2.3L OMC Won't Start After Head Gasket Change??? HELP ASAP PLEASE

[89Cuddie]

Hey Everyone Long story short i had a blown head gasket in our 2.3L OMC 1989 Bayliner Capri. Replaced Head gasket put all gears back to marks to keep timing in alignment. Boat will crank but will not turn over. You can hear the fuel igniting just won't start any help is needed. Thanks

 

[MikDee]

What do you mean it will crank but not turn over? Crank, & turn over, are the same thing? It either Cranks, and won't start, or run, Or it turns over but won't start, or run. Is your Distributor in right (timed right?). You must line up the rotor to Cyl #1 on the Dist. cap when the Crankshaft pulley is on T.D.C. (top dead center) of Cyl #1 COMPRESSION STROKE! not the exhaust stroke! It won't run on the exhaust stroke. Put your finger over the #1 spark plug hole, and feel for compression when turning the engine over slowly.

 

[89Cuddie]

Thanks MikDee Appreciate the post. Was a little flustered this morning. i had the timing and everything correctly set. With that said it was a very simple solutions to why it wasn't turning over. I had the 3 and 4 wires crossed on the Dist cap. The a little thing that i had overlooked EVEn after i double checked that they were what i thought to be correct. Oh well. Ended up getting the boat out on the lake for an hour or so this afternoon. Only problem now is when my dad was messing with the carburetor i think he adjusted the fuel/air mixture wrong because it seemed a little sluggish and would not go over 17 mph. But compared to the head gasket repair thats something i just have to tinker with to get it right.