Fulvia 3 Not starting

[foggy]

can anyone give me some ideas? Huib?
I have just removed the engine, removed the front cover and replaced the oil seal, I put it all back together and re fitted the engine and now it won't start, it is back firing when turning over and I did not remove the distributor, only the cap. I've checked the cam timing which is correct and removed the distributor and re set the timing and it still won't start, still back firing and spitting through the carbs with flames so definitely a timing issue? all the leads are correct 1-4-3-2 points gap correct .45mm I can't see any cracks in the cap or anything broken or missing and I'm now struggling for ideas?
I had to remove the oil pump and fuel pump to get the front cover off and when I put it back the fuel pump now doesn't work so I've used an electric one with 3psi?
The car was running before I removed the engine which is even more frustrating!
Thanks,
Tony.

[Huib]

Indeed. Most probably timing issue.

The leads should be 1 - 3 - 4 - 2 to start with.

[foggy]

sorry, my typo error, they are 1-3-4-2

[Huib]

Well. Carefully check timing again.

Take rocker cover off. Put fly wheel on igition mark. Feel if rockers on #1 can be moved or on #4.

If you can move rockers on #1 the finger of rotor should point roughly down the side of the engine which corresponds with the terminal to which the lead for #1 is connected.

If you can move rockers on #2 the finger of rotor should point upward which corresponds with the terminal to which the lead for #4 is connected.

[foggy]

Yes, had tdc no.1 with cam marks aligned and finger point at no.1, all lined up on flywheel with 1/4 against 8, it is all lined up perfectly.....

[Andrea Nistri]

This is often the result of the distributor being 180 degree out. I don't know how it could have happened but it looks a likely cause, Andrea

[foggy]

Yes, it's definitely ignition timing but I can't work out what is wrong? I will go back to it tonight and start again.

[Huib]

A bad / intermittent electrical contact somewhere functions sort of as points opening and closing.

Years ago there was a bad batch of points on the market. The spring which functions as conductor was riveted to the moving arm. The riveting was done badly causing intermittent contact.

[foggy]

This is what I am thinking Huib but I can't think what wire would make it backfire, it is spitting back flames through the carbs as well so it is igniting when the inlet vale is open? it's definitely timing but it is all correct and it was running before I took it apart? also mechanical fuel pump not working now? how can I put that back together wrong? I have rebuilt 100's of Fulvia engines and can't ever remember a problem like this? :X

[foggy]

180 degrees out!! how did I do that? ?tt?