked and prodded everywhere I thought I should be getting a reading and found it. Except underneath the cap where the coil contacts the rotor. I assume that I should be getting quite a reading there (zero). Before I go out and get a new coil, is there something else I should check first?
Obi Wan- Please help this Padawan!

 

[dvalentine]

RE: First start after first re-buil

Remove the distributor cap and look up in the very centerof the cap. There SHOULD be a brass contact that has a spring on the end of it. They can fall out and easily go unnoticed. No spring contact ? No spark.

DVal

 

[ghillieman]

RE: First start after first re-buil

Thought of that and checked it. Seems fine. I'll check it again and see. Thanks for the quick response!

 

[58 chevy]

RE: First start after first re-buil

Then if that don't work it could be a defective coil or distributer brain.

 

[74X4Burb]

RE: First start after first re-buil

are you getting power to the distributor while you are cranking the engine? I just swapped a HEI into my '74 and I ran a wire from the fuse block but the power was cut off when I engaged the starter. so if it was me I would run a wire from the starter solinoid up to the distributor.Hope this helps ya some,good luck.Karl

________
Vapor genie vaporizer

 

[dvalentine]

RE: First start after first re-buil

For best results wire an HEI to the PINK lead of the ignition switch.

DVal

 

[ghillieman]

RE: First start after first re-buil

Thanks for all the replies everyone. This one is being a bear. I've basically replaced every part of the distributor accept the body, gear, and the central shaft assembly. Still nada. My voltmeter says I'm getting voltage at the input terminal. I just went through the Haynes manual and did all the tests for the distributor and coil in it and they all came up good. Everything is grounded good also. The only other option is the mystery 'yellow' wire. I replaced the engine wiring harness with one made for 67-72 Chevys. After hooking everything up I had two extra wires. I figured out one is for a sensor I don't have or need (blue with a rubber boot) and a yellow wire with a blade attachement. Yes, the starter has it's appropriate yellow, purple, and battery wire. Truck is turning over fine. I called the distributor and they said the extra yellow wire must not be needed and to cut it and tape it off (I only taped it!) I have no EGR or sensors on this engine anywhere (thank God for pre-smog trucks!) From where it is at on the right side rear of the block, the wire can reach to the front of the starter to about the base of the distributor. Any ideas?

 

[ghillieman]

Got it!

Thanks for all your help. At noon today she came alive! Got to looking at the old wiring harnes and discovered a few unconventional splices. Seems I had the temp sensor wire plugged into the distributor. Oops. In my own defense that is how it was before. Only the green wire happened to be spliced into the proper yellow wire and covered in about eleven rolls of elect. tape. That extra yellow wire? The coil wire. It had a normal eyelet at the end for attaching to a bolt & nut. Like on a typical coil. Duh. My HEI is an upgrade and therefore the proper blade type attachement had to be put on it. Then it only took a few minutes to get the new distributor mounted in just right and WOW! Nothing like the feeling of hearing your first total rebuild come to life.
Oh yeah, the fuel problem. I rebuilt the original Rochester Q-jet (yeah-fitrst time there too.) It was done right, but the pivot pin for the float was pushing it down and cutting off the fuel supply. I had to do some careful bending of it to get it to do its job and sit in the carb without pushing the needle down all the time. Works great now.
The only thing I need to work out now is proper vaccuum tubing to the right places. Anyone have a good diagram for this (non-egr.) Ive got the vac advance to carb down and the pcv to manifold. Is there anything else that is critical? I did notice the large vac port on the front of the Rochester was pulling on the rubber cap real hard. I think I'm supposed to hook up a crank case pcv to this? The books I have just don't go into that detail.