Won't Turn over after replacing head gasket...

[MontanaMike]

Ok, so I replaced the head gasket and started putting everything back together. After getting it all back together I fired it up and...... nothing. The starter turns over and all the belts are turning, but I don't hear any pistons firing. I checked in the Carburetor and it is spraying fuel in. What do you suppose the problem is? I replaced the spark plugs not too long ago, 3 weeks or so. Could I have missed something? Any ideas?

[takza]

Timing is off? Valve or ignit? Wire loose?

I had to put labels on the 4 spark plug wires so I could get them back on right...so what do I know?

[MontanaMike]

I pulled the spark plugs to check them this morning... turns out they weren't firing. So I replaced them and checked to make sure I was getting a spark. Now I've got them in and it STILL won't start up. -_- . . . I don't think it's the timing because I marked the timing belt before I pulled off the head cylinder and put it back exactly where it was. I'm really stumped, could it be a Carburetor issue? I looked inside the carb when hitting the gas and I could see fuel being sprayed down into the carb. How do you tell if you've flooded the engine? Am I missing something?

Would the Distributor throw off the timing? I took it off when replacing the head gasket. If it got spun or something? Would that throw off the timing?

[xirdneh]

[

Would the Distributor throw off the timing? ? Would that throw off the timing?[/quote]


a quick check of the timing

rotate first cylinder to top of compression stroke
(take plug out and place thumb over hole, rotate crank till air blows past thumb, if you slide a screw driver into the hole you can feel top of piston) (instead of thumb stuff wad of toilet paper and rotate till it blows out)

remove distributer cap and check rotor
it should be pointing northwest
if not you need to reinstall till it does.

[Petros]

You can not remove the dist without resetting the timing, it could even be off by several gear teeth and it will not run.

You have do the procedure above: but 1st cycl at TDC (make sure it is compression stroke), and see if the rotor in the dist is pointing at number one pole on cap. You likely have to pull it out and reset it (it may take several tries because of the helix in the gear teeth). It should be close enough to run, but you will have to set the timing with a light. you can do it "by ear" by taking a hard acceleration and listen for "ping" or preignition. You want the most advanced timing without ping on steep hills.

[keith]

Assuming that you got the timing belt on and lined up correctly, follow the instructions in this link to set the initial timing on the distributor. If you don't have a timing light, this technique will get you within ±1° of desired. A timing light should be used for final setting.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3700&p=27686&hilit= ... ing#p27686

[Neu]

agreeing, your distro is causing timing to be so far off it isn't firing up.