Rebuilt 351W won't FIRE!
 

Hey guys, I need some help here! I just rebuilt this engine, my first one, so i'm open to constructive critisism. It's a 69' 351w block with Do0e heads completely rebuilt,( seats, guides, valves, springs, by a macninest not me) it has a complete mallory ignition, hyfire 6a box, coil, comp s/s distributer, and mallory plug wires all brand new, which it's all working because i'm getting spark. It's got an edelbrock 600cfm carb thats getting fuel. It's just cranking and cranking and not even trying to start. I was worried last night so I pulled everything off to the timing chain and made sure it lined up with the #1 on tdc. It was. I'm using the 351W firing order, not a typical sbf. i've done everything i have been told to do while building this engine, checking clearances and end play, the ONLY thing I didn't do was degree the cam. Anybody have suggestions or is it too late! Thanks

Timing?

well you said you have spark and fuel. that together with a bit of air should get the engine going. the easiest way to check if you have any spark, check with timing gun.
No flash at timing gun-> no spark

you said the carb gets petrol, check at least once with open choke butterfly at carb with engine off: open the throttle plate slowly to make sure the carb is pumping petrol in this way.
maybe the carb is getting petrol but is blocked. that spray should help starting anyway

next thing is that the ignition might be a 180 degrees out.
that happens when you install cam and crank correctly, then to check if everything moves fine and only turn the crank one full revolution to be back at TDC. cam only turned half turn, then you put in the distributor pointing to #1.
if that has happened to you, you can quickly correct this (at least give it a test) with swapping all spark plug leads at cap with the exact opposite one.

wrong firing order: i don't think that's the issue as there are only 2 firing orders used and they match at 1,4,5 and 8 cylinder. so at least 4 cylinders should run. you would hear that.

timing could be off too far (maybe 30 degrees out (taht's only 15 degrees at distributor), so you are firing when the piston is already way down after TDC

all in all:
check again for spark (with timing gun)
check if the carb pumps fuel when you open the throttle once
check if your timing is too far out. don't be afraid to move the distributor clockwise and couterclockwise during start to try it out.

check if you're 180 degrees out (swap cables with exact 'opponent' on cap). if not place the cables back. if you want to check for sure if you're 180 degrees out, either check on cam (which probably is not possible as the waterpump is back on), or remove passenger side rocker cover, look at #1 cylinder rockers.
at TDC (the one of the two where you set the distributor to #1 cylinder) both valve springs for #1 cylinder should be uncompressed (both valves closed). compare with the others if unsure. if you would be 180 degrees out, the piston would be on top as well but you would be at 'valve overlap'. means itake is slightly open to start accepting fresh air/fuel and exhaust is slightly open to finish up letting the exhaust gasses out ...

anyway ... best of luck !!!!!

I bet your 180 out. You can remove #1 plug and cover the plug hole with your finger and have a buddy turn the motor over by hand. When the # 1 piston is on the compression stroke at tdc ,it will push against your finger. Verify your on tdc and install your distributor pointed towards #1. This should get the motor running while you fine tune with the timing light.

Getting gas? - yes
Spark out of coil? - yes
Spark out of #1 wire? - yes
Rottor button on #1 ? - yes

Here is the easest way I have learned to set the distributer, If you have points. Place the piston on TDC. Move the distributer till just before the points open. This will get it close enough to start. You can use the timing light from their.

If it will not start its 180 out

Do it the old fashion way!!! Do like 65wildstang says to check that you are at #1 TDC. Advance the crank to your initial timing (say like 10 degrees), turn your ignition key to the ON position BUT do not crank it! Pull #1 plug wire at the plug, put a screwdriver in the end and put it close to a ground, twist the distributor and when you see the spark, you are at the degree at the crank and really dont even need a timing light. I haven't had a light in over 40 years!!! Yeh, I'm OLD. It works, believe me! Ask any old timer! (pun intended!)

any chance the lifters are cranked down yielding no compression?

BINGO,,,, This is what immodestly came to mind as soon as I read the thread title.

I would give 5 to 1 odds on this,

Been there, done that, more than once.

Real quick move alle the plug wires directly opposite where they are now and see if it fires. If so then pull the dist and fix it right if the mood hits you.....

Thanks for all the info guys but still no luck! I tried swapping places with the opposite on the distributer. nothing. I pulled the passenger valve cover, watched the valves and put my finger over the plug hole, so I know for sure i'm at tdc on compression stroke. I made sure my distributer was lined up with the #1 plug. nothing. I pulled the carb off and there is fuel in the intake. I can smell fuel on the plugs. i'm using 13726548 as firing order. is that right? I don't know if the cam has anything to do with it but it's a comp "big mutha thumper". I bought the complete K-kit so I have the right springs. It says i need an intake, gears, headers, and 9.5:1 and I have everything but the gears. I used the double roller timing chain that came with the cam kit. This is the fifth day i've tried starting it!

years ago i put a Comp Cams high energy cam in my 289. it took awhile to get it running but it ran like complete hell. flip the distributor 180 and it would still run like complete hell. turns out the cam card said it had a 302 firing order, but it really had a 351w firing order.

so even with the wrong firing order it would run.

does it not make any popping noise at all?

did you say you performed a compression check?