Corrected firing order, now car won't start / backfires

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Old February 10th, 2016, 03:47 PM
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Corrected firing order, now car won't start / backfires

Hey all,

After reading around some, I kept seeing the 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 firing order being THE correct firing order for the 425 in my '67. Reading this, I inspected motor to find that someone had completely scrambled that order, so I corrected it (foolishly not documenting what order it was in previously.. lesson learned), thinking that would resolve the issue of the car being hard to start at times even after being totally warmed up, as well as a few other bugs in the starting process. I tried to start car twice, VERY briefly, and got a backfire each time. I'm assuming the timing is far, far off, now? Am I correct in thinking so?

Also, thanks to the help from another member, I discovered someone had put timing tab on upside down at some point. Who knows what else someone did to the poor girl.

I read this post VERY carefully, as well as other suggestions to other members with backfiring issues of making sure I'm starting in the right spot:




So my question is this: what should I do/not do next to ensure I won't mess something up royally? I did see in a couple other threads a process of finding TDC through compression at the plug, then seeing where rotor is pointing, making sure that part in the distributor is correct.

I thank you all IMMENSELY for your help and any insights!
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Old February 10th, 2016, 03:52 PM
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I think you are right on track with the TDC on one then inspect. Really can't mess that up?


Maybe its a tooth off?
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Old February 10th, 2016, 04:01 PM
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Sent pm. I never used that diagram as it not what is in tuning guide. Chilton or Mondello book.I guess you can put Number one where you want.
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Old February 10th, 2016, 04:15 PM
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That is the correct firing order and the wiring positions for an hei. The engine does not care where #1 is wired to as long as the rotor points to it when the #1 cylinder is on the compression stroke. You may have your distributor 180 out or 2 wires crossed.
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Old February 10th, 2016, 04:32 PM
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Originally Posted by oldcutlass
That is the correct firing order and the wiring positions for an hei. The engine does not care where #1 is wired to as long as the rotor points to it when the #1 cylinder is on the compression stroke. You may have your distributor 180 out or 2 wires crossed.
I would love to see you advance that distributor When you are against the fire wall per his drawing. Your depiction Eric is correct.Like i said you can put # one where you want i just do it per the drawing you showed.

Last edited by wr1970; February 10th, 2016 at 05:11 PM.
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Old February 10th, 2016, 04:59 PM
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FWIW i found that the hei example eric shared works like clockwork for me and is what i always set it to when firing up a new engine or restabbing the dist. . I always had issues trying to set #1 in a more beneficial spot for advancing reasons. WR1970 i can still get 20 initial with the set up eric showed and im running an HEI., advancing the dist. would peg the vac. advance closer to the firewall ., i think you mean advancing not dis advancing ??? not sure what you mean on that one a. Personally i would start from scratch. FIND tdc on the compression stroke and all that fun stuff.
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Old February 10th, 2016, 05:07 PM
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Retarding
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Old February 10th, 2016, 05:08 PM
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hahaha yes the only time its politically correct to use retard lol !!!
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Old February 10th, 2016, 05:10 PM
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Copper the op diagram is what i am talking about not Eric's. Yes dis-advance oops.So i corrected the post.LOL

Last edited by wr1970; February 10th, 2016 at 05:13 PM.
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Old February 10th, 2016, 05:11 PM
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Thank you all so much! Great points all around. And Eric, I believe it is an HEI setup, but your diagram shows the #1 one spot clockwise as opposed to that diagram I put up. Still doesn't matter where #1 is, right?
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Old February 10th, 2016, 05:16 PM
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Neely i see what you are talking about now yes that would cause issues lol. I dont know why they would put #1 so far away. I was taught years ago to put #1 facing towards the #1 cylinder. Dunno if its right but it works lol.
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Old February 10th, 2016, 05:16 PM
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Your vacuum advance will hit the fire wall. That is why i use the one in Eric's picture which like i said is in the books. That is the little pod on the side of the dist. I hope this helps.

Last edited by wr1970; February 10th, 2016 at 05:19 PM.
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Old February 10th, 2016, 05:18 PM
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Excellent.. I'll give this idea a try, then if it doesn't work, do the entire process. You guys are more than helpful. And funny.
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Old February 10th, 2016, 05:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Jake Mack
Thank you all so much! Great points all around. And Eric, I believe it is an HEI setup, but your diagram shows the #1 one spot clockwise as opposed to that diagram I put up. Still doesn't matter where #1 is, right?
As long as #1 IS at tdc, the rotor will be at #1 where it is on the cap. Then just follow through with the rest of them.
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Old February 10th, 2016, 05:24 PM
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This is exactly how I run mine. My #1 is actually before the terminals. I wanted to make sure I said what I did right and visuals always work better. I religiously leave markings on my manifold and dist. for references so the only thing i can screw up is wether or not im on tdc on the compression stroke.

Last edited by coppercutlass; February 10th, 2016 at 05:27 PM.
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Old February 10th, 2016, 05:27 PM
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Mine is just like yours copper!
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Old February 10th, 2016, 05:48 PM
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I haven't run HEI in a while but I used to put #1 where you have #8.
Personal preference I suppose.
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Old February 10th, 2016, 06:50 PM
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Originally Posted by coppercutlass
Neely i see what you are talking about now yes that would cause issues lol. I dont know why they would put #1 so far away. I was taught years ago to put #1 facing towards the #1 cylinder. Dunno if its right but it works lol.
Yup, it works....
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Old February 10th, 2016, 07:14 PM
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Like I said the engine does not care where #1 is as long as everything is set/wired correctly. I don't know why they chose 2 different positions for #1 for pts vs hei.
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Old February 11th, 2016, 08:41 AM
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Always makes me laugh when people get so wrapped up on where #1 should be.
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Old February 13th, 2016, 10:14 PM
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Originally Posted by TripDeuces
Always makes me laugh when people get so wrapped up on where #1 should be.
Any time I change out a cap and wires I run the wires first then change the rotor around so it lines up correctly. Dad taught me that trick, dress the wires where you want them and then adjust the distributor to where you want it.
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Old February 13th, 2016, 10:29 PM
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Your dad obviously knew his way around a motor. I do the same thing. It makes it much easier.
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Old February 20th, 2016, 12:42 PM
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Hey all.. been a bit before I had the chance to work on the car again. Finally figured out #1, TDC, and got the firing order right. Now, the car is spitting a gas mist out of the carb when trying to start.. what should my next course of action be/what do you think it is?
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Old February 20th, 2016, 12:58 PM
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The timing may be too far advanced, turn the distributor ccw an inch. It may be 180 degrees out, put the #1 wire in where #6 is and rewire from there, or pull the distributor and rotate the rotor 180 degrees and reinstall.
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Old February 20th, 2016, 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by oldcutlass
The timing may be too far advanced, turn the distributor ccw an inch. It may be 180 degrees out, put the #1 wire in where #6 is and rewire from there, or pull the distributor and rotate the rotor 180 degrees and reinstall.
My thoughts, exactly.. I tried adjusting the dist., thinking it's 180.. I'll post what happens!

Thanks, Eric!
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Old February 20th, 2016, 01:31 PM
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It was 180 - out. Great call, Eric, and thanks once more! Fired right up. Nice n' smooth.
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Old February 20th, 2016, 01:54 PM
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Don't ask me how I knew... I will say your not the first, good job.
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Old February 20th, 2016, 02:15 PM
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Ha!.. never good to be the only one. Thanks again!
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