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Car won't start after distributor rotor swap

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Old 12-12-2012, 01:41 PM
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Car: 1985 pontiac firebird S/E
Engine: 5.0L 305 carb
Transmission: auto
Car won't start after distributor rotor swap

My cars been running rough lately oncold start ups espicially when it's been raining and has been making a squeak noise coming from the distributor so from what I read I thought it could be the bearings. So I decided to check for red dust underneath e the distributor cap and there was so I cleaned it an the rotor and once I put the car back together I tried to start it but it didn't so I checked the cap aguan and saw that the rotor cracked and that metal strip broke as well so I bought an identical one and installed it but now when I try to start the car it won't start. Like nothing happens I hear it click one and all the gauges in the car drop down. if I try turning the kep rapidly like three or four times it will catch and te car will run but if I just turn the key once it won't start like no clicking or turning or anything. I'm positive I put the spark plugs in the correct order. Anyone have an idea what going on??

Update: could it be that the starter solenoid. Went bad on me when I did the swap?

Last edited by Cordero51; 12-12-2012 at 04:00 PM.
Old 12-12-2012, 05:29 PM
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Car: 82 Z28
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Re: Car won't start after distributor rotor swap

Originally Posted by Cordero51
if I try turning the kep rapidly like three or four times it will catch and the car will run
So you have a starter problem; unrelated to anything to do with the dist
How good is your cables from batt to engine , clean , tight, etc
May be in for a new starter
Old 12-12-2012, 11:42 PM
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Car: 1985 pontiac firebird S/E
Engine: 5.0L 305 carb
Transmission: auto
Re: Car won't start after distributor rotor swap

Yeah I'm positive it's the starter that's going bad. my cables are all clean n good shape I just think it wiered that it went bad right after I replaced the rotor. Ima go and buy a replacement tomorrow n let u know how it goes
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