Car won't start after rebuild of the head [FIXED!]

[Vandrid]

Needing some help here, I just replaced all the gaskets on the head of my 79 Spider. as well as a new intake, new water pump, new timing, new fuel pump, and a new 32/36 DFEV. I set everything to TDC before taking it apart. When I was putting it all back together I had to move the cams into the correct positions to get them back to TDC. I just finished making sure the dist cap was set to the #4 position and the thing won't turn over. I had a few fires but nothing big. Just double checked all the timing and its all set.
Am I missing something? any help would be great since I am at a loss currently.

[RRoller123]

Maybe there is not enough gas in the carb to fill the bowl? If mechanical fuel pump, maybe needs priming?

Or cam timing? This chart may help:

[phaetn]

I guess start with the basics:

Do you have spark?
Do you have compression (even if tested with cold engine).
Do you smell gas in the carb? Is there any in the float bowl?

You have changed many things at once so it may be hard to narrow down the issue.

I can understand your frustration, though. I just installed a newly machined head and kept burning coolant. Turns out it was coming from the intake manifold, But I didn’t figure that out before I took everything off and installed another head gasket.

Hardest part was that I was off a tooth at the crank. I could have sworn I was at top dead center (verified with scope camera), but the belt wasn’t sitting right which meant cam timing and ignition timing was off.

It was a bear, but i finally got it with a friend’s help. It all looked good like it was lining up with the timing belt cover as it should, but it wasn’t until we compared it to another identical engine side by side that we could see was off.

You will get it, too. Hang in there! These engines are really simple sometimes it just takes extra time and patience. Walk away for a while and go back to with a clear head.

Cheers and good luck,
phaetn

[Vandrid]

well I got it to run, if only for a second. The problem was my distributor in wrong place. now my fuel pump isn't pumping and I think it is the auxiliary shaft. I have tried everything else to get the pump to go but it just won't. installed it 3 or 4 times making sure it was over the shaft but I'm still not getting any fuel.
Is there anything else it could be before I start taking out the aux shaft?

[phaetn]

Sorry, can’t help there. I’ve got an electric fuel pump. All I know is to make sure the aux shaft is at 1 o’clock so as to avoid the lobe touching with a conrod and blowing out the side of the block.

Cheers,
phaetn

[sptcoupe]

Is your timing still at TDC? What do you mean the distributor was in the wrong place? Are you sure the plug wires go to the correct distributor connection?

[Vandrid]

Is your timing still at TDC? What do you mean the distributor was in the wrong place? Are you sure the plug wires go to the correct distributor connection?

wrong place meaning when I installed it it was not facing the correct direction at #4 exactly.

Still have a problem with the fuel pump. I'm getting an endoscope and putting it in the engine before I go tearing it apart to find that the auxiliary shaft is just fine...

[ORFORD2004]

What about switch in and out of the pump?

[Vandrid]

What about switch in and out of the pump?

Not sure what you mean, but I've pulled out the new pump and replaced it 4 times now

[ORFORD2004]

Maybe your output is actually the input
Remove the sparks plugs to be able to crank faster and put your hose connected to the carburetor in a jar and crank the engine.
You will see if you got fuel

[Vandrid]

Just sent an endoscope down where fuel pump enters the block and the auxiliary shaft is definitely broken. Looks like it's time to start getting in there and taking it all apart.

Anyone done this before? If so do you have any tips in advance? Following the manual it looks like the oil pan comes off, then the oil pump. Next would be the cog for the auxiliary shaft and then the cover, then pulling out the shaft and replacing it. New gaskets and then putting it all back together. Does that sound right?

[Vandrid]

Well I believe I found the problem...
Looks like I need to go fishing for the rest of that, I assume it most likely fell in the oil pan.

[seabeelt]

Yup, been there done that. If you disconnect the motor mounts, and jack the tranny a bit, you can get the oil pan loose and top enough to fish the other half out with a magnet. replace the pan with a new gasket, get a new shaft (Danny's fun imported) Make sure care is #4 at TDC then install shaft with alignment hole at 1:00 o'clock.

[Vandrid]

Yup, been there done that. If you disconnect the motor mounts, and jack the tranny a bit, you can get the oil pan loose and top enough to fish the other half out with a magnet. replace the pan with a new gasket, get a new shaft (Danny's fun imported) Make sure care is #4 at TDC then install shaft with alignment hole at 1:00 o'clock.

Thanks for the advice, I was wondering how I was going to get the pan out. Hopefully all the parts will be in this week and I can get this thing back on the road before winter hits

[RRoller123]

make sure TDC on the COMPRESSION stroke.