I'm still waiting to get good brakes on my car before I officially take it out. There are a few things left. Today I made a relay wiring setup for my car for the headlights. Then I took it out and test drove it. Everything went fine. Interestingly enough, when I was backing into my garage, the engine died. Turns out it was out of gas. I refuled it, and then drove it around the block a few more times. Then I parked it. I went to get zip ties to affix the license plate for a full test.
When I came back the car would not start. Just turned and turned.
Of course I checked the spark. I hooked up an inductive timing light and the light turned on when I turned the crank. When I depress the throttle, the accellerator pump shoots gasoline into the intake.
I turned the car over some more, and nothing. I checked the spark plugs, and sure enough they were black and wet. So I cleaned them with some sandpaper and a wire brush. Still nothing. The car hiccoughed like it caught a couple of times, but never actually started.
A while back I had thought I had lost my oil pressure, see this (http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=111794) thread. The solution to that was to remove the distributor, then to put in a pump primer. Car worked fine after that.
So this time, I tried turning it over, and the pressure gauge stayed at zero. So I removed the distributor. Gear wasn't chewed up, no side to side play. I put in the old black & decker with a primer and spun away. The gauge registered some pressure - maybe 20 psi. I reinstalled the distributor, and still nothing. Just turns with no catching.
What should I do next? I just did a compression test on teh car about two months ago and everything is fine. This engine hasn't even really been broken in yet.
Aside from fuel and fire, what causes an engine to turn but not start? Any ideas?

While cranking, are the timing marks aligned for say, 6° to 10° BTDC?
Plugs wet? Then replace them with the next hotter heat range and/or hold throttle plates at WOT during cranking.

The timing is at about 10* BTDC. It is difficult to see what the timing reads while cranking because the light is so slow. However, the vaccuum advance is plugged.
I am pretty sure the spark and timing are correct, I've pulled the distro twice now.
I think it may have just been flooded. Over the next couple of days I am going to return to the warehouse to try to solve it. I am going to try to start it with starter fluid to see if it will work. If it starts then dies immedeately, then I'll know it is a fuel problem. If it doesn't start, then I'll bang my head against the wall a few times. We'll see what is going on.

Could a lack of oil pressure prevent an engine from starting?

Could a lack of oil pressure prevent an engine from starting?No, not on this non-ECM controlled set-up.
WD40 would be better than starting fluid as S/F dries out the cyl wall of oil.
Fresh battery?

Sounds to me like you have no spark.

There's a thread on here about troubleshooting the coil, etc...

Jim

It is HEI. Like I said, I put an inductive pickup timing gun to it, which lit up, and cleaned the spark plugs. I think there is spark.
Maybe it was just flooded.
The battery is not relevant, I had another car jumping it during all of this.
When I make it back to my garage (so hard to drive a 99 T/A convertable in Miami rain wihtout slipping all over the place) I'll double check the timing and the spark. I'll actually pull a plug and see if I can make it arc.
From there I'll try to empty out the engine of any remaining vapors by holding the throttle down full bore and cranking it for a good 30-60 seconds.
Then I will add some WD-40/starter fluid by spraying for a few seconds directly into the manifold.
We'll see what happens.
Thanks all.
Ryan

On the way to the warehouse where the car is at I bought a can of starter fluid. Went to see if I could clear out any excess gas in case it was flooded before, so I opened the throttle full bore, and turned the key.
She fired right up.
Turns out it was just flooded.
Had 50psi of oil pressure at idle cold, 25-30 hot.
Readjusted timing curve to about 12* btdc, attached vaccuum hose, took it out, lit up the tires.
God I need a bigger cam. I can't get past about 1/3 throttle without breaking them loose. But that is a topic for another forum.
THANKS ALL!

God I need a bigger cam. I can't get past about 1/3 throttle without breaking them loose. But that is a topic for another forum.
THANKS ALL!

Isn't that a good thing?

Turns out it was just flooded.



That's the only thing bad about carburated vehicles!....You can't flood a fuel injected car!.....The next time you suspect a flooded condition, open the throttle all the way while cranking the motor, this will purge excess fuel out of the cylinders but the engine will not fire because some or all of the spark plugs are wet with fuel!.....The only thing you can do is wait it out for a while until the spark plugs dry up!:yes::thumbsup:

......I bought a can of starter fluid.


...........only 1 thing that stuff is good for..........a complete rebuild:yes: after using the ol' "grenade in a can". Return it to the parts store for a refund. Don't use starting fluid:noway:.

Don't use starting fluid:noway:.


You are correct Dave!.....Starting fluid is no good!:noway:.....Starting fluid contains ether and this is a chemical that the drug lords use to manufacture Cocaine!:yes:.....A blow for your nose!:yes::thumbsup::beers:

I suppose I could spray it into a paper bag. Or maybe hold a lighter to it and use it like a miniature flame thrower.

Isn't that a good thing?

Yeah, but how am I supposed to embarrass the rice burners out there if I can't even hook up?

Every car/driver can be taught to launch a car, regardless of the setup. There is a happy medium to the point of breaking the wheels loose and launching hard. Besides, how much does it actually take to embarrass an import? All they are are glorified lawn mowers. ;)

Every car/driver can be taught to launch a car, regardless of the setup. There is a happy medium to the point of breaking the wheels loose and launching hard. Besides, how much does it actually take to embarrass an import? All they are are glorified lawn mowers. ;)

True that. My favorite is when they put those fart pipes on the exhaust. God do those suck.

They sound like a lawn mower.

They sound like a lawn mower.


Don't insult the lawn mower man!:mad:.....They sound more like a bumble bee buzz!:yes::thumbsup:

My favorite is when they put a rear spoiler on a '95 Civic and think it makes the car faster driving from Starbucks to Blockbuster.

[quote=rp0029;1114217]...... My favorite is when they put those fart pipes on the exhaust[quote]



........... I call 'em "a pooper with a fart can":yes::D

I call 'em "a pooper with a fart can":yes::D


That's pretty funny Dave, in a poopchute sort of way!:yes::thumbsup:

...........only 1 thing that stuff is good for..........a complete rebuild:yes: after using the ol' "grenade in a can". Return it to the parts store for a refund. Don't use starting fluid:noway:.

the ether based starting fluid sucks

...The next time you suspect a flooded condition, open the throttle all the way while cranking the motor, this will purge excess fuel out of the cylinders but the engine will not fire because some or all of the spark plugs are wet with fuel!...The only thing you can do is wait it out for a while until the spark plugs dry up!:yes::thumbsup:

That's good advice. That's true for flooded carberated engines as well. It was such a good idea that EFI ECU programers utilized the same technique.

LOL...Grenade in a can...hadn't really thought about it. Apparently there are strong feelings against using either. I know ether helped burn up the air cleaner on my lawn mower last spring. I shudder to think if that had been on my Camaro.