Fawk me running! Need 455 Distributor help

[Drunk tank]

Well I put my HEI in the other day and today I finaly wired it up to the ignition. Well I decided to try and fire it up and it didnt go so well...
The engine would fire for a second or two (maybe three) and then die. I checked the plug wires to make sure they were in the right order and they were. So I'm guessing when i put it in I didnt do a very good job on getting it really close. Most likley the timing is sooo off that it cant function. How should I go about solving this?
And to top it off... was checking the oil and sure enough... its choclate milk. Guess I'm gonna have to add replacing intake manifold gasket to the endless shit to do. :( Looks like no lake for me this weekend :mad:

[Foggerjet]

Timing is probly just a little off. Try advancing it a little. Turn the dist. clockwise on an olds to advance it, a little goes a long way so be gingerly. If you advance too far the motor will turn over real slow, like it's full of water, (anyone, anyone?) Anyway, once you get it to run you can set the timing with a light. Someone may have an easier startup proceedure, but this ought to get you cranked up and running. Also, I think we went over this in a previous thread but make sure you remove the ballast from the system when converting to elec. ign.
fog

[Drunk tank]

I have no idea what a ballast is..... but i ripped everything attached to the points dist. out of there. All I have hooked to this one is the battery wire which goes up to my keys on position and is fed directly from the battery.

[fourspeednup]

Originally posted by Drunk tank
I have no idea what a ballast is..... but i ripped everything attached to the points dist. out of there. All I have hooked to this one is the battery wire which goes up to my keys on position and is fed directly from the battery.
Ballast resistor...takes the 12-14 volt input down to around 7 so as not to burn up the points on the old distributor
A lot of people accidentally leave this part in when doing the HEI conversion and have goofy ignition graemlins since it isn't getting the required 12 volts:cool:
Sucks about the milkshake, get that shit outta the motor ASAP! Been down that road once or twice:yuk:

[kingb36]

The ballast resistor wouldn't be connected to the old distibutor, but to the + side of the ignition coil, usually mounted to the block.
Look for a white ceramic block about 3/4 inch square and 3 inches long with 2 terminals, one at each end. If it's still there, you don't even need to remove it, just connect the wires from each side together onto one terminal. (either one, doesn't matter)

[Drunk tank]

Ah yes... that thing... Ya I ripped it out. I actually threw it on the concrete cause I wanted to see it break :D

[fleetimus]

It sounds like the dist is wired to the start position on the key. It needs to be wired to a key on hot position. I went thru the same thing when I hooked up my first HEI.

[CrdStang]

Yeah I've done that too, confused the crap out of me for a while..

[Drunk tank]

nope... made sure I didnt do that. It's hooved to the same lead that supplies my fuel pump with power

[Cheap Thrills]

check initial timing ,
bring number one cylinder up to TDC on the compression stroke and check the dist. rotor for alignment with number one plug wire .
if your unshure wich stroke your on when number one cylinder is at TDC heres what I do if its too much trouble to remove the valve cover to check if both valves are close . do this . remove number one spark plug place your finger over the plug hole and bump the starter until you feel it compress air . then using a socket turn the harmonic balancer nut until the timing marks line up with TDC . check the alignment of the dist.rotor with number one plug wire . once everything looks like it's in the ballpark try to start it up . you may have to play with the dist. timing a little to get it running . it's ok to do while trying to start it just dont have your face over the carb in the event you go too far and poof no eyebrows :D
hope that helps
Good luck
C.T. :wink:

[jim lee]

Starts, Farts & dies. Then, you find oil in the water.. err water in the oil. #1 pull the plugs and give it a compression test. A blown head gasket has the same symtoms. I'd rule this out first thing.
P.S. What kinda' boat is that you have there? I really lik the lines.
-jim lee

[JET-O-VATOR]

DOESNT THE HEI HAVE A TOTAL OF 60 DEGREES OF ADVANCEMENT WHEN THE 455 NEEDS NO MORE THAN 30. OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT i PUT AN HEI ON MY BOAT AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. I TORE IT OFF AND PUT A MALLORY DUAL POINT IN IT AND NOW NO PROBLEMS.......

[BrendellaJet]

This is an olds motor right? THey are prone to this with the turkey tray intake gasket. Could also be a bead gasket like Jim lee said. Looks like you have some work to do. I wouldn't bother timing it now. Just tear it apart, its not very difficult to do. Make sure you upgrade to the paper gasket for the intake. Also try to find some 3m weatherstripping adhesive(the yellow stuff) It works great around the intake ports. Just be careful with it, its messy.

[JET-O-VATOR]

AND IF YOU DO PUT THE MALLORY IN IT MAKE SURE THAT YOU DONT PLUG THE BALLAST RESISTOR IN BACKWARDS DID THAT TWO AND FAWKED UP A HOLE RIVER TRIP.

[diggler]

Hey DT, you ever get that engine running?