flame shooting out of carb

[brickdog2000]

I have an 88 festiva with a stock 1.3 in her. I bought a webber carb and been having issues with it. I believe I am real close to getting her to run again. The problem now is in order to get her started the distributor has to be fully advanced. BUT when I go to timing it with the light, I get about an inch away from from the ten degree mark and she will die. Now upon start up she idles high. Sometimes either when I am starting her or when she dies she likes to spit a fire bowl out the carb. I do know the mechanical timing is good Does anyone know why its shooting fire out of the carb? Any help is appreciated.

[Larry Hampton]

Sounds like your timing belt has jumped some teeth.

[brickdog2000]

I just checked that yesterday and it was fine. Today I started checking the distributor timing. I found out that at first my firing order was in wrong order. So I quickly fixed that. Then I realized my gasket for the carb was allowing fuel to escape. Which in turns means air can get in. So I make a new gasket and reassembled it. The gasket is good cause its not saturated in fuel. However, now I get a flame and when its does run she is running at high idle. This is the closest in long time that I have gotten her to run. I am going to doulbe check all the plugs lines and ensure they are plugged. I could double check the timing belt too.

[91_festy_Gl]

Your positive the spark plug wires are in 1,3,4,2 order on the cap?

[JoDan]

Also remember that the disty turns counterclockwise. Don't ask how I found that one out.

[brickdog2000]

Your positive the spark plug wires are in 1,3,4,2 order on the cap?

Positive, I double checked it with my haynes manual.

[brickdog2000]

Also remember that the disty turns counterclockwise. Don't ask how I found that one out.

Are you talking about when you adjust the distributor or are you talking about the rotor? I turn my distributor towards the firewall (clockwise) to get the car started and then I turn it counterclockwise to try and set the idle.

[91_festy_Gl]

Bring your engine up to TDC and set the rotor in the disty pointing to 1. Doing that it should fire right up. Might have to adjust the timing with the light alittle.

[brickdog2000]

Did that earlier today. Before the rotor was off by 180.

[JoDan]

Are you talking about when you adjust the distributor or are you talking about the rotor? I turn my distributor towards the firewall (clockwise) to get the car started and then I turn it counterclockwise to try and set the idle.

I'm talking about the firing order of the wires on the cap goes counterclockwise

[91_festy_Gl]

Are you sure your hitting TDC on the compression stroke?

[brickdog2000]

Are you sure your hitting TDC on the compression stroke?

Just to make sure I will double check tomorrow. I really appreciate everyones advice.

[91_festy_Gl]

Alittle trick I always use is a wad of paper towls. Pull the #1 plug and easily stick the wad of paper towl into the hole. turn the crank over and when the paper towl wad pops out, your on the compression stroke.

[brickdog2000]

I'm talking about the firing order of the wires on the cap goes counterclockwise

I will also double check that as well.

[brickdog2000]

Okay I feel really stupid right now. JoDan you were right, I had number two and three wire switched on the distributor cap. However, all she does is crank now. every once in awhile I will get fuel shooting out of the carb now. Did I possibly do maore damage to the car? I hope not, cause that would be grounds to sell it since the wife doesnt want me dump anymore money into it. I am already 500 into it trying to get her to run.