First Start a No Go-Just Boom

[RestoCreations]

So i got on a roll yesterday evening and thought i could finish the car by 11pm. Well, here it is 3am and i have finally thrown in the towel. I'll only be slightly tired tomorrow.
Anyway, when i finally turned the key to attempt to start the engine for the first time, all i got was a click, followed by a steady crank, then a boom and flames out the number 4 exhaust manifold port. The battery is showing 12.4 volts, so i dont think the starter should be ticking. It does not sound like it is skipping gears. I made sure to check that it was in perfect alignment with the flywheel when i still had the bellhousing off of the engine.

1. How do i install the distributor before first start if i have the car at TDC? I pointed it towards the number 1 cylinder and then assembled my plug wires accordingly in counterclockwise order. I have the MSD Pro Billet Distributor and digital 6 ignition box with a blaster coil. Everything is hooked up correctly-triple checked. The instructions that came with the MSD Distributor to not offer any information for new installations. What information i could find on the internet simply stated that it did not matter where it was installed as long as the plug wires were put in the correct order. Is that true?

2. What is the correct firing order for a 427 FE motor? I am currently looking at my cam card and it does not state a firing order. I set mine at 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

3. What should the fuel pressure be? I set mine at 8 PSI

Anything else you can think of that i should check? Initial carb settings? I have a quickfuel carburetor and i have not adjusted anything on it yet.


Thanks!

[Gaz64]

You'll want the engine at 10 - 15 BTDC compression stroke number 1, then set the distributor to trigger the module.

Distributor loose, coil lead set up with an airgap to ground, ignition on, turn distributor, watch for spark from the lead, nip up distributor, check timing with engine running.

Set idle screws at 3/4 turn out, set idle speed screw to expose the bottom of the transfer slots, about 20 thou.

[lovehamr]

Thought this would be helpfull if you hadn't seen it.

[vector1]

12.4 might not be enough, good battery should show minimum 12.6, put a charger on it.

[blykins]

If you put the distributor with the rotor pointing at #1 TDC with the balancer on 0, then it will be retarded.

Here's how you get it to fire the first few cranks.

Pull the pass side valve cover off. Turn the engine over by hand or bump it with a remote switch until you see the #1 intake valve open, then starts to close. Pay attention to the balancer as you should be coming up towards 0°. When the timing pointer is pointing at around 25-30° BTDC (that is before TDC compression stroke of #1 cylinder), then you point your rotor at the #1 spark plug wire on the distributor cap.

Put the valve cover back on, make sure the fuel bowls are full, then hit the key.

Firing order for an FE is 15426378, counterclockwise, with #1 cylinder being front cylinder on the passenger side.

Fuel pressure should be 5-6 psi.

The carb should be close from my carb builder, but if you want to readjust, do this:

Screw all 4 idle mixture screws all the way in (don't tighten them real tight, just barely let them bottom out), then run all 4 1-1/8 turns out. When it lights off, you can feather the gas until it warms up, then you can see where it idles at. You may have to adjust the idle speed slightly.

Have a timing light handy so that when it gets to a point where it will run by itself, you can set the timing. I would set initial timing somewhere around 16-18°. Total timing should be around 36-38°.

The MSD distributors come with the wrong springs in them out of the box. If you don't swap them, most likely your total timing won't come in until about 3800-4000. On a Cobra, I like the total to be at around 2400-2600 rpm.

[patrickt]

That's handy to show the original wire configuration from the factory, but it doesn't matter where your #1 plug wire is so long as it matches up to where the rotor is pointing when you set the engine to TDC at the #1 piston. For example, my #1 plug wire is actually where the #4 wire is on that picture.

[Z-linkCobra]

"then a boom and flames out the number 4 exhaust manifold port."

Do you not have headers on the motor?

[RestoCreations]

Thanks for the replies, i figured it was just timing related, but at 3am, i was finally ready to quit for the night. My brain and body were goo, much like they are right now after only a few hours of sleep.

[blykins]

Clarity of mind goes a long way...

Also, as Z-link points out, make sure you have the headers on the engine if you don't.

[RestoCreations]

Why do i need the header tubes on? iIonly plan on running it for a few seconds? Will there not be enough backpressure or???
The reason why i dont have the header tubes on at the point is because the exhaust hole in the fender needs to be trimmed for clearance.

[blykins]

For a couple of reasons...

The first one is that I've always heard that running an engine with no headers/manifolds could risk burning a valve. I've never tried it so I don't have any data to back that up, but I wouldn't wanna risk it.

The second reason is that without something to help scavenge the exhaust, it may run really rough or really struggle to run at all.

[FWB]

the burned exhaust valve may or may not be true.......i heard that too but never tried or knew of anyone that did....

what should be of the most concerning thought is if any unburned fuel comes out of the head.........on fire......your car and garage could be consumed in flames. borrow some fe exhaust manifolds from somebody close to run it...

[Maricopa]

With no headers on you're going to have flames coming out all of those ports when it 'fires' up.....
As for running it for only a few seconds, I hope you're running a rollercam.

[RestoCreations]

Yes, i have a roller cam, otherwise i would never think of only running it for a few short seconds.
I have run several of engines without the manifolds headers hooked up without issue in the past.
I have headers, i just need to make the opening in the body larger.

I seriously doubt the garage would be consumed in flames, unless of course i had chemical or other gases leaching into it from something, but thanks for the word of caution.

Chris

[blykins]

It may not consume the garage, but anything could happen, including a backfire out the exhaust....you wouldn't want the paint blistered, aluminum singed, etc.

[Maricopa]

I don't think you'll light the house on fire either, but on a Cobra with the footboxes in a direct line to the exhaust ports and only inches away it just doesn't seem like a good idea.