Build Thread Vader , A multi year Cj7

Build Thread Vader , A multi year Cj7
Well I went with the one tooth off idea and while it sounded ok it just won't start. Pulled a plug and could smell the raw fuel on it. Checked for spark and I'm getting that as well. Not sure how I screwed this up since I marked everything but oh well no use in thinking about that now.

I'm going to start from scratch Friday night and set it up from TDC. Bugs me some cause everything looks like it's where it should be. The number 1 plug wire is right behind the power steering reservoir and looking through pics that's where it is on the AMC V8. I know I'm getting gas and spark though so it seems like it must be off. I retraced all the wires and their going to the correct cylinders in the order they should.
 
sorry i just saw your PM and I sent you some pics, starting at top dead center is the best way to go for sure
 
gert said:
sorry i just saw your PM and I sent you some pics, starting at top dead center is the best way to go for sure
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Pics were just what I needed. That's where I had #1 before I moved it thinking it was a tooth off. The vaccum advance however is much different. I'll try it like yours and if it doesn't work I'll start from scratch. Thanks for the pics.👍
 
I'm following this thread as I too will be installing an HEI on my Jeep after the engine swap hopefully next month.
Just wondering if you got it sorted out yet? Inquiring minds want to know lol.
 
TnCJ said:
I'm following this thread as I too will be installing an HEI on my Jeep after the engine swap hopefully next month.
Just wondering if you got it sorted out yet? Inquiring minds want to know lol.
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Sorry I haven't. Enjoyed the weekend with the family. Plans are for Tuesday after work now since I work late tomorrow.

Enjoyed watching all my back up Steelers pull off a win against the Rams!!!
 
Just not having any luck. Put the #1 cylinder to TDC. Put the cap back on and reinstalled the wires. No dice. Moved it around a bit trying different timing to no avail. Rechecked the wires and their correct. Getting ready to reinstall the old distributor just to see if it'll run off that. So frustrated.
 
Petescj said:
Just not having any luck. Put the #1 cylinder to TDC. Put the cap back on and reinstalled the wires. No dice. Moved it around a bit trying different timing to no avail. Rechecked the wires and their correct. Getting ready to reinstall the old distributor just to see if it'll run off that. So frustrated.
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Are you getting any backfire or misfire at all?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Petescj said:
Just not having any luck. Put the #1 cylinder to TDC. Put the cap back on and reinstalled the wires. No dice. Moved it around a bit trying different timing to no avail. Rechecked the wires and their correct. Getting ready to reinstall the old distributor just to see if it'll run off that. So frustrated.
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Dang, you about have me scared to do the HEI upgrade on my Jeep now.
That is one of the reasons I was going to wait awhile to do it after my engine swap. I don't want to change out too many things at one time in case something isn't right.
I'm thinking you might have a bad distributor. I think your on the right track by reinstalling your old dizzy.
Still following...............hope you get it going!!!!
 
Petescj said:
Just not having any luck. Put the #1 cylinder to TDC. Put the cap back on and reinstalled the wires. No dice. Moved it around a bit trying different timing to no avail. Rechecked the wires and their correct. Getting ready to reinstall the old distributor just to see if it'll run off that. So frustrated.
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What HEI dod you get? I had zero luck with 2 I got from eBay. Ended up getting an MSD and boom. Fired right up.

Have you tested it by running a wire from the pos on the battery and the shaft to the neg and spinning it to see if you get spark?

Just trying to help based on my crappy experiences.
 
Test unit like gr8dain is suggesting, but use the power supply wire you are currently using. If no spark, switch to power directly from battery. Make sure rotor points to #1 wire at TDC. Don’t discard these common mistakes:

Wrong TDC cycle. You want compression, not exhaust.

Wrong rotational (reversed) ordering of wires.

No rotor rotation due to incorrect gear alignment.

Incorrect power terminal on distributor.

Reluctor alignment.

Good luck!
 
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Ok here's where I'm at. I tested the distributor and got spark when I grounded the #1 plug to the block. It isn't a eBay distributor but it's not a name brand either. They stated it does have the correct hardness on the gear. It does give me a spitting from the carb when I try to fire it up.

I'm leaning towards the wrong stroke when I set it to TDC. Hopefully I can get back after it before the end of the week.
 
Right. It sounds like the wrong stroke. Is the timing off? Mine skipped a few teeth and was not lined up when at tdc.

Good luck. Sounds like you are narrowing it down.
 
If you suspect the wrong stroke/cycle, simply rotate your wires on distributor by 180 degrees. For instance, if your firing order is 18436572, the #1 wire will now be on the #6 and so on. The fine tuning should be done by adjusting the reluctor, not by skipping teeth.
 
I like the idea of swapping the wires around. If I get time tonight I'll try it but it'll more likely be tomorrow. More on that later this evening. I'm familiar with what happened with Gr8dains Cj but I don't believe that a timing chain jump occurred.
 
I could be wrong but I don't believe that's the firing order in my book. Was that just an example?
 
Yes, it was just an example. Older V8s used it.
 
I was referring to teeth on distributor and cam gears. Never heard of timing mechanism skipping teeth on old V8s but I guess it’s possible.
 
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Hallelujah! Thank you everyone for your help. I had it set up on the exhaust stroke. Using Patrick's advice I started my #1 plug wire where #6 was and then went on in the correct firing order. Fiddled with the timing a bit and she fired up. Saturday I'm going to pull it out again and get her set up correctly , but it was nice to finally figure out what was going on.

Again thank you all for your help. Yet another time I've been helped here. Countless times. Now more Jeep news but it's for the 80 Cj
 
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