Vannin' Home Forums General Discussion Readers Rides Queen Anne's Revenge

Thanks man! I should be getting back on it soon.

Finally making time to try working on her again, and after spending half the day on it, I am at my wits' end. Still not firing up or even attempting to start.

The first thing I checked was the coil, and the wires were toast. Decided to check the cap and rotor and they had plenty of wear too, so off to the parts store for a new coil, cap, and rotor. Came back and threw them on, still no fire. So I checked wiring order again to make sure I hadn't screwed something up, and sure enough, I had it wired 180 degrees backward. UGH!

The wiring diagram I was using for H.E.I. was showing the square part of the cap where the wiring plugs in on the opposite side, I didn't realize GM made H.E.I. caps with that part on either side. Anyway, problem solved, verified against about 15 different wiring diagrams I found online, and she is now using the proper firing order... but still no fire.

So I decided maybe the ignition module is bad. Everything inside the distributor looked awful anyway. The truck that the 305 is out of was running when my friend swapped it out for his big block, so I assumed if it ain't broke don't fix it when I put it all back together. This distributor though is out of the running 350 we pulled out of the van when we yanked that out, since the 305 didn't come with the distributor.

Off to the parts store once more to grab a new module. I had to grab a new fuel filter too while I was there as the glass filter with plastic nipples was leaking pretty bad, and I don't really trust the darn thing anyway. Came back to the shop, installed the new module... still no fire.

I have to be overlooking something, but I did poke my head over the carb today and verify it is squirting fuel into the primaries so it's getting fuel. I've tested the voltage going to the distributor and it is fine. I even put one of those inline plug wire lights on, tried several different cylinders, and all are lighting up.

So new plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil, and module. It's getting fuel and spark, but won't sputter, backfire, pop, or anything. Just crank and crank and crank. Any ideas?

Old coil, YUCK!

Just went back out and pulled the #5 plug thinking maybe it's getting enough voltage for the test light, but not enough for the plug, but when grounding the plug against the manifold, I'm getting good spark. Tried spraying a little carb cleaner down the carb in case it's just gummed up or something, still no luck.

*EDIT* a few hours later, couldn't leave well enough alone. Found a clogged vacuum line from the distributor to the carb, cleaned it out, and now we have a coughing engine with poofs of smoke out of the exhaust manifolds, so we're on the right track. WOOHOO!

You have old gas in the system?

But of course, Taco Bell is just so irresistible!

Everyday it's something around here that keeps me from doing the things I need to do. Today was a cat that needed to go to the vet, who is now having seizures after they gave him flea meds topically. UGH! He goes back tomorrow morning to see what we can do for him now.

I did get a little time this evening to tinker, so here's how that went.

First thing I did was rule out bad fuel as an issue. Unplugged the inlet side line from the pump and pinched it off with some of those fancy plastic hosey pinchey pliers from Harbor Frought. Ran some new line into our mower can which has brand new ethanol free go juice. Helped a tiny bit, but not much improvement. Spit and sputter for 30 seconds, but nothing more.



Step two was to install the new ignition switch on the lower half of the column, the electrical part of the deal. Got tired of having to push the tumbler/key hard forward to get the thing to engage and I've had the new switch and a new tumbler/key combo sitting in the garage for a long time anyway. Installed and on to the next step.

Pulled the distributor out and advanced it one tooth. I know a lot of hot rodders say this is a myth, but it's not as I just proved to myself tonight. I've never had to do it before, but apparently in my tiredness last night I managed to get it off one tooth. So the only way she would fire up for 30 seconds was with the distributor fully retarded. After moving it one tooth, she ran well for a good 60 seconds and a lot smoother. Didn't get video this time, I was just too worn out.

I'll head back out tomorrow and start putting all the little stuff back on and then see if we can get the timing set properly. WHEW!

Nice van, can't wait to see what you do with it. Yeah the one tooth thing is only relevant when you've run out of room to adjust the distributor one way or the other. If it's still pretty far off to one side you could jump another tooth to give yourself a little more adjusting room or to give the plug wires a little slack. As long as the firing order is the same and the number one terminal lines up with TDC on the #1 cylinder it doesn't know what tooth it's on.

Hope it continues to work out...

I can't really wrap my head around how it's possible. I always thought it was either dead on or 180 degrees off. And when I've done distributors before, I've gotten them 180 out by guessing with the TDC, had to fix that, but never gotten the one spot off thing before.

She'll get there eventually. Just taking FOREVER and a day with all the other weird schtuff I've got going on in life lately.

Well I wasn't able to accomplish much today. Running back and forth to the vet for the cat having seizures took most of my day. I did get the torque converter bolted up, finally found those bolts right where I left them in the passenger floorboard. DOH! Adjusted the carb a little and went to fire it up, but nothing but buzzing from the starter.

It looked like the cheap junk we used to sell at the cheap junk parts stores, so I went to Federated Auto Parts and swapped it out for a Chevy# 6449 starter (6449MS Federated #). For those of you who haven't done this before, hopefully this info will help someone out there. Chevy used this starter on later model cars and trucks with the 4.3 and it is a smaller, lighter, gear reduction starter. Instead of the typical 20 lbs found on the normal SBC starters, this thing only weighs about 8 lbs.

I used one on an old Squarebody K10 I had and it worked perfectly, a little noisier than the original, but seemed to spin it faster. You will need to get new bolts when swapping as the new 6449 starter is a bit smaller. Parts store didn't have any in stock today, but they're getting them from the warehouse and should have them ready for me in the AM. So hopefully I can get back to work on her some tomorrow.