The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop engine wont fire

the day started out normal but ended up anything but. went to do an initial start for the 270 cam break in. after getting gas to the carb which i primed we only got one putt after numerous turning and it shot fire out the carb. after dicking around i found that the rotor was off 180. when i set it up i used the dist cap from the 228 with the wires and i marked #1 wire with tape for future reference. when i put that cap on with the dist from the 270 i thought i had it set up on #1 but it was not. it wasnt until we were looking at the 228 and is where i saw something different. the dist on the 228 has the notch for the on the right side of the dist housing and the 270 dist the notch is on the left. it wasnt until we thought that the valve adjustment was firing on tdc on six instead of one. so when we went to reset the valves to the way i thought they should be is when i realized the we couldnt back off the lash adjustment for some of the valves. so we looked at the 228 since its assembled and in last run condition is when i noticed the dist differences.

we got (i think) everything the way its supposed to be with the valves being set on tdc on #1 and the dist set accordingly. put it all back together and still wont fire. checked for spark numerous times and had good spark. swapped out condensor with a known good one. so ignition speaking all is good there. tried it again and nothing no fire. check plugs for wetness dont seem wet but i could sail a boat with the gas that is in the manifold. pulled plugs and ran it up to tdc on 1 and stuck a long q-tip in #1 cylinder on the top of the piston and the q-tip came out dry. hooked up compression tester and only got 90 psi out of a new build which i thought was extremly low considering that the 228 only had 90 on all of them and the 235 i just had built was at 125.

this isnt my first time doing what i have done today but im at a complete loss considering all the other engines ive messed with banged right over with no issues. what am i missing

1940 GMC AC250-22 stake/flatbed
1951 GMC 350-24 now 27
1951 CHEVY 6100

Hy 51 ashton, start fresh again tomorrow. Put number one at T.D.C. on the compression stroke [both valves closed], remove the distributor cap and verify that the rotor is pointed at the wire that is going to number one spark plug, if not move number one wire to the terminal that the rotor is pointing at. You can also adjust both the number one valves at this time. You can install the rest of your wires in the distributor cap clockwise from number one, next is five, next is three, next is six, next is two, next is four. If you turn the engine over so the rotor lines up with each terminal on the distributor, you can adjust that cylinders valves, hope that makes sence, good luck, and please keep us informed of your progress.

If there's no gas in the clys.after You try and turn her over like that ,maybe and this happened to Me and My brother in law,We had pulled his SB out to rebuild it for a race on sunday we got the engine rebuilt and back in the car but it had gotten real late when we tried to start it also backfired thru the carb than all it would do is start and die gas starved ,what had happened was when it backfired it blew part of the intake gasket out installed a new gasket and ran on sunday. Maybe the backfire blew the intake gasket out a little and you're not getting the gas out of the manifold.

Also check the valve adjustment.

Pete