I was helping my buddy with the above car which he just got. Ran like crap so started with the basics. The plug wires were not on the distributor cap correctly so we installed per the service manual. Referenced from TDC confirmed with the rotor button pointing correctly to number 1. Installed the wires. Now the car will not even start! Someone put an orange box and matching distributor in the car. I have not confirmed the box is hooked up correctly yet, but if the plug wires are on correctly and connected to the correct plugs. What in the World would prevent this car from firing? I also have a 69 Charger RT which is bone stock original and I used my distributor location as a metric to get his car started. Nothing won't fire off. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks

Lawrence

you probably changed the firing order... find TDC for #1 cylinder, and start from there. it does not matter where #1 is on the cap, as long as the order is correct.

making it match the service manual picture, assumes nobody has never moved the dist. somebody probably has....

When you say the wires were not correct, were they not 18436572 going counterclockwise from #1?

are you sure you are on the compression stroke?

This is what I did. Bumped the car until the timing mark was at TDC. From there I popped the distributor cap looked at the rotor button and used where the button was pointing as number 1. Then installed the plugs accordingly. Is this right?

take out the #1 plug. stick your finger in the hole. then bump it over slowly until the compression tries to push your finger off. then look at the dampner and keep bumping it to the TDC mark. now you are on the compression stroke of #1. start from there....

You got it 180 out.

Robert

(1) turn the dampener till it is at 15 BTDC. (2) turn housing slightly till the magnet is lined up dead even with the tooth. (3) rotor should be at or nearly at #1 or #6 plug wire. "IF SO", unbolt & raise the dist & rotate the rotor/shaft 1/2 turn & reinstall it & repeat (2) & (3) & see if it will now fire. "IF NOT" holler back

Thanks guys! I should had confirmed the number #1 piston was on the compression stroke using my finger or a piece of cloth. I will do so soon. If the rotor button is not pointing to #1 (which I expect will not) should I pull the distributor out and index it correctly? I have the wires as they should be on the cap.

Thanks again!

Do whichever is less trouble for you. Kinda figured you'd already arranged the wires the way you wanted them.

Robert

Might as well start from scratch & get everything OE spot on. Get the dampener on 15 BTDC, confirmed on the #1 compression stroke. turn housing till the magnet is dead even with the tooth. with you standing by the pass fender, Have the can pointed straight across to the dr side, in effect 12 0'clock/#1 plug wire at 5 0'clock, which will be just below the forward dist cap spring steel retainer. If needed you can reclock the intergear to achieve that. A bit of work but when it is done it is done & you know it is right. Also on rotor phasing, with the magnet dead even with the tooth, the rotor should be pointing at the #1 cap terminal (the center of that cap terminal bulge) & actually a bit CCW from it as the can will shift it CW from that at rest position when it gets above ported when the eng starts

The wires were not on the distributor per the service manual. I think the distributor is installed 180* out. Will work on it asap and report back.

Thanks!

actually if you are on TDC #1 compression (15 is far better) with the magnet lined up & with the wires clocked CCW from there starting with #1 of course it will run (with RP in the ballpark) & that might be a good simple plan just to hear that puppy roar to life & reclocking the intergear (if needed) takes a bit of time but haveing the wires routed correct lets em lay the neatest with the shortest lengths possible (more so on a SB) but every little bit helps & helps prevent future mistakes. On RP some dists have vastly different top rotor to bottom lower metal tang clocking so you do want to check it (where it is at at rest).

180* out.

Cyl 1 compression stroke cyl 6 valves will be rocking.Then you no for sure

Agreed, if you can see the #1's or #6's pushrods (even (1) of em) with an inspection mirror/penlight in the oil filler cap hole in a valve cover, you can have a helper move the crank back & forth a bit (from TDC) with a 1&1/4" socket/breaker bar & if one of the #6 pushrods moves then you are at #1 compression (& vice versa). this'll save you the trouble of opening up a valve cover & having to reseal it & dealing with that mess.

I had the distributor 180* out. Once fixed the car started right up and idled nice, but when on the road it acts like we are having a fuel starvation situation. Not sure?? The car has a 650 cfm Eddy on it now which needs to be replaced so my buddy is going to put a 750 cfm on it anyway. That may correct it but I am not convinced. We pulled the 650 cfm carb and cleaned it well which seemed to help but not correct the issue. We are going to do a fuel pressure test next.

Thanks for the help!

Lawrence

that was too easy! More info on how it it acting, WOT or part throttle? why are you thinking it needs to be replaced? any other changes made that might be related? the cleaning did help so that does point to the carb. More info please.

While the 650 is not ideal, it should run/drive ok with it. I hope the 750 is not an Eddy 750. In any event, if you still have issues check the rubber line from the sending unit to the hard line. If it is old and brittle it could have cracks and pin holes in it, that cause air to be sucked in but typically they won't leak.