Topic: 1979 Pontiac 301 won’t fire

[Caleb]

Hi everyone. My dad and I are working on 1979 Pontiac Firebird with a non turbo 301. We put a new cam in it and now we are trying to get it to start but it won’t fire   It is something to do with the distributor and we have followed the chitons manual to key. Any help  would be appreciated.

[81Turbo TA]

Are you getting spark and fuel?   The distributor might be 180* out. I'm not crazy about chiltons.

[Caleb]

We got it to backfire through the carb. once or twice but that’s all we could get it to do.

[81Turbo TA]

Double check the distributor is installed correctly,  firing order and plug wires also.
1,8,4,3,6,5,7,2  distributor is counter clockwise. My phones dead

[81Turbo TA]

Also,,my new timing set had 3 markings and the standard timing mark was very difficult to see. I installed it wrong but caught it before putting the cover on.
There are 2 tdc..use cylinder 1 in the tdc compression stroke,,(remove spark plug 1, put finger over spark hole and turn engine over, feel the push of air,,then creep up the balancer timing mark with socket on crank bolt),set the distributor to point at one (not  between 1+8).  When you put the cap on remember to follow the firing order in a counter clockwise direction.  If the distributor is 180 out you will get some popping through the carb.

[Caleb]

The timing is on. And it keeps being 180 out. We put it back to the #1 spot and it’s 180 out when we take the cap off when it won’t start. The firing order is correct.

[81Turbo TA]

And you're setting the dist cap so that it turns counter clockwise to the correct plug?
Did install a new timing set?
You should think of asking on the 301 garage forum

[Caleb]

We got it timed. But it did not start. All it did was it had a bunch of air blow through the carb. But no fire.

[81Turbo TA]

I'm not a mechanic but there are some things you can check yo narrow it down.  You say the timing is correct, plug wires are correct....but backfiring through the carb ,,,,,backfire or air???
Backfire means a spark is happening somewhere.  Air would mean no spark. 
Could it be your carb is flooding the engine?

[Caleb]

It’s just air. It is possible it’s flooding.

[81Turbo TA]

It sounds like you might have more than one issue.
I would remove the easiest spark plug wire,,put a spark plug into the wire, hold the threaded end against a metal part of engine (hold the rubber!!!) And have someone crank the engine...you should see a spark by the gap.
If there is no spark you may have a bad coil or module,,,or a wire in the wrong connector.
Here is a link from 301garage in the distributor.  A couple of the main guys there rebuild carbs too,,good luck
http://www.301garage.com/forum/index.php?topic=11265.msg79111#msg79111

And here is a video on how to check for spark,,don't touch the metal!
https://youtu.be/mUOmsGiirTU

[81Turbo TA]

The timing is on. And it keeps being 180 out. We put it back to the #1 spot and it’s 180 out when we take the cap off when it won’t start. The firing order is correct.

Also I probably wasn't clear when i wrote "thwre are two tdc's".
It takes two revolutions of the engine,,,(two passes of the timing mark)....to be back on the compression stroke of a particular cylinder. If your start on cylinder 1, one revolution puts you on the compression stroke of cylinder, 6 i believe

[Caleb]

There is spark.

[81Turbo TA]

Sorry, no clue. Maybe carb is flooding engine.