Frustrated with timing

I am trying to complete my :v6: HEI Install. Its all in wired up and should run. I can crank on it and all it gives me is a couple chugs and a backfire every once in a while :? . Let me run down what I have and see what I'm missing.

1. Rebuilt odd-fire HEI from a late 70's buick.
2. New cap, coil, wires, plugs.
3. Plugs gapped to .40+/-
4. Rotor looks brand new - no wear.
5. I double checked TDC - I'm not 180 out.
6. to accomodate the vac, and the water hose, I have TDC aming toward 6 o'clock (looking from the fender)
7. I have fuel
8. It was running fine before the conversion.
9. As I crank the starter, the timing light says I have spark.

I have read a couple online articles on this conversion and have followed them pretty close. I know I am just missing something blatent. Please all comments are helpful.

Thanks

 

Do you mean the plug wires or the 3-wire harness between the dist. and the cap?

 

Starting just counter-clockwise from the tab on the cap. Moving clockwise 165432. I think I've had them on and off 20 times in 3 days.

 

make sure you have the timing right. #1 tdc on the compression stroke and look at the rotor it should almost if not hit #1 plug post. mine did that too and found i was a tooth or so off

 

Thats what I keep thinking. I double checked TDC by taking off the tappet cover and making sure the valves were closed. I've been trying it anywhere close to #1. From about 20 before to 20 after. There doesn't seem to be a sweet spot that it just wants to take off. I'm starting to think that maybe somehow I have an over sensitive timing light and I'm not really getting a full jolt of juice to the cylinder. Frustrated.

Thanks for the replys - keep them coming its helping me double check everything I've done.

 

I have the vacuum off but I don't have it plugged. I didn't think that would really make a difference in trying to start it. I don't think it really sucks until the mid-range rpm's. I'll give it a try though.

Thanks

 

Have someone crank it while you turn the somewhat loose distributor until it "catches" and fires. It should fire even if you twist it way retard. If nothing, then its something else still.

 

you could still be 180* off with this method
pull #1 plug and make SURE you are on compression stroke

 

Ok. I plugged the vacuum with a handy dandy phillips Screwdriver. I tripple checked TDC by bringing pulling the plug and making sure that the piston was at the top. I had my wife out there cranking on it while I slowly turned the dist. Still nothing.

Put the timing light on it while she cranked and the light was VERY intermitent. (I know I said I had spark - I may have been wrong - first time though) So I went back through the electrical. Lucky me my multi meter is on the fritz. I re-did a connection in the 12ga. wire that leads from the switch to the Dist. I also pulled off the cap and found the little metal contact between the coil and the rotor wasn't making contact. I rectified that situation and thought the problem would be solved. That would explain the intermittent spark. No solvo. Still intermittent. Frustration.

Beautiful day. Put the dogs in the jeep - go for a spin...... Frustration. Its saturday. OK Thanks for listening.

 

Update. I pulled the dist. and rotated the 1 post around facing a different direction. It started right up. Problem solved - but I'm still not quite sure how. The Jeep Gods have smiled on me. Thanks everyone for all your help.