New HEI dizzy not working.

[jumper]

I put a new hei on to the 350 hooked up the batt terminal to an ignition circuit fused wire, plugged the spark plug wires in set initial timing then started the engine. It coughed and spluttered a few times but would not run, i then moved the spark plug wires around 180 and nothing. Batt wire is getting power with key in 'on' and 'start' position, it has backfired through the carb once.

Any ideas before the HEI goes back.

[Sadam_Husain]

Sounds like the HEI's definately working if the engines fireing, you'll have the timing out.

Get the timing marks on the front pully at TDC (top dead centre) and then have a look to see where the rotors pointing to on the HEI and re-do your leads from there.

[jumper]

After leaving it for 30 mins it fired up really rough for a couple of seconds then died

Thats how i did the timing, i did it again to double check but no luck just one more backfire out the carb. Changed wire to batt terminal on dizzy to rule it out,i was going to check to see if the new spark plug leads were working but the battery ran out.

Can i run a wire straight from the battery to batt terminal on dizzy to rule out the connections in the fuse box ?

It would also help if my timing light did not have an intermittent fault.

[Sadam_Husain]

Your HEI's fireing the plugs so it should be just a timing problem. The live feed to the HEI should be on the Batt terminal and the other terminal is for your rev counter so you might want to check that first anyway.

Try it again when you've got your battery charged again and just rotate the HEI in 10 degree increments in either direction to see if you can get the engine to start running.

[DieselBoy]

Just a random question/suggestion, as i have spent the last couple of nights trying to get an engine to run that hasn't been running for five years.

How long has yours been sitting prior to you fitting the HEI??

Or was it running ok before you fitted the HEI, and just decided to throw it on for all of the obvious benefits??

Pull a spark plug or two out, and with the HT leed connected, rest the plug on the rocker cover and turn the engine over. You should see a big fat spark jump accross the electrodes.If you do, you have the dizzy wired up correctly.

If no spark, like you have done already by the sounds of it, go through and make sure all the wiring you have done to the dizzy is fault free. That rules the human error out. Use a circut tester and check you are getting 12v's everywhere you should be. If not, and your 100% sure your wiring is fine, then and onlt then suspect the dizzy.

If you have a good spark, and have followed the directions to the letter to set the initial timing, it should run.

It is critical that prior to pulling the old dizzy out, you had the dizzy rotor in the correct position and the timing marks aligned on the crank pully correctly. Make sure you have put the HEI in the correct TDC of the compression stroke, not the exhaust stroke.

Double check you HT leeds are in the correct order.

If all is good, then you know your ignition system is working fine and the problem lies with something else. Most likely the fuel system.

If it has been sitting for a little while, drain the float bowl on the carb, leave the float bowl plug out and crank the engine over on the starter, you should see a good flow of fresh fuel coming out of the float bowl drain hole. If so, then put the plug back in and crank the engine over a bit more to pump fuel back into the float bowl. (engine won't start untill you have enough fuel in the float bowl, but shouldn't take much cranking to fill it up). Once the bowl is full, you can also look down the barrel of the carb while someone depresses the accelerator and you should see a jet of fuel from the accellerator pump jet.

You can now be 100% sure you have fuel, air and spark. Thats what makes an engine run, so technically, it should go.

If not, then you have messed up the initial timing setting, HT leed order, or there is something more seriously wrong with the carb.

Well, ok, the HEI might be dodgy, but whats the chances of that? Its brand new right


Hope thats of some help man

[jumper]

I put more fuel in and the charged up battery then turned the key it spluttered a bit so i move the dizzy it ran a bit better but not on all 8 then backfired up the carb and would not restart and idle just backfire up the carb.

Set up the timing correctly, has fuel pressure, fuel in the bowl, tried another battery, leads in correct positions, no air filter, wires to dizzy have power in 'on' and 'start', but only getting spark on no.1 cylinder tried different leads and no.1 lead on other terminals but no spark.

Engine last ran on new years day it ran out of fuel then ran ok getting home.

[Sadam_Husain]

.......but only getting spark on no.1 cylinder tried different leads and no.1 lead on other terminals but no spark.

Sounds like a dodgy cap or HEI if your only sparking on No1.

[DieselBoy]

.......but only getting spark on no.1 cylinder tried different leads and no.1 lead on other terminals but no spark.

Sounds like a dodgy cap or HEI if your only sparking on No1.

I agree. Wonder if Wopass has any comment, he's running a HEI. I was just going through a logical problem solving system

[taz01]

I put more fuel in and the charged up battery then turned the key it spluttered a bit so i move the dizzy it ran a bit better but not on all 8 then backfired up the carb and would not restart and idle just backfire up the carb.

Set up the timing correctly, has fuel pressure, fuel in the bowl, tried another battery, leads in correct positions, no air filter, wires to dizzy have power in 'on' and 'start', but only getting spark on no.1 cylinder tried different leads and no.1 lead on other terminals but no spark.

Engine last ran on new years day it ran out of fuel then ran ok getting home.

Hey dude you could solve the problem and sell the beastie to me........... are we going to see you this weekend up rallywoods? hope so I want my tie down back at some stage, sorry cant help I know nothing about V8s

[sig]

this may be a silly thing to try BUT when u hooked up your leads on the dizzy did u put them on ,using the firing order ,in a clockwise or anti clockwise direction,if no luck rob u can grab my hei to try if you want

[Sadam_Husain]

I've got a spare HEI in the shed thats complete with rotor, cap, coil etc if you want to borrow it so try and find out whats wrong with yours.

Did you replace the HT leads or put new connectors on for the HEI cap?

[wopass]

pop the cap off and check the cap and rotor assembly, may have a crack in the cap which could cause the problems you have (arking bewteen terminals) did you bang it or is it maybe pushed hard up against the fire wall ?

i put a new pro comp HEI on my chev and its primo

are you positive the leads are in correct order ?

double check that you have it timed up, i know you said you have but if you have the meshing gear 1 tooth out it will give you big problems like your having. rotate crank to TDC then take the cap off HEI and make sure its pointing at no*1 perfectly

[jumper]

Leads in order as written on intake manifold 18436572 clockwise, they are new leads.
No cracks or other damage that is visible
Timing has been set the same way that i have used when i had to take the dizzy out before and i have triple checked it multiple times.
The hei is a pro comp it looks the part but won't work
Got a reply from the seller and he's sending a new one tomorrow but i will take up the offer to borrow one to test if i have a problem with the new one.
Taz i will come up on sat eve no matter what the truck is doing.
thanks fellas

[Mattman]

What coil are you running with the new dizzy Jumper?

Generally the coil should be matched to the dizzy. Electronic ignition coils usually have a much lower resistance than traditional points based ignition coils.

Matt.

[DieselBoy]

What coil are you running with the new dizzy Jumper?

Generally the coil should be matched to the dizzy. Electronic ignition coils usually have a much lower resistance than traditional points based ignition coils.

Matt.

Hehehehe, its a HEI mate

The coil and dizzy are all in one unit

[Mattman]

DOH - spot the newb!

[jumper]

Got the replacement this morning and its different to the broke one. It came in a pro comp box with proper poly not a brown box with hard foam, has a black cap, the shaft is more like the points dizzy and the rotor is different.
Put the dizzy in hooked up a wire set the initial timing, big backfire, adjusted the timing it now roars

[sig]

bet that makes you as happy as jumper

[skid]

Taz i will come up on sat eve no matter what the truck is doing.
thanks fellas

definitely come, coz my truck will be there and you can compare if you want, or swap stuff to check, or whatever.

[DieselBoy]

Got the replacement this morning and its different to the broke one. It came in a pro comp box with proper poly not a brown box with hard foam, has a black cap, the shaft is more like the points dizzy and the rotor is different.
Put the dizzy in hooked up a wire set the initial timing, big backfire, adjusted the timing it now roars

SAWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET