Why can't I get this to fire?

Tiny
BAD GIRL TOY DESTROYER
  • MEMBER
  • 1971 JEEP CJ5
  • 130,000 MILES
So I have a 71 CJ5. It has a Buick V6 Dauntless 225. I had to pull the engine apart to replace all the gaskets as it leaked like a sieve. Put it back together checked the timing. It cranks over and almost fires but will not run. The distributor has a vacuum advance. As it turns over there is no dragging. How ever it is back firing threw the headers.(P.S. There is no mufflers on it waiting for them to be shipped). I've tried all sort of stuff. Hoping there might be a simple answer that I might have overlooked. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Monday, October 15th, 2012 AT 1:23 AM

11 Replies

Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
OK BUDDY

SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE MECHANICAL. THAT'S A BIG PLUS

DID YOU REMOVE THE DISTRIBUTOR?

HOW DID YOU RE-INSTALL IT IF YOU DID. PROCEDURE

IT RAN BEFORE YOU TORE INTO IT?

STILL HAVE THE POINTS SYSTEM?

DO YOU HAVE A MANUAL?

JUST FOR GIGGLES (A FIELD EXPEDIENT VOLUME MEASUREMENT)

TAKE THE "CAP" OFF OF A 20 OZ PLASTIC DRINK BOTTLE---USE THE CAP---DUMP 2 CAPS OF GAS DOWN THE CARB. TRY IT. RESULTS (IN DETAIL)

HAS ANY MODIFICATIONS BEEN DONE UNDER THE HOOD, OTHER THAN MAYBE A NEW AIR CLEANER?

I TEND TO WRITE NOVEL LIKE ANSWERS. PLEASE GIVE ME BACK AT LEAST A 1/4TH IN YOUR "DETAILED" ANSWERS

I HAVE 2 JEEPS A '77 AND A '46, I HAVE HELPED OTHERS OUT WITH THEIR JEEPS. LIKE YOURS. UNFORTUNATELY I WAS NOT SNAPPING PICS BACK THEN. BEAR WITH ME, I HAVE LOTS OF PICS AND STUFF ON MINE.

COMBUSTION IS COMBUSTION IN AN OLDER JEEP.I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE!

YOU MAY NEED TO "TRANSLATE" MY PICS INTO WHAT YOU HAVE.

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR JEEP?

DO YOU REALLY LOVE YOUR JEEP?

PICS ARE NICE TO SEE TOO!

THE MEDIC

"MR. JEEP" AND "WILLY"
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Monday, October 15th, 2012 AT 1:50 AM
Tiny
BAD GIRL TOY DESTROYER
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Yes the distributor had to be removed. According to the manual it had to be set to 5 degrees for btdc. I marked the distributor and the block before I pulled it. Everything lines up. So it turns over but is dragging. Messed around with the vac advance till it was turning steady. But still not firing. Tried the two caps of gas still turns. No fire!So I pulled it back out and put the mark to 0 degrees btdc.I repeated the process. (It has a brand new rotter & cap.)That's when it started to backfire threw the headers. It ran when I bought it. Barely. Had to replace the gas tank as it had some awesomely huge holes in it. It was always temperamental to start. Unfortunately the person who had it before me tore out the manual tranie and put in an automatic.(BIG BUMMER)! Still has the clutch petal though!
I bought it for a project. Cuz your never done with a jeep!And yes I love my jeep! However my truck is on hiatus so I need to have this tuned in by the end of the week as I have to use it for my commuter to school. Thank you for any advice you may have!
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Monday, October 15th, 2012 AT 2:38 AM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
I'M HERE FOR ANOTHER HOUR. THEN NIGHTY-NIGHT TIME!

WHAT GASKETS DID YOU REPLACE?

I SUSPECT YOUR DISTRIBUTOR IS NOT IN CORRECTLY?

DO YOU HAVE A TIMING LIGHT AND A DWELL/ TACH METER?

GIVE UP THESE ANSWERS AND I'LL HOOK YOU UP WITH WHAT YOU ARE DOING WRONG

TWISTING THE BODY OF THE DISTRIBUTOR CHANGES THE TIMING---NOT INITIALLY SET IT IN TIME WITH THE PISTONS

I'LL GET YOU THERE. BE PATIENT.A BUNCH OF MY QUESTIONS, STILL ARE ANSWERLESS?

THE MEDIC
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Monday, October 15th, 2012 AT 2:55 AM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
OK. DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THERE. YOUR FULL ANSWER JUST POPPED IN.I ONLY SAW THE 1ST FEW LINES WHEN I RESPONDED.

THE MEDIC
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Monday, October 15th, 2012 AT 3:00 AM
Tiny
BAD GIRL TOY DESTROYER
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I replaced every gasket. Timing cover, intake manifold, water pump, valve covers, oil pan ect. (& I did put fluids back in it)lol! The person who owned it before me had it rebuilt. It has all new guts! However when they put everything back together the did a very piss poor job! I do have a timing light. No meter.
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Monday, October 15th, 2012 AT 3:18 AM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
NEED METER...IT'S A MUST!...IN ORDER TO CORRECTLY TIME IT

A PAWN SHOP MIGHT BE A GOOD CHEAP SOURCE!...SEE 1ST PIC OF MY FAVORITE...I HAVE A FEW BIG DINOSAURS TOO

REPLACED HEAD GASKETS?....DID YOU TORQUE THEM CORRECTLY IN STEPS?

SAME GOES FOR THE INTAKE?

HERE'S 2 VIDEOS---LISTEN CLOSELY TO THE WAY YOU MUST DO YOURS

PART 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a2X9mSSlQY

PART 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHX1yXVyIMg

WATCH 'EM SEVERAL TIMES...BEFORE YOU JUMP IN!...THEY EXPLAIN THIS WELL

KEEP ME POSTED...I GO TO WORK AT 12OO HRS--OFF AT 2000 HRS....I'LL JUMP BACK IN SOON AS I CAN

2ND PIC--COMPACT--HAS EVERYTHING--PURCHASED AT HARBOR FREIGHT.....BELONGS TO MY BUDDY

THE MEDIC
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Monday, October 15th, 2012 AT 3:53 AM
Tiny
BAD GIRL TOY DESTROYER
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Sorry it took me a while to get back to you! So I watched the videos. I started from scratch. Found top dead center & went threw the process. It still wont fire. I tested the ignition coil & the reading were all over the place so I just replaced it. & Went threw the process again. Still will crank but wont fire. Its still is backfiring threw the exhaust. I have not touched the carb but when it is turning over you can smell gas. With & without the choke on. Like it is flooded. I have tested the battery, the ignition coil (witch I replaced)Replaced the spark plugs & re gaped, replaced the spark plug wires. It has a new cap & roter. I have checked & cleaned ALL of the wire connections under the hood & the dash. Could there be something else I could be missing?
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Thursday, October 18th, 2012 AT 3:25 AM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
I WROTE YOU A NOVEL (RIGHT HERE--LAST NIGHT)

DID YOU SEE IT?

I THOUGHT MAYBE I HAD POSTED IT ON THE WRONG POST, BY MISTAKE.I LOOKED A BUNCH OVER, I DON'T SEE IT ANYWHERE

IT SEEMS TO BE GONE. COULD BE THE NEW REMODELED 2CAR SITE--OR MAYBE CENSORED?

I JUST CAME BACK TO CHECK ON YOU AND NOTICED IT IS NOT HERE.I WILL TRY TO RE-DO IT AGAIN IN THE MORNING

HAVE YOU MADE ANY PROGRESS SINCE THE LAST TIME YOU WROTE

YOU HAVE NOT MENTIONED POINTS? DOES YOURS HAVE 'EM? DO KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY INSTALL THEM AND SET THEM.I CAN HELP THERE TOO. OR DO YOU HAVE ELECTRONIC IGNITION (IF SO, WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE SYSTEM?) LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE

THE MEDIC
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Saturday, October 20th, 2012 AT 2:35 AM
Tiny
BAD GIRL TOY DESTROYER
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Nope no novel! I wrote something before the last post & it didn't post either. NO biggie!
So on a more positive note. I finally got that old CJ purring like a kitten!( A very loud kitten)
don't know what exactly I did. Just kept going threw the timing. Again and again. Finally tonight I got it!
I can pull that distributor and put that clip back on in like a minute now! Lol!
THANK YOU so much for all your help! Maybe catch you out on the trail sometime!
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Saturday, October 20th, 2012 AT 4:28 AM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
WONDERFUL!

SOMETIMES THINGS CLICK IN---I MIGHT LOOK AT A PROBLEM FOR A LONG TIME---WALK AWAY FOR AN HOUR--THEN COME BACK WITH A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE--THEN WAH-LAH!

IN THE FUTURE--IF YOU SPECIFICALLY WANNA SEEK ME OUT...JUST RETURN TO THIS POST

YOU MIGHT ALSO WANNA LOOK AT THE OTHER 2CARPROS CJ 5 & CJ 7 FORUMS---I SORTA "DOMINATE" IN ANSWERING THEM FOR THE LAST 2 OR MORE YEARS...SOME ARE OVER 100 RESPONSES LONG AND ARE JAM-PACKED W/ GOOD INFO......JUST ONE EXAMPLE BELOW

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1985-jeep-cj7-inconsistent-curb-idle-low-power-hi-rpms

THE MEDIC

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Saturday, October 20th, 2012 AT 2:07 PM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
I'VE BEEN ON HERE SINCE SOMETIME IN '09

I'VE ANSWERED MANY MANY OF THE CJs AND SOME OTHERS TOO

HERE'S ONE EXAMPLE OF A GUY WHO'S KEPT IT GOING FOR NEARLY A YEAR (MAYBE LONGER)---THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF INFO IN THIS POST ALONE

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1982-jeep-cj7-ignition-problem-spark-distributor-cap

THERE'S SEVERAL OTHERS THAT KEEP IT GOING, ASKING OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR RIG

IF YOU WANT A GUARANTEE THAT I WILL BE THE ONE TO ANSWER YOU BACK----JUST COME BACK TO THIS POST---AND KEEP ADDING ON! (OTHERS CAN STILL JUMP IN AND ANSWER TOO)

EXPLORE THE CJ 5 & CJ 7 FORUMS IN 2CARPROS

WANT SPECIFIC INFO----AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE IS "QUESTION SEARCH"---I USE IT ALL THE TIME LINKING PEOPLE TO OTHER POSTS TO KEEP ME FROM TYPING SO MUCH

IF YOU WILL INSERT --- CJ MEDEVAC JEEP WHATEVER YOUR NEED IS (LIKE BLEEDING BRAKES)

THIS MIGHT KEEP YOU FROM SEEING A MILLION DIFFERENT POSTS FROM OTHER VEHICLES

I HOPE MY INFO WAS OF SOME HELP TO YOU

THIS MAY SAVE YOU $$$ IN THE FUTURE....DOES NOT WORK FOR OIL PURCHASES

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1977-jeep-cj7-front-wheel-wont-into-4-low/page/2

I'M GLAD ONE MORE IS BACK ON THE ROAD!

THE MEDIC
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Monday, October 22nd, 2012 AT 3:31 AM

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