Tweet
OK so i know this isn't a firebird or camaro but I'm working on a 71 Pontiac GTO its all original all numbers matching it has the pontiac 400 big block HO the story behind it was the original owner got into a fender bender and parked it .....car sat for 25 years before the neighbor picked it up...iv spent the last 5 days working on it trying to get it ready to sell...we changed the oil..plugs..and put new gas in it ...still wont start the plug wires were all messed up so we tried to get it in order and still nothing iv pulled the distributor out and back in SEVERAL times....my question is when the motor is TDC timing marks line up...what was should the rotor be facing, toward pistion 1 or doesnt it matter as long as i start the firing order were the rotor ends up at ????...i know the firing order and the order on the block..my problem is getting it started what do you guys suggest i do
-
-
#1 always faces the #1 cylinder.. I think the rotation of the distributor is backwards or something.. I cant recall cuz I havent touched Pontiac stuff in years.. I thought that was the issue though-08 G8 GT DD: Rotofab CAI, HID's, Breyton Race GTS'
-86 Iroc Project: LQ4, Th400, S400, Ford 9" -
yea thats the problem but im not sure if the rotor had to be facing piston 1Comment
-
Been a long time for me aswell but theoretically as long as the rotor is facing the #1 plug wire and the fireing order is correct it should work.
But if memmory serves the #1 plug wire was at roughly 1 O clock on the distributor pointing towards the firewall. at least it was on my old `79 with HEI.
Good luckCraigSemi Retired Street Racer2012 Lava Red Mustang GT 5.0 MT82GONE BUT NOT FORGOTEN
sigpic
NBM `98 Formula M6 HdTp
1 of 1 Build Date 3/12/98
"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical, liberal minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."
"For you who believe all you read, I caution you - you are daily being brainwashed for profit by extremely effective psychology with very little regard to factual accuracy. In short, you're at the mercy of the world's greatest bullshit artists with the morals of a stray tomcat."
- Smokey YunickComment
-
im gonna have to try it once its stops rainingComment
-
Rotor should be facing #1 Plug. Are you getting any spark? How about fuel? You should be getting a backfire or something.Comment
-
Like I said.
Pontiac is COUNTER clockwise.
Chevy is clockwise.
Make sure you have the firing order correct.sigpicComment
-
Yep...and the rotor should be pointing to about 5 o'clock.Originally posted by tenpin842 View Post
As a very brief aside, they never made a 400 HO in 71...check the 2-letter designation on the block to find out what it is...should be either XX, WT, WK, or YS.Originally posted by Redd8407Originally posted by Z28ISGR8Originally posted by DarrenComment
-
iv got the firing order right...it back fires when i turn it over...and Yes they did make a HO 400 in the 71 cuz i had to tell the auto parts store that in order to get the fuek pumpComment
-
hmm, this is what I found for the engines:Originally posted by scubasteve18 View Post
400 V8 300 bhp @ 4800 rpm, 400 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm.
455 V8 325 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 455 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.
455 V8 HO 335 bhp @ 4800 rpm, 480 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm.
Good luck getting it fired up though, sitting that long it could be a handful of things causing it to not start.
Does it crank over? Sputter? anything?------------------------------------------
2004 GMC Envoy - Tuned, Airraid Intake, rest stock
2005 Malibu - Stock, anyone have a ecotec factory gm supercharger for me? lol
5th gen Camaro V6 Forums
http://www.bowtiev6.comComment
-
Check again. I know Jeff knows his stuff.
1971
Pontiac 400: WK, WS, WT (manual), XX, YS, YX (automatic)
Pontiac 455: WC, WJ, WL (manual), YC, YE (automatic)sigpicComment
-
Seems like the HO was only in the 455 version..Originally posted by 81DaytonaPaceCar View Post
The first emissions regulations took a bite out of engine performance during '71 with compression ratios dropping virtually across the board. An ongoing switch at GM from "SAE gross" to "SAE net" horsepower ratings garbles the comparison, but the GTO's base 400-cubic-inch four-barrel engine was now rated at 300 hp, while the 455 was now offered in "regular" 325-hp and 335-horse "HO" versions. Both the HO and 400 engines were available with or without a new Ram Air system.sigpic
U.S. Army 1983-2005
11.20@122.37 1.51 60'
Originally posted by WMCCjamesComment
-
Were you able to check that it is on the compression stroke? Try advancing and retarding the dist some to see if it will start. Sounds like the distributor is in 180deg. off. If so, lift the dist up, crank over the motor. Move the crankshaft exactly 1 rotation, and then set the dist. back in position and see if it will start.Comment
-
Nope...not for GTOs...being a 4-speed, it should be either a WK or WT block code if it's the original 400...
http://www.gtoalley.com/engcodens.html
Last edited by 81DaytonaPaceCar; April 26th, 2009, 10:51 AM.Originally posted by Redd8407Originally posted by Z28ISGR8Originally posted by DarrenComment
-
Originally posted by TB2 View Post
It's been a while since I pulled a distributor. Logic tells you that you have a 50/50 chance of getting the distributor in correctly. In practice, you'll get it wrong 90% of the time.
Another rare possibility is the inertia ring (w/ the timing marks) slipped on the damper. With the timing mark on 0, pull #1 plug, and verify the piston is at the top of it's stroke.Comment
Comment