I just finished replacing the head gasket on my 1980 pickup with a 22r engine. The truck will not start at all. It turns over and sounds like its going to start but never does. I know I had the distributer in wrong to start with and it was popping on me. I pulled the spark plugs and rotated the engine a couple times, put them back in and reinstalled the distributer. Still wouldn't start so I pulled the distributer again and reinstalled it. Still not going. I've got new plugs and wires also. I've adjusted the valves twice. I've got plenty of fuel. I think the choke on weber carb may not be working, how can I tell? And would this actually cause it not to start? The truck doesn't like to start when its cold, but always will eventually. Anybody have any ideas?

 

Hey your in Ashland, weird, thats down the road from me. Anyways, I would start by putting the motor to TDC put the distributor back in pointed to number 1 and give her a go. Double check for spark. If your fuel is good and it sounds like its gonna start, maybe a little starting fluid to get it going then make sure your fuel is pumping how it should. Also a break for 30 minutes or so will help if by chance it's flooded, just dealt with that on my boat...

 

definitely sounds like a distributor problem.
go back and re-run your plug wires properly.
pull the cap off the dizzy, and put the distributor in. you'll notice that it's gonna turn about 35*, so put it in properly so at tdc, it points at the #1 spot on your cap..

a sharpie helps alot, to mark the 1 spot on the outside of the dizzy, when you pull the cap off.

 

make sure the motor is on tdc of the compression stroke. and make sure the cam is timed correct

 

Someone told me today that I need to tighten the timing chain tensioner. He said to tighten it a little, pull out the distributer, rotate the engine 2 full revolutions and I should be good to go. Can anyone tell me if this is correct? To adjust the tensioner I have to tighten the bolt thats below the timing chain sprocket on the driver's side, right? Is there any specified torque for this? It doesn't say anything about it in my haynes manual so I had no idea I had to do anything with it.

 

it should have a auto tensioner on the chain. you need to check if it is timed correctly. it needs to be on the compression stroke. crank motor with #1 spark plug out and feel for air pressure at spark plug hole then time crank and then distributer.

 

It's definitely at TDC on the compression stroke. How do I check if the cam is timed correctly? When I put it at TDC on the compression stroke the little pin that the timing chain sprocket goes on is at the very top directly in the center, is this right? I still think I may be off one tooth on the distributer, I'm gonna try reinstalling it tomorrow when it gets light. It is blowing at the #1 spark plug when I crank it with the plug out. It sounds good like it's about to start it just doesn't.

 

if the cam lobes are facing down with crank at tdc it should be at tdc there should be a mark on the distributer showing #1 cylinder. can you tell if it has spark from the coil? and the pin should be strait up. you can always move the distributer around and see if it starts in various locations. far to right and left.