Ive got a 68, with 396, that just about a month ago it was running perfectly, would start right up. Now it will not start at all like theres no spark. Upon inspection i found the the coil had gone bad, so i put on a whole new msd distributor and lined it up perfectly to where it was before, rechecked the timing and it is still 8 before tdc, where it was before running fine. Im live in colorado so i thinned out the carb about 4% becuase it was running rich, and it was running fine after i did this as well. Now the more i crank it, it seems to just flood it self out, and will not fire at all. Could the timing chain possibly have jumped some teeth, or maybe a blown head gasket? Im out of ideas other than tearing apart the front of engine and taking a look at the timing.

Any input would be much appreciated.
Thanks,

 

What kind of carb and fuel pump (brand, mechanical or electric) do you have?
Is your choke adjusted right?

 

It's a holly mechanical fuel pump, and edelbrock 750 carb, which has an electric choke i recently installed myself. After i installed the choke it ran perfectly.

The odd part about part this that it ran, sat for about 3 weeks, during the 3 weeks nothing on the car was touched. When i went to start it after sitting there it would not start at all, i found the coil was bad, and replace the entire distributor and will still not start/run.

 

Have you checked the hot lead to the coil (or distributor if it's an HEI style) with a test meter to make sure you still have keyed power?
Gremlins can be sneaky when you're not watching!

 

Shows 11.63 volts.

 

When you said it seems to flood out, is that what it's really doing. While pumping the accelerator, the carb does squirt gas? Have you checked for spark with a tester, or timing light?

 

Yup the carb squirts gas, as a matter of fact from messing with it over last weekend, so much gas was squirted into it that got into the oil...alot of it in the oil. Checked it with a timing light, 8 degrees before tdc.

 

Man, it sounds like the carb is flooding over. The needle is stuck open, or your float sank perhaps (maybe, possibly).
Is this an old or new carb? Only other thought is if the fuel pump is putting out too much pressure for the needle and seat to hold it back. What model Holley is it?

 

Figures...always check the simple things first! Re-did the timing multiple times, made sure it was at top dead on number one still wound not fire. Decided to take all the plugs out, clean em all up, put them back in....ill be damned if it didnt fire up immediately.

Thanks for all the help.

Soon i will be messing with the transmission....

 

If you got as much gas in the oil as you say, you'll want to change your oil to prevent engine damage.