well i found myself in this spot again... I rebuilt my carb and repainted my manifold and put everything back together. Went to crank it and it turns over, i smell the fuel and everything, but i just cant get it to start. Im pretty sure that it has something to do with te distributer but as i mentioned before, i do smell fuel so the carb might be flooding... how could i check and figure out which problem it is. Also, how would I hand crank the engine to align it tdc to install the distrib.?

 

This is how I got mine to TDC,
Removed all spark plugs then, using a socket wrench and placing my thumb over #1 cyl, I turned the crank shaft untill I got compression pushing past my thumb. I then inserted a long plastic straw and continued to turn crank shaft untill the straw stopped rising out of the cylinder. Be sure to turn the crank the same way the engine is supposed to. You might be able to turn the crank by turning the cooling fan if all the plugs are removed or loosened enough to allow full air flow past them.

 

if your balancer marking is ok then you just need to turn the engine until the TDC mark on balancer matches the pointer. That's TDC. But when crank turns twice cam (and distributor) only turn once. So you have to make sure you have got the right one. The correct one of the two. to find the right one you can do as Seamus says, but no need to remove all plugs. only number 1.

probably the laziest option is to remove number one spark plug, shove a shop rag into the spark plug hole (make sure no part of rag is actually in the cylinder, just have the hole blocked), then disable ignition (remove cable at coil-), turn the engine with a starter until the rag pops out. stop turning immediately. then manually turn the engine back or forth til the pointer matches up with TDC.
if you have a manual you can also put the car in 4 th gear and push the car forward or backward to align it (as this will turn engine).
Don't forget to jhook ignition back up and make sure to get her out of gear again

 

its an auto, but those are some good ideas... the only thing i worry about is damaging the fan, its the origional and in PERFECT condition. by using that to turn the engine do i risk bending the blades. Also, like i said before my carb might be flooding. what is a good way to check that without taking the carb off again? Unfortunetly i have never been able to find the timing balancer on my engine. ive got a 289 built in 1965, any idea where it would be? Also, i have never been able to find the timing balancer on my engine. ve got a 289 built in 1965, any idea where it would be?I really appericiate the help. im turning 17 this month and i need the car running for school in a couple of weeks, otherwise, i dont get a ride...

 

Put the gas pedal on the floor and crank it...it may take a while for it to fire. If it don't fire, it ain't flooded.

 

So if it fires then its flooding? Im a little confused...