Technical 57 Chevy 235 flywheel install

Hi all I have a 1957 235 engine that was rebuilt back in 09, I am trying to get it running since retiring ,I installed the flywheel way back then but now I am having trouble getting this motor running is it possible to install the flywheel at the wrong position on the crank or is there something else I am doing wrong. Thank You for any and all help on this project. Dave.

 

I think one of the dowels is offset, so it only goes on one way.

There are a lot of other things you could be doing wrong. We can only guess. It needs compression, fuel, and spark ( at the right time).

Tell us exactly what it's doing, and what you've checked so far.

 

Were “all” the dowel pins still on the crank flange?

 

Starter not engaging?
Starter engaging, engine turns but engine won’t run?

 

Motor rebuilt 16 years ago... never started... was it just a quick hone/rings and bearing rebuild or bored/crank turned/new pistons type of rebuild? What assembly lube was used? Lubriplate will glue a motor together after a couple of years.

We need more info!!

 

Even without the dowel pins, I believe the crank bolt pattern is indexed. Only goes on one way.

 

That I am pretty well sure of. I know that you don't tighten any untill you have all of them in and turned in several turns by hand or you have to undo things and rotate the flywheel.

As the others asked, Tell us step by step what is going on.

Starter won't spin it over at all (yes) (NO)
Starter spins it but it doesn't start (yes) (no)
It spins over but backfires or ____(yes) (no)
It has spark when it spins over with a plug wire off and held so it will spark to ground (Yes) (no)
It has been verified that the distributor is in time (yes) (no)
It has compression when it is cranked over (yes) (no)
There is fresh fuel in the carb by what ever method works (yes) (no)

As Jim said, you have to have Compression, fuel and ignition (spark) at the same time for an engine to run.

All too often Won't crank or won't crank good is due to a bad connection on a battery cable and it is more often than not right were the ground cable is connected to the engine. Often as not with too many coats of paint insulating the ground cable from the block or where it is connected.

No spark quite often comes from the points not being adjusted correctly with the rubbing block of the point arm on the tip of one of the lobes of the distributor. I've seen too many that someone set the point gap with the rubbing block on the flat of the distributor cam and the points never closed.

 

For what it’s worth. Just went around the bolt pattern of this pic and all checked out as equally spaced.

Is this a case that OP rolled engine over and lined up timing on the bebee to drop the distributor? I don’t know.

I agree more info of assembly process is needed.

 

I’ve seen distributors on 235s bolted down tight. Assembler didn’t know how the advance worked

 

The pic appears to look like one (to the left) dowel pin hole is located differently than the other two. To my eye, looks like it can only go on one way, unless the dowels are not in the crank.

 

Yes, however my earlier question asked if all the dowel pins were in place.

 

That’s makes sense. damned speed reading class failed me again!

 

A huge fault I have as well.

 

The pins are indexed. [ 2 are offset ,and 1 is central]
This is important for setting the timing off the flywheel.

This ^^^^