spark plug wire debacle plus more..HELP!, plug wires and plugs now wont start Options

[thecleanoutking]

no help

[porschetub]

no help

Hard to answer with no background of your car or what you have done except change the leads ?? reason you have had no response ok ,you help folks and you will get all the help you need ....this forum is like that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) .
Cheers.

[fiacra]

Agreed. Need much more information in order to be able to help. However in my experience assuming the car was running fine before you did this the most common reason your car won't start after you changed the spark plugs and leads is that you put the wires back on incorrectly. Check and make sure you got the firing order right and go from there. If that's not it, take some time to tell us what car you are working on, some background information, what parts you used, why you changed them, etc. Hard to flow chart a path forward based mostly on the statement "no help" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[TheCabinetmaker]

It's a game show!

[brant]

Give us details please

In general any problem on any car is mostly related to the last thing that was touched

[FlacaProductions]

Pictures help as well.
You can't share too many details and specifics.

[Superhawk996]

It's a game show!

I’d like . . . Oops I accidentally knocked one of the wires off coil for $500.

[fiacra]

It's a game show!

I’d like . . . Oops I accidentally knocked one of the wires off coil for $500.

I already have "wires not on correct plugs."

I'll also take "cap or rotor not properly seated" for $250.

[emerygt350]

I'll take "knocked the negative off the coil for $100"
Shoot, I see that must be what superhawk added.

[Superhawk996]

I'll take "knocked the negative off the coil for $100"
Shoot, I see that must be what superhawk added.

You can have that one Emery (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) I cheated by implying could be either positive or negative.

Imma’ gonna’ go all in on the daily double.

I’ll take the rare, but frustration inducing, “I left the key ‘On’ for an extended duration and burned out the Pertronix” for $1000 please. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

To the OP whom I just realized is relatively new: (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) hopefully doesn’t take this the wrong way and doesn’t mind us having some fun. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[bkrantz]

Maybe we were supposed to show up at his house.

[iankarr]

It's a game show!

I’d like . . . Oops I accidentally knocked one of the wires off coil for $500.

Yep. Or “unseated the distributor cap for 1000”
EDIT: damn…Fiacra beat me to the buzzer!

[porschetub]

It's a game show!

I’d like . . . Oops I accidentally knocked one of the wires off coil for $500.

Yep. Or “unseated the distributor cap for 1000”
EDIT: damn…Fiacra beat me to the buzzer!

Or what about forgot to fit rotor .....priceless (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) .
Appears OP has gone to ground ?? .

[NARP74]

Never mind for $500 please...

[thecleanoutking]

For The win...I'm just an idiot sometimes..

I posted my whole debacle then when no one responded I kind of of deleted it in frustration..

All i did was change my plugs and wires and now it won't start.. I checked the rotor seat, the cap is seated, the coil wire is on switched the wires on the cap so many times not sure where I am anymore/

Can anyone with patience please help me where to start re-running the wires 1-4-3-2

One of the biggest embracement's is my car is a 74 I thought 1.8 but now I'm convinced its a 1.7

[fiacra]

We've all been there. Or at least I have. Glad the attempts at witty repartee didn't totally drive you away. It's is not done with a mean spirit. There is a lot of people here with a well honed fund of knowledge and willingness to help out. Others far more knowledgeable than me will undoubtedly soon chime in. Be patient.

First off, if you have a 1974, and the engine has not been swapped, you have either a 1.8 or a 2.0. You can confirm with the serial number on the engine. As far as firing order it doesn't matter, they are the same across all 4 cylinder engines and all years. Not sure if you are asking for the position of the wires on the cap, or the routing of the wires. As far as where to put the wires on the cap, if you look at the rim of the distributor you'll see a small notch. That will line up with cylinder #1. In the picture of your distributor I see it at roughly 12 o'clock. From there go clockwise to get 4-3-2. As far as routing I'll attach some photos of my 1975 1.8 engine. It should be basically the same for all engines.

If it ran fine before you started to work on it then chances are something you changed or did is the culprit. Something else could have happened, but temporal coincidences are rare events. Not "never" events, but rare. Right off the bat I'd suspect either you have the wrong firing order, something is not properly connected, or you knocked something loose. Carefully check the lead from the coil to the cap and make sure it is seated at both ends. You should feel it click into place. Confirm the correct firing order. Look for any loose wires. Did you use the correct spark plugs? All those good? Check to make sure you have spark. If so, move on to see if you have gas. I'm spitballing right now because it is late at night after a long day, but work your way down the troubleshooting flow chart. Don't have a manual? Get one, borrow one, etc. Post your progress, ask every question, post pictures. You are sure to get the help you need.

Here's a picture of my distributor. You can clearly see the notch for cylinder #1 at 2 o'clock.



Some quick pictures of my engine bay. Hopefully you can see where the spark plug wires are running. I can get better pictures tomorrow if you need them.

[thecleanoutking]

Fiacra,
Thanks so much I really needed the vote of confidence and your tone was much appreciated. As much as I want to be able to work on my own cars it just gets frustrating sometimes.. Just need to take a deep breath and get back out there and start from the basics. I know most are just kidding around with the comments ..

My concern is that rev limiting rotor just doesn't seem to sit right down in there and maybe I just need to try again..

Thanks..keep you posted

We've all been there. Or at least I have. Glad the attempts at witty repartee didn't totally drive you away. It's is not done with a mean spirit. There is a lot of people here with a well honed fund of knowledge and willingness to help out. Others far more knowledgeable than me will undoubtedly soon chime in. Be patient.

First off, if you have a 1974, and the engine has not been swapped, you have either a 1.8 or a 2.0. You can confirm with the serial number on the engine. As far as firing order it doesn't matter, they are the same across all 4 cylinder engines and all years. Not sure if you are asking for the position of the wires on the cap, or the routing of the wires. As far as where to put the wireow s on the cap, if you look at the rim of the distributor you'll see a small notch. That will line up with cylinder #1. In the picture of your distributor I see it at roughly 12 o'clock. From there go clockwise to get 4-3-2. As far as routing I'll attach some photos of my 1975 1.8 engine. It should be basically the same for all engines.

If it ran fine before you started to work on it then chances are something you changed or did is the culprit. Something else could have happened, but temporal coincidences are rare events. Not "never" events, but rare. Right off the bat I'd suspect either you have the wrong firing order, something is not properly connected, or you knocked something loose. Carefully check the lead from the coil to the cap and make sure it is seated at both ends. You should feel it click into place. Confirm the correct firing order. Look for any loose wires. Did you use the correct spark plugs? All those good? Check to make sure you have spark. If so, move on to see if you have gas. I'm spitballing right now because it is late at night after a long day, but work your way down the troubleshooting flow chart. Don't have a manual? Get one, borrow one, etc. Post your progress, ask every question, post pictures. You are sure to get the help you need.

Here's a picture of my distributor. You can clearly see the notch for cylinder #1 at 2 o'clock.



Some quick pictures of my engine bay. Hopefully you can see where the spark plug wires are running. I can get better pictures tomorrow if you need them.

[sportlicherFahrer]

my car is a 74 I thought 1.8 but now I'm convinced its a 1.7

I do see what looks like D-jet trigger wires below the red vacuum hose, so it is likely to be a 2.0 or 1.7. No telling what has been done in the way of engine rebuilds in the last 50 years though... A zoomed out picture and/or the engine serial number will help us guess at what it may be, not that size will really help determine the issue.

However, one spot to check that is common to the area you're working with IS those white wires under the red vacuum hose that go to a connector in the bottom of the distributor. That connector can get worn and make poor contact. If that happens your injectors won't fire.

Another spot to check is the grounding point at the back of the engine. It is located on one of case bolts and should have a group of white wires on three different spades. Those can also can be easily knocked off when replacing plug wires if the spades are worn/bent. Those are the grounds for the injectors and will also cause them to not fire.

[TheCabinetmaker]

Welcome to the world. We're here to help, but we need lots of info to do that. Hope you're not too thin skinned. We like to have fun. Great group of guys here, all willing to help.

Did you just change plug wires and nothing else? Check all the various wiring connectors. Verify the coil wire is seated all the way. Post some pics of the that area around the dizzy. There are some great eyes here!

[Jack Standz]

It looks like you changed the plugs. Hopefully, you got the correct plugs, as there are short-reach and long-reach.

After using the above posts to install the plug wires on the distributor cap (start at plug wire #1, then add the others in a clockwise manner looking down on the top of the cap, 1, 4, 3, 2) the tins have the cylinder number stamped in them above the spark plug access hole. Route the wires to the correct hole. If a wire won't reach, swap it for one of the longer ones. You can even take a sharpie marker and write the #s right on the cap.

These photos may help (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif). And, what every one else said.