oh dear... dead in the water

[wantone]

Ok - Got the plugs in and re-did the fuel line like 4 times before all leaks were fixed.   Decided to start the car and tinker with the carb vacuum to get a leaner condition.   

So... after doing that, I wanted to see if I could get the timing a little further advanced to around 38 total timing ( I don't have timing tape on the balancer anymore ).   Next thing I do is go for a drive and realize I screwed myself as I went in the wrong direction.   Next thing I know, I can't find the last / original  - good timing location. 

So - I get to tweaking by hand at my summit billet dizzy and can't get the car to even start... So I started holding the throttle open and trying to start the car.   Next thing I know, I get a backfire so hard that my muffler explodes and coughs up a ton of rust onto the ground.  I now can't get the car started even. 

I'm going to wait until tomorrow to see if the car was just flooded and hopefully it will start up.   

How do you suppose I proceed?

You think I should pull the carb and replace the surely blown power valve & maybe even the accelerator pump before attempting to start the car?    Also - DO you think I need to pull the dizzy and re-install it?   Get the 1 cylinder to TDC and start over?    You think that there is any chance the dizzy broke?   I can't figure why it's not starting up.

[cudabob496]

backfire probably due to too much timing advance.

I would just try to restart it, then see how it runs, before taking stuff apart

[HP_Cuda]

retard the timing at least 5-7 degrees and try to start it.

once you get it running then put a timing light on it and get it where you want.

[wantone]

I went out and retarded the timing 5-7 degrees like 4 times consecutively and the car sounds like it wants to fire but won't.   I get the car seeming like it's running while i'm cranking with the key and it quits immediately after i stop cranking... Is there a chance my Summit Distributor took a dump on me when the car backfired?

[wantone]

Also - I am running a vacuum / mechanical distributor :  IS there a chance that the backfire killed this thing?

[HP_Cuda]

Try plugging the vacuum advance on both ends and starting her up.

Possible the distrib took a dump.

How old is the coil? Other ignition components?

[wantone]

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-850421

I only have 1 vacuum port on this dizzy.  The coil is new: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-850500   

[jhaag]

Simply rotate the engine to TDC on #1. remove the cap and set dist so that the rotor is pointing to the #1 plug wire. The car should start unless something else is wrong. Once running put a timing light on and set where needed. 

[HP_Cuda]

If the car was running before I don't see how the distrib can skip a tooth.

But yeah pull plug #1 put it at TDC and tell us where the rotor is pointing.

[734406pk]

  At this point, it would be a good idea to start at the beginning. Set your static base timing on the compression stroke #1 cylinder first and see if the engine will start. 10 Deg BTDC compression is a safe static base timing position for a 440.

[wantone]

Engine will fire normally but won't stay running longer than I hold the key in the cranking position.  I'm at a loss outside of blaming the dizzy.   It and the coil (h.e. mentioned above) were new at the same time.  Maybe something broke in the dizzy to where it can't keep the spark going outside of cranking?

[Strawdawg]

sounds like you have lost power in the run position.  See if you have power on the blue wire in the ignition when the key is in the Run position

[Chryco Psycho]

Check the ballast resistor you likely only have power cranking because it has failed

[brads70]

Check the ballast resistor you likely only have power cranking because it has failed

   Classic Mopar! Keep a spare in the glove box!    It always the simple things we overlook first.

[734406pk]

sounds like you have lost power in the run position.  See if you have power on the blue wire in the ignition when the key is in the Run position

 

Check for loss of power on the (Blue) run circuit.