Bollocks!

[big steve-o]

Finally got the square running. I had swapped the intake and carb on the old 305, and couldn't get it to start. Had to be timing, right? Wrong. After days of head-scratching, checking/re-checking plug wires, setting TDC and getting the distributor dead on, still no vroom. Turns out, starter was wasted and couldnt turn motor fast enough to start the truck. Swapped starter, ran like a champ. Set timing, drove it around for a while, perfect. Next day I fire it up and drive it somewhere 5 minutes away. Go inside, come out after an hour.....cranking, but wont fire. Now I killed the battery cranking it. The old starter I took off looked pretty new, too. W.....T.....F?????????

[THE "10" SILVERADO]

Originally Posted by big steve-o

Finally got the square running. I had swapped the intake and carb on the old 305, and couldn't get it to start. Had to be timing, right? Wrong. After days of head-scratching, checking/re-checking plug wires, setting TDC and getting the distributor dead on, still no vroom. Turns out, starter was wasted and couldnt turn motor fast enough to start the truck. Swapped starter, ran like a champ. Set timing, drove it around for a while, perfect. Next day I fire it up and drive it somewhere 5 minutes away. Go inside, come out after an hour.....cranking, but wont fire. Now I killed the battery cranking it. The old starter I took off looked pretty new, too. W.....T.....F?????????

Might be the distributor. In fact this happened to me 3 days ago. Truck ran like a champ. Then wouldn't start. Something in the worn out distributor and it would only fire every now and then. Just got a new distributor. No problems anymore.

[fm$ kid]

Mine did the same thing. Turned out to be the cap and rotor
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[old Rusty C10]

you say it cranks does it have spark have you checked the fuel ( and pressure) there are many articles on here about how to check the spark

[86c20]

i just had a stuck valve on my 454 and she always ran good riped the top end off did the valve and back together cranked it over timing was out reset the timing and cranked her to fine that the coil died. yea it happens when you dont want it.

[86c20]

i just had a stuck valve on my 454 and she always ran good riped the top end off did the valve and back together cranked it over timing was out reset the timing and cranked her to fine that the coil died. yea it happens when you dont want it.

[big steve-o]

Well, I just replaced the plugs/wires/cap/rotor. So I don't think it's there. It actually ran before I swapped the carb/intake, it just had a ****ty rochester dual jet, and it wouldn't idle in gear. But you know, it did have a habit of dying and being unable to restart before the swap, which would inevitably lead to a dead battery from cranking, and probably explains the toasted starter that had already been replaced before. I checked the spark with my checker, had spark despite not starting. What the hell? Fuel, fire. Why no run? It has to be a problem that develops, I don't know, after it's been running.

[big steve-o]

Update! Left truck up at work(not running), went TDY. Came back, started right up, ran like a champ. For about a month, all short trips, under 10 miles, it was like nothing happened I figured PFM. Drove it up to work today, went to leave, crank, no sart, just like before. WTF

[burb1085]

If it has good spark, the next list to run down would be fuel. Check filter, maybe a piece of dirt clogging up the line. So many things it could be. The last time I had a no start problem, I threw a bunch of parts at it, and it turned out the battery was to week to fire it, but strong enough to crank it for a while, then die. Go figure. Good luck.