Not starting: Distributor?

[NaturalSelection]

Today I was changing my thermostat and I removed the distributor in order to access one of the bolts. I was careful to keep the spark plug wires in the correct order, and was able to get the distributor back in place. But now the car won't start. It cranks and acts like it wants to fire, but it never actually starts running. I have checked all the wires and moved the distributor along it's bracket but it still won't start. At this point I have no idea what to do next....

[SiliconSoul]

Double check you didn't knock a ground off the front. The ground near the #1 spark plug wire will keep the injectors from firing...

[NaturalSelection]

I'm not sure what that looks like. Can you kind of describe it?

[1990new]

Please tell us the year of your Festiva, if it is a 4 speed, 5 speed or auto transmission. Carb or EFI?
The distributors are different depending on these factors. Can you see the numbers on your distributor?
Also is it the original B3 engine and original transmission.
Did you try connecting a jumper cable from your battery ground to your engine block to see if that made a difference?

Also...do you have a multimeter?

[koRnhead]

Coil wire? Did you forget to put it back on the coil?

[Movin]

The rotor put back in another position ?

[koRnhead]

It really onl goes in one way. If he got the bolts back in,nigh impossible to have it in wrong

[Damkid]

The rotor has three possible positions, definitely worth double checking

[koRnhead]

The rotor does yes....but said he removed the disty, not the cap......

[Damkid]

You never know, he may have pulled the cap and rotor while pulling the distributor, stranger things have happened

[koRnhead]

Lol. Guess we need more info on exactly what he pulled.

[NaturalSelection]

Thanks for your replies guys. Sorry I didn't provide a lot of info from the get go. It's a 1989 Festiva L Carb. I am still fighting with it, and am kicking myself for even messing with the distributor. At this point I am questioning the firing order. I thought it was 1-4-3-2 going counter clockwise. All this for a stupid thermostat!

[Damkid]

It's been a long time since I touched a B3, but my B6T and KLZE distributor caps are numbered for which cylinder they go to

[itstock]

Did you take the distributor completely out or just the cap?

[robbylockisme]

I pulled the distributor completely out to access the thermostat housing. I had the same issues as you. Can you take a picture of where your distributor meets your head? It may be that you don't have it in completely. If you don't, it will have either a non-starting issue or a rough start that sputters out.