My number 1 header is not heating up and I am not sure what is causing it. I have replaces the plugs with some accel 574S shorty U grove plugs and the plug wires with some moroso ultra 40 wires. After that I disconnected the number 1 plug wire and connected it to a grounded spark plug and verified I do have spark at the number one cylinder.

I am not sure what to try next. The rockers appear to be moving about the same as the others so I don't think I wore my new cam flat and I figure if had an intake manifold leak at number 1 the exhaust would be hotter not colder and the number 1 plug did appear to be wet with fuel when i took it out.

Do any of you have any ideas what to try next? I am debating replacing the distributor as it was used of unknown origin when I had the engine built 15 years ago.

 

A compression test on at least that cylinder, and might as well check the other 7 while your at it, would be my next step.

How does it run? does it skip? lack power? I'm just curious what you were troubleshooting when you noticed the cold header...

 

I cant seem to find my compression tester.

It is a long story but I wasn't driving it all that much and found out I had a flat cam several years back attributed it to modern oil not having the zinc in it. I replaced the the cam with the same one in 2019 and it has never felt like it was running right since.

I attributed it to a potential too big carburetor last year and replaced the proform 750 dp with a quick fuel 650 with vacuum secondary thinking it would be better for the street added a fuel pressure regulator.

I have noticed some oil on the plugs for some time so i replaced the valve stem seals this spring and set the lash. a few lifters felt soft when setting the lash but stiffened up after I started the engine

I am trying to make sure everything is good to go this year as i want to start putting some miles on my third gen a i have been neglecting it for far too long

 

If a spark plug has fuel on it, it's not firing. No spark.

Don't outsmart yourself. If there's liquid gasoline on a plug, it's not firing. Pretty easy. Don't overthink it, don't get frustrated, don't get all bowed up about it. Laws of physics.

I don't care about "tested", "new wires" of whatever brand, don't care don't care don't care don't care don't care don't care. Unburned gasoline = no spark.

Find your spark problem. Given that you've changed all the other parts, I'd look at the dist cap first; but don't hesitate to swap other parts as well. Take a good one (wire, plug) and put it in the bad cyl and vice-versa, until you find the bad part.

 

I decided to go and buy a new compression tester and tested all 8 cylinders. it was a good thing i did because the number 4 cylinder has 0 compression and the intake rocker on the number 4 cylinder was not adjusted properly. I relashed the #4 cylinder and now have good compression on it

#1 190 PSI
#2 178 PSI
#3 190 PSI
#4 190 PSI
#5 185 PSI
#6 180 PSI
#7 185 PSI
#8 175 PSI

 

OK so #4 this that and the other; but #1 was the one that wasn't firing. So yeah maybe you found something worthwhile, or maybe not, but your car isn't fixed yet. Eh??

What turned out to be the cause of #1 not firing?

 

It was number 1 not firing before I changed the plugs and wires. I do have spark at the end of the number one wire with a grounded spark plug connected to it but that is outside of the engine at atmospheric pressure. It is possible that the spark is week enough that it won't spark in compression.

I have been debating buying a new Billet distributor but didn't want to throw good money after bad chasing down this problem. I could also replace my cap rotor and mad 8401 remote coil dust cover (I have a MSD blaster 2 coil and 6al box) but all that added together is half way to a new distributor

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/s...make/chevrolet

 

So, is #1 firing now?

Remember, if it has wet fuel on the spark plug, IT ISN'T FIRING, no matter whether you "have spark at the end of the wire" or not.

Don't outsmart yourself. Concentrate on figuring out why #1 isn't firing. If that's still that problem, that is. If the problem has now changed to something else, then stop working on #1, and change to working on that.

Have you ever noticed how these forums are FULL of posts of these weird ignition problems posted by people with lots of aftermarket boxes and whatnot? While people with stock ignitions don't have any of this, their cars all seem to keep driving until something simply wears out, and then works fine again when they fix it? Maybe there's a lesson buried in there too, as well?

 

I have not tried it after I lashed number 4. After work I am going to go through all the cylinders and relish them all to make sure they are ok before I try starting it again as I don't want to destroy another flat tappet cam.

 

After you relash (and don't screw it up), put a NEW plug in #1.
Spark plugs can look good, and fire in the open atmosphere, but not under compression, as you stated.