Engine won’t start

massive vacuum leak?

 

Most likely your HEI module is bad. Youre getting spark but a bad signal. Change the 4 pin module and you should be good to go. I know its “new” but thats a common prob with these distributors.

 

Years ago, a friend turned shut off the 302 in his Fairlane, running fine, then when he went to start it the next day it wouldn't start. It turned out his timing chain had jumped 4 teeth the last time he shut it down. We found it with a compression check. He was only getting around 90 PSI in all the cylinders. Also, fuel spit back through the carb when he cranked. His wouldn't start at all.

 

We have a saying in the garage, "new equals different, not necessarily good". and "rebuilt equals junk".

Whatever it was doing last week doesn't matter. Right now doesn't run. Need to verify whether its fuel, air or spark. It's one of those. I guarantee it.

 

I'm betting on a "blown" trimming chain (wiped cam gear) ESPECIALLY if it's the original!

Pull the #1 spark plug and distributor cap. With your thumb over the #1 spark plug hole while bumping the starter over until the compression blows out. STOP! By hand, rotate the engine until the harmonic balancer 0 aligns with the 0 on the timing tab. Also while bumping the engine engine over, watch the rotor. It must follow the firing order/Rotate with the engine.

You are now at TDC (top dead center) of the #1 cylinder.

The rotor on your HEI distributor should be pointing to the #1 cylinder. If not, the timing chain is shot.

Hopefully, you didn't bend any valves and/or pushrods and/or valve springs.

 

I once had a similar problem. The 3 month old spark plug wires had been internally “cooked” and while almost nothing was visible outside, multiple wires were only firing sometimes and another had a short to ground, the ground being whatever part of the engine it was closest to. A new set of wires and it fired right up. You can’t always tell a bad wire by looking. I seem to remember checking the resistance of the wires to check they were good. If they are all in the same range they probably are good. Just a thought. Simple stuff sometimes gets overlooked.

 

Try a dist. module as suggested above.I friend of mine had a car acting about the same as yours.It was the module.

 

You would know if the timing chain broke , because the engine sounds different when cranking , if it jumped time, it might start, however run rough, so probably something easy, like a wire off or no spark

 

Just how long has the car been sitting It may be bad gas ,But continue to make your checks an eliminate each possible one Its usually something stupid