i have a 68 toronado 455 with 500 miles on a rebuild on it. i took it out of toronado and put it in my 77 442 with a 4 speed that i installed. its mostly stock with modifications of a headers, torker,750 edelbrock vacuum secondary, comp cam roller tip rocker arms and i put a h.e.i. on it. it sat for 3 years without starting so i squirt oil in to soak the piston rings--i have good compression
engine seems real sluggish when trying to start. i have a new 875 cca battery. when i take the plugs out it spins a hell of alot easier. i am getting spark, i have put in h.e.i. at TDC of #1 cylinder. i am getting fuel. i push the clutch in when starting-- i am guessing it may be the roller tip rocker arms
when i put them in i turned moter over until exhaust valve started to lift, hen spun the stock INTAKE push rod until it started to get resistance--then i tighted it down half a turn( i could not do this on all of them for if i turned it half a turn it would have been too tight) -
then we turned moter over until intake valve was up all the way and on its way down--then did the same thing on the EXHAUST valves
I WOULD BE SO THANKFUL IF SOMEONE CAN HELP ME OUT--

 

For a engine to fire, you need air, fuel, and spark. Are you getting fuel?? Was the engine running when you put it in the 442? Could be a timing issue.

 

yes it was running. it has 500 miles on rebuild. i am getting fuel

 

Start with the simple things. Is you firing order correct. The distributor on the Olds engine spins counter clockwise so your firing order must be counter clockwise.

Did you disconnect a plug wire and hold it a 1/4 inch for a grounded surface to make sure you have spark?

Recheck the sequence on the valve train again according to the comp cam directions.

 

All great advice. Check out each one of these points. It's probably one of these things that's causing your problems.

 

firing order is correct- i am getting spark. i will check sequence out. i will try to get back to you tomarrow. i am using a library computer unfortunately and its a long way to the garage. thanks so much for you help

 

Did you put new plugs in after the oil job ? What about the gas and or the tank and pump? can you see it prime the carb when you pump it ? will it pop or bark thrue the carb or mufflers ? or Does it not spin fast enough to get the party started?

 

Spray a bit of ether or starting fluid into the carb while cranking!! Not much, a little goes a long way! If it fires then you have a fuel issue!

 

Not entirely...I just cranked mine on Tuesday and tried everything, starting fluid and all. It got a pop or two but backfired and wouldn't crank. Remember, we dynoed this engine 2 weeks ago and it ran great, we didn't change anything.

Turns out, I loosened the distributor and retarded the timing a little bit...it fired right up. The dyno had a delay (adv/ret) box on it and it was inadvertently retarded. When we timed for 35 degrees total we had to over come the retard from the box. So on my MSD 6AL box, we were WAY over 35 total, thus the reason it wouldn't crank.

My vote is you try advancing or retarding your distributor a little bit and crank it again.

 

That's what I suggested in my original post.. Could be a timing issue.

 

OOps, been there done that!! Glad you got it!!