Changed Spark Plugs and HT Leads, Now Car Won't Start

Hello everyone,

I have an '88 CFI EA Falcon. I tried to do my car a favour this weekend and replace the spark plugs and HT leads because it has been running like garbage for about a fortnight....and I have stumbled into a brick wall.

I drove the car to Sprint Auto Parts, bought the new plugs and leads, drove home, drove the car into my garage, took off the air cleaner, and replaced each lead one at a time and in turn replaced each spark plug. Now the car doesn't even fire, it kicks, but refuses to fire. I took all the leads and plugs off and did it once again, as I thought I might have stuffed up the firing order, but alas, the second time round it was exactly the same as I had previously had it, and still the engine will not fire.

I have not yet tried putting the old plugs and leads back on to see if it will fire, but I am surprised it even used to run on the old plugs because one of them was cracked in two places!

Any ideas anyone? (I'm yet to also check if the plugs are getting a spark, but I figured because it had only just been running on the old plugs, that it is most likely not a "no spark" issue).

[Racecraft]

Check for spark first
Firing order
Check all the leads are seated on the cap and the plug firmly, they almost pop on after you have pushed them. It'll only take one plug not to be firing to cause the symptoms you have
Did you check the Plug Gap?
Coil, you could check that you have the electrical connector on the back of the coil on nice and tight, sometimes a pin resesses itself within the housing but if you havn't had the plug off it should be fine, worth checking though.
Timing, maybe the timing is that far out now you have got good spark that it won't fire.

Thanks for the speedy reply, I have checked the firing order about 4 or 5 times and it is definitely right, but I will check for a spark later on today....

I am positive the leads were all on properly too, both at the engine and the distributor, cos I realised that could have been the cause too....

I originally had the plug gap right on 1mm (its supposed to be between 1.0 and 1.1) but after it didnt start I increased the gap to 1.05mm...

It wouldn't surprise me if you were spot on with the timing issue, later today once I check for a spark if I get a strong spark from all but it still won't fire I will call out someone from Roadside Assistance and get them to do the timing for me cos I dont have a timing light.

[TURBO_GHIA]

did you put the plug onto the coil ?? i know it sounds stupid but you never know

[Casper]

Originally Posted by EDMONTY

did you put the plug onto the coil ?? i know it sounds stupid but you never know

exactly what I would say, sounds like theres nothing from the coil to the dizzy. Check the connection and possibly replace the lead.

[daveinozbikes]

Hendo..got it sorted yet????

Sorry I wasn't on for so long, yeah I did get it sorted, the dizzy was one tooth out of place, so I had the firing order right but the pins on the dizzy were in the wrong place!! The stupid mechanic who put the dizzy in must've put it on wrong and then just dodgied it up by still putting the leads on the opposite pins!! Bastard!

It's running perfectly now, thanks for all your help!

[NZ]

its not the first time its happened.