oil leak, carburetor fire

Ok, so I had a bad oil leak and thought it was the rear main seal. After tearing it apart and seeing a good seal, I replaced it anyway, and the oil pan seal. It still leaked. I replaced the valve cover gaskets. Still leaked. I took off the intake manifold and replaced the seals and added new RTV. Now it won't start. I reset the cylinders so that the No.1 is up, and the distributor is back on the exact way it was taken off, and I have rechecked the plug wires. I made sure that the floats in the carb hadnt somehow gotten stuck up. So far I have only successfully caught the carburetor on fire. Twice. What am I doing wrong? Does anyone have any suggestions? I dont even know if it still leaks because it only does it while running and for a little while after it has been turned off.:banghead:

Year & engine?

Sounds like you're 180* out or the valve timing is still wrong.

It is an 87 Formula. It has a 305 with a 750 Holley 4 Barrel. The choke is manual, which is good because I closed it to put out the two fires.

It is an 87 Formula. It has a 305 with a 750 Holley 4 Barrel. The choke is manual, which is good because I closed it to put out the two fires. If I am 180* or the valve timing is wrong, do you have any suggestions on how to fix it?

From the sounds of it, you have #1 at TDC, but on the exhaust stroke :dunno:

How should I correct it?

Reinstall Distributor at #1 tdc on compression stroke.

Thanks I'll give it a shot. I thought that is what I did, but I guess I did it wrong. I'll post again if I cant get it, or it still doesnt work.

Ok, so I got it tdc, on the #1 cylinder, on the compression stroke. Still nothing. I am getting little puffs coming out the carb, and the occasional small attempt for it to start up, but still nothing. I almost want to pay someone to do it, but I hate doing that, because not only do I like doing it myself, but it also furthers my knowledge in automechanics. I have been going at it off and on for a week and a half. I have killed a battery. I am at a wall. Any more suggestions?:banghead: :confused:

How are you determining you are actually ON the "compression" stroke? Simply lining up the timing mark won't do it. You must remove #1 plug, put a finger in the hole, "bump" the starter until compression pushes your finger off. Then, with a wrtench, rotate to TDC by the mark. Then you KNOW you're "up" on 1.

The symptom you describe is that of an engine with the distributor 180 degrees out.

Also, verify your wires are in the right sequence (1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2), clockwise rotation.

Jim

I have been turning with a wrench until compression is felt. Just so I am doing it right, compression is felt by a puff of air coming out of the #1 plug hole, right? Do I have to bump the starter to get it, or will doing it this way work?
I numbered all the plug wires with the spot that they correspond with on the distributor cap. I numbered the distributor cap also, so that I knew there would be no mistake of where they came off from.

That SHOULD do it, feeling the compression by "hand". Are you also assuring the rotor is pointing AT #1 (on the cap) once you've found TDC? Based on your initial post, this COULD be the problem. The rotor should point at #1 wire, not "where it came out". Once you move the engine, the original position of the rotor is meaningless.

Jim

It is pointing at the #1 wire. I am starting to wonder if maybe somehow something didnt go wrong with the carb. If somehow the floats in the carb are stuck in the up, do I have to take the carb apart to get them down? I tried tapping the part of the carb with the bowl's, with the handle of a screwdriver, but I dont know if it did anything.

Adjusting the floats in a Holley are the easiest of any carb out there. You need a flat screwdriver and a 5/8" wrench.

Make sure the carb is level. Remove the brass screws in the sides of the bowls (1 at a time). If fuel "weeps" over the edge and runs out, but doesn't POUR out, the float is right. If it pours out, or isn't to the edge, you'll need to change the setting.

To change it, loosen the screw on the top of the bowl, but just a little. Turn the nut with the wrench. Clockwise to lower the float, counterclockwise to raise it. It helps if the engine will run, or you have an electric fuel pump. If not, you're kinda "shooting in the dark".

Since this is an '87, which had furl injection and an in-tank pump, has that been modified? Or are you still using the stock pump? If so, fuel,pressure can be too high, "blowing" the needle off the seat. An "inline" regualtor can fix that.

87's were the last year that came with carbs too. :2cents:

If it did, and you replaced the ECU controlled carb (E4MC or something like that don't remember the exact accronym) how did you remove the ECU from the picture entirely?

It is a 750 holley 4 barrel. It was on there when I bought the car. I am pretty sure that it isnt the factory one, but it is what is on there now. It worked fine until I took off the intake manifold, with the exception being the elec choke was taken off and replaced with a manual choke. E4MC is the acronym used in the book.

If it's a Holley carb, it is DEFINITELY NOT original. Rochesters ONLY after about '72.

FWIW

Jim

Well, I'm certain there would have been some 'rigging' to get that to fly without the PCM being in control.

I would also say to make sure the intake manifold if fully seated and sealed.

it would definitely need a non ecm controlled HEI distributor. other than that, it should be fine.

it would definitely need a non ecm controlled HEI distributor. other than that, it should be fine.

:1:

I am assuming it's a vacuum operated, make sure the hose is hooked up. I would like to say that the ignition is stand alone "almost" but it wouldn't work exactly right.