Car actin real dumb

my 84 maro wont start and im getting back fire threw the carb...... cleaned spark plugs and there is fuel..........
it was just running yesterday and now it doesnt want to start....
the only thing i can remmember doing is tur the distributor cap a little bit but i put it back pretty close to were it was.....

when i crank it over it just starts to fire and then quits....and then i get really black smoke coming out the tail pipes.....

and when i cleaned my plugs they smelled like some one soaked them in gas.....


What do you guys think it is?????????????????

timing is off because you messed with the cap, it has to be in the EXACT spot it was in, not close because if it moves just a little it will mess up.

I agree with 97cavalier, when you moved the distributor you messed up the timing. Get a timing light and get it set right, should fix it up.

so wat your sayin is it has to be the timing........... theres no other possible things it could be???????????

If you moved the distributor, you probably messed up the timing. Since you remember moving it that would be my first step is trying to find a solution. Work the problem, don't guess. Start with the timing, and if that don't fix it troubleshoot for other things. With cars there is hardly ever a time when you know it is something for a fact, but with the information you gave us that is my best beginning of a solution for you. Fix the timing and get back to us if it don't work, maybe we can think of something else.

i am 99.9% positive that is what it is, my buddies truck did the same thing when he messed with the cap and we found out excetly where it was soposed to be and aligned the cap back up and it ran perfect.

oK iMA GO SET THE TIMING OVER AGAIN........imma get back to you guys...

backfire through the carb is almost allways timing. I try to mark that stuff before i move it.

yeah it was timing its running now......., running kinda rich but its running...... appreciate everyones input....... thanks

yeah it was timing its running now......., running kinda rich but its running...... appreciate everyones input....... thanks
now just lean the carb out some and you should be good to go.

See, just listen to us, some of us actually know what we are talking about.

yup....... o one last question will changing my o2 sensor help it from running rich???????

well it is a carb right? so just lean it out with the screw.

Yeah it aint starting now... it just keeps spittin out gas out my carb...... at the last minute it wont start and its makin be go crazy it just started 10 minutes ago and i didnt evn do nothing to it.... i just turned it off..

Wats Goin On?????????????

i think you might be flooding it, just adjust the mixture screw on the carb.

Sounds like a flood to me as well. I don't know carbs, but getting it leaner sounds like the best thing to try.

wheres the mixture screw??????????????

di this, take the carb off and take it appart and look at the float, it is probly stuck open, my buddies carb did the same thing, poored gas out the carb and the float was stuck. But first there should be a screw on the front of the carb, turn it one was little by little and keep trying till it leans out.