CJ HEI Woes

dpete · 03-15-2008, 04:05 PM

Hi All- Brand new member here with a HEI / firing order problem. A little history first. I changed out the head gasket on a '83 cj7 with a 258 motor. I removed all of the sparkplug wires (naturally, without marking them ,because the firing order is cast into the intake manifold). Now after replacing everything electrical ,in frustration, in and around the GM distributer, I only am running on cylinders three and four. Removing plug wires from cylinders 1, 2, 5, and 6 makes no difference in the terrible running of the engine. My question is, When doing this upgrade,( I did it several years ago and it has performed excellent), is the firing order on the distributer different than the normal 1,5,3,6,2,4? I know the engine has to fire in that order but maybe the distributer doesn't.
Anyway, I have been looking at the Forum and am impressed with the responses people are getting from others in-the-know. If any of you can think of what the problem may be, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, Dan

Mike Romain · 03-15-2008, 04:22 PM

Leaky intake manifold? Maybe it didn't seat.

The firing order is the same.

illinicj · 03-15-2008, 04:27 PM

Firing order remains the same no matter what distributor you are using.

jayhawkclint · 03-15-2008, 06:46 PM

Did you remove the dist entirely? Might be off a tooth. Best thing to do at this point is index #1 at TDC and line up the rotor to the #1 post on the cap. Scribe a little line down the side of the cap and onto the base of the dist, pull the cap off and make sure when the dist gets set down that the rotor is exactly on the line.

dpete · 03-16-2008, 05:40 AM

I have tried everything you guys have suggested including pulling the head and replacing the head gasket again. I'll keep digging and any suggestions are appreciated!
Thanks, Dan

**John Strenk** · 03-16-2008, 07:18 AM

I would suggest a compression test or leak down test just to be on the safe side. All the spark in the world won't help you if there is no compression.

Mike Romain · 03-16-2008, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpete

I have tried everything you guys have suggested including pulling the head and replacing the head gasket again. I'll keep digging and any suggestions are appreciated!
Thanks, Dan

Blocked idle pickup tubes on the carter BBD carb will cause your symptoms.

It is a common issue. To test get it running and look down the carb while giving it a shot of gas. If you see drops of gas instead of two sprays of mist, the tubes are plugged up.

They have crimped ends that need a reaming sometimes and a cleaning lots of times. These are in the venturi cluster and can be removed from the top, but opening the carb for a $20.00 kit and clean does them better.

dpete · 03-16-2008, 12:00 PM

Thanks for the insight on the Carter carb, I am running a Weber ( I should have listed that ). What should the readings from a compression test be and what is a leak down test?

Mike Romain · 03-16-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpete

Thanks for the insight on the Carter carb, I am running a Weber ( I should have listed that ). What should the readings from a compression test be and what is a leak down test?

Running on only the center two cylinders at idle is usually fuel related. they get it first.

Has your carb come loose maybe? That is a sneaky one that happens lots, same for the intake manifold.

A compression test would have to say that 4 cylinders are suddenly dead. A leakdown can tell why sometimes. A squirt of oil into the cylinders after the test and a retest shows the state of the rings.

You should see 145 to 150 psi usually. The important part is they are even.