351 windser problems

im having problems getting my 351 windser to start up on a costant basies .it will crank but not fire up .i have fuel going to carb and power to stater distribetor is new what should i check next


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Check compression and cam timing to crankshaft if this is an older engine.

Compression to see if there's enough pressure to get the fire started in the cylinders.

Cam position to crankshaft to see if the timing set is worn out letting the cam to fall late to the crank. Typical of this is an early indicator where the ignition base advance has to be adjusted frequently. Another test if you get it running is to accelerate the engine then snap the throttle closed while checking the timing marks with the timing light. If the marks move around more than a couple degrees rather than settle back to the base setting, there likely is slop in the timing gears and chain. Do this with the vacuum advance disconnected and the port plugged. You can also do a vacuum test if you get it running, if it shows low vacuum the timing ignition or cam or both is retarded. Unfortunately a degree wheel test for proof positive is quite complex and requires an investment in some tools.

Otherwise if you have a shot of fuel and a spark it should run. You might want to try something easier to burn like starting fluid in cold weather to see if there's any desire to start even on something like ether. This of course assumes the distributor timing itself close to correct.

Bogie

If your running the Autolite carburator, they are tough to get going when the engine is cold. After the engine is warmed up, no problem. I know I have to crank my motor and pump the gas pedal several times before the engine will fire up. I still have feather the pedal to keep the engine from stalling. After it warms up, runs great and starts right up. If your choke is adjusted to wide open, that will cause problems when starting and keeping the engine running when it's cold as well. If your still running points, get rid of those and go with an electronic ignition. I'm running the Pertronix ignition which is a simple install and works great. It made a big difference on starting.

well thanks guys ill give it a shot .im thinking the timing is probly realy off since it wont even start with starting fluid and the the previos owners said thay put in an over sized cam in it . so there could be slop in the cam . know would all of these also make have no power and idle rough and make car rock at idle .

thanks again guys bladen it

You shouldn't have "slop" in the cam at all. Not sure what oversized cam is either. The cam they installed may have a high lift and duration which definitely cause the engine not to idle smoothly like a stock motor. The engine will lope due to the duration of the cam. Playing with the timing won't change the smoothness of the idle either. Since they changed the cam, the timing chain may be off, or the distributor was not placed in correctly and those two things I'd check on. Put the #1 cylinder on top dead center TDC. The piston should be all the way up in the #1 cylinder. Then pop the distributor cap and see if the #1 spark plug wire on the cap alignes with the distributor rotor. If it's off, you need to pull the distributor and align it with #1. If it still runs bad or won't start, I'd pull the timing cover and check to see if the timing chain was installed properly.

What year? If it has the early Dura-spark ignition you may have a bad control box... what color is the strain relief on the wires coming from the box?

I will check im not shure about the year of the motor .but I do know that the 72 galaxies had a 351 w in them. I will check on the wire colors its a little silver box write. I can't find a manual for the 68 yet