Hey guys,
My dad installed the slant back into the dodge I crashed a while back the other day. It's an engine that I've mever heard running but was told that it runs well and has approx 100,000km on it.
Anyway, I got the engine harness back together today and tried starting it. It cranks and cranks and occasionally backfires out the carb with a popping sound. This means that I am getting a spark, right? And I'm getting fuel so it must be timing, is that right?
I am not confident that my intake is sealing perfectly to the head either, but would that prevent it from starting?

I tried resetting the distributor but I honestly have no idea where TDC is. So I continued to just keep getting a backfire

Anyway, my main question is, would anything else be causing my backfire or is timing the only culprit?

Timing is the most likely culprit.

You need to find TDC on the compression stroke. Here is how.

(1) Pull the valve cover
(2) Using the fan and the belts, turn the crankshaft by hand while watching the valves on cylinder #1
(3) Turn the crankshaft until you see the intake valve for cylinder #1 open and then close
(4) Keep turning the crankshaft until you see the timing mark get to TDC on the timing tab
(5) Install the distributor with the rotor pointed at the spark plug tower you have selected to be the #1 spark plug tower. Most people pick the tower that corresponds roughly to the 5 o'clock position
(6) install the plug wires in the correct 1-5-3-6-2-4 firing order
(7) Leave the distributor hold-down bolt loose enough so you can turn the distributor but tight enough that the distributor will stay where you put it
(8) Using an assistant or a remote start switch, crank the engine while you SLOWLY turn the distributor counter clockwise.

If you did everything right and your valves are correctly adjusted then the motor should fire right up.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

Coil wires might be hooked up backwards.

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70 Plymouth Valiant 4dr

Firing order is clockwise.

Richard

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

I knew I forgot something. And the cylinders are numbered one to six from the fan to the firewall (#1 is by the radiator fan, #6 is by the firewall).

_________________
Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

Thanks guys, ill try this stuff today. This is a dumb question but I gotta ask.
Is a valve open when the spring is tensioned or loose?

When the lifter and push rod lifts, the rocker arm pushes down on the valve stem compressing the spring and opening the valve. If the rocker arm is on the cam base circle the rocker arm will be a little loose (lash/gap), and the valve is closed. In both instances the valve spring itself should not be loose as it is holding tension against the valve spring keeper/retainer....(if they are loose, the seats are badly worn, or the springs have lost their shims if so equipped).

So if looking for #1 firing on the distributor, the rotor will be at the #1 tower and both the intake and exhaust rockers will be loose (wiggle by hand).

-D.Idiot