Changes cap, rotor, and wires, now it doesnt start.

I just changed all those parts this morning and I cant get the car to start. Im pretty sure I have the firing order in the right setup, and the rotor and cap only go on one way so those couldnt be misaligned.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Make sure the firing IS in right order and also make sure the cap is on correctly because sometimes it might not be on completely.

if thats all you touched then i am inclined to say you got the firing order incorrect. go back and doubble check.

The plugs are in the right order but im not sure if I have the points on the distributor cap right? Like Im not sure if number 1 is where I think it is on the cap...

best way i know of to fix the problem is to remove the number one spark plug and rotate the engine over by hand and find top dead center by hand, using a finger over the spark plug hole. once you find top dead center on cylender number one install the distributor and wires according to the number one position, put it all back together, fire it up and adjust it with a timing light or vacume guage.

umm it should be in the right spot of you didnt turn the distributer at all.was it running before you did that?

umm it should be in the right spot of you didnt turn the distributer at all.was it running before you did that?

he changed the cap... so there is a good possibility taht he may have turned it and got the timing all fucked up... the atcual firnig order of a small blcok chevy slips my mind right now... i'm a little tipsy right now... LOL :cheers: yunno i've alsays been a bud man, but i'd have to say theat german beer is notn all that bad

he changed the cap... so there is a good possibility taht he may have turned it and got the timing all fucked up... the atcual firnig order of a small blcok chevy slips my mind right now... i'm a little tipsy right now... LOL :cheers: yunno i've alsays been a bud man, but i'd have to say theat german beer is notn all that bad


Alright Dave, go back into your car to sleep.

I just changed all those parts this morning and I cant get the car to start. Im pretty sure I have the firing order in the right setup, and the rotor and cap only go on one way so those couldnt be misaligned.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?
V8?
Starting with the "lug" where you plug the tach, bat and coil wires in. the lug normally points to the driver side, the first treminal fwd of the lug is #1, then keep moving away from the lug and they are 8, 4, 3, 6, 5, 7, 2

Sounds like a 6 but its an 89 so even if it was an RS it might have V8 power.

V8?
Starting with the "lug" where you plug the tach, bat and coil wires in. the lug normally points to the driver side, the first treminal fwd of the lug is #1, then keep moving away from the lug and they are 8, 4, 3, 6, 5, 7, 2


Its a 5.7L TPI... The lug your talking about, actually points towards the front corner of the passenger side. So basically I guess the cap sits on somewhat of a 45 degree angle. Is #1 right in front of the lug, or is it across on the other side of the cap??

ill go out and check on my IROC later today

Everything was shifted over one position. I lined the mark on the crank pulley with the timing mark and checked the rotor. It was just behind the position I had #1 on. So I moved all the wires back and it started right up.

well done, figured it was something that simple.