Help with my ford

[Philthy]

So, not having lots of experience with the mechanical side of things (and none with old v8's), I've just put in a new distributer and rebuilt the carby on my XC (302 clevo, carter thermoquad carb) and now it won't start.

It turns over, but backfires through the carby and doesn't fire. Now there is moisture around the air-horn gasket.
Had the crank at TDC, felt compression at no.1 cylinder, then put in the distributer with the rotor pointing to no.1 lead.
I've got no fuel squirting through the jets, but there is fuel getting to the carby. If i squirt some fuel or aerostart down there it just spits it back out at me as soon as I crank it over.

Have I missed something stupid and obvious in my inexperience? I won't be here with the car for much longer so I won't be able to check things or fiddle for a couple weeks again.
Just looking for a bit of a checklist for next time

[Blown V6 Hatch]

If it backfires through the carby on aerostart, it's got to be timing...This may sound like a stupid question, but are you sure you are checking number 1 cylinder for compression and not number 5? Is the firing order definately right? 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

Bear in mind that the cylinders are numbered different on a ford to a holden V8 or Chev. 1,2,3,4 down the passangers side 5,6,7,8 down the drivers side.

[Philthy]

According to my manual, ford manual and some online diagram, its 1234 down drivers side (from front), then 5678 on passenger side (from front).
My manual said 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 (I think), then the online diagram from an american mustang 302 clevo had a slightly different firing order.
So, I was checking front drivers side for compression, and double and triple checking firing order.

So I can rule out stuffing up the carby and focus on stuffing up the timing? Thats what I was thinking.

The first time I tried, I did have it 180deg out of whack, but discovered that pretty quickly

[Blown V6 Hatch]

Ahh, sorry, yeh i got it wrong. Havn't looked at a Clevo for a while so i was going off memory. As long as you have the cylinder that it furthest forward, that's number 1. Probably no fuel in the carby as it hasn't pumped up from the tank yet, but the backfiring will be timing, so yes i'd rule out the carby and concentrate on the timing.

You are getting the firing order the right way i.e. dizzy rotation? Not going the wrong way on the dizzy cap?

[Darren_L]

Clevo distributors spin anti-clockwise too from memory
you're probably already aware of that, but a mate of mine setup his clevo dizzy assuming it spun clockwise like a Holden. Lots of pops and bangs through the carb when he wound the engine over for the first time

[Darcon666]

I think I read somewhere the firing order on the Ford 302 has not changed and is still 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8, not as you have said. The firing order on the Ford 302 HO however has been changed to 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 which is the same as the 351. REF: Answers.com - When did the firing order change on the ford 302 v8

Another thing it could be is the distributor is 1-2notches out, I have personally experienced this and after just removing the distributor out a little to free it up, then drop it 1 notch over... all good.... SO... Get your firing order sorted and then move the distributor all the way in one direction then the other. If it starts but have no movement to set the timing then your 1-2notch's wrong and need to reseat the dizzy.

Good luck with it...

[ari666]

yeah anti-clockwise for ford's. twas a mistake i made on my mates galaxie. took frikken ages to figure it out. also make doubly triply 4ply sure that the oil pump shaft thingie has slide into the end of the dizzy, otherwise it stops the drive gear from engaging the cam properley.

[Philthy]

yep, its anticlockwise. The firing order is set according to whatever the repair manual and owners manual said. I did try a different one from online at one point though.
The rotor spins with the crank so i assumed everything was slotted in right.
My money is on it being a notch or 2 out. It did backfire less and almost fire if i had it turned as far as i could one way

[ari666]

you got an assistant? if so, hook your timing light up and get them to crank while you look for where the mark is. saves you buggerising around lifting and turning the dizzy. if you havnt got an assistant there is a simple switch method i will PM you.

[Philthy]

cheers, i have an old "remote starter switch" designed for exactly what you said in the pm, but never even thought about it. Ill make sure i have it with me next time