Pinto ignition timing help

[spliceMk1]

Hi all. Hoping for some help as I am completely lost in my backyard mechanics project.

I've recently put a fresh 2 litre in my Escort. Turns over freely by hand, all marks are lined up nicely and I'm getting good spark. But when I turn the key i cant get her to fire up. The telling factor is that the vacuum hose from carb to dizzy blows off when trying to turn over, and I seem to be getting some fuel blowing back out of the carb throats. So I am thinking that I have it too far retarded. Or am I just retarded and have something completely wrong? Have I maybe got it timed in at the exhaust part of the cycle?

Not sure if this is useful info, but i've also gone for a road/race cam with more lift, duration and dual valve springs.

I'm gonna try some dizzy to-ing and fro-ing, but am hoping someone may have a ray of light to help me on my beginners travels.

Cheers.

[F6 R-Spec]

Hey mate remove no1 plug ,turn over engine by hand with
Finger over plug hole till you get comp stroke .
Line up Top dead centre on crank.
Then set dizzy plug lead no 1 onto where rotor button is
pointing
then the rest as firing order.
Cheers Mick

[spliceMk1]

Thanks alot for the reply mate!. Yeah i've been there done that unfortunately. I've gone through all the basics with no luck so thought there may be something more complicated I have done wrong.

I'm going to start all over again tonight and check it all for the tenth million time.

So frustrating.

[JimStone]

Sure you are not 180 degrees out?

Basic process I have followed with every Pinto rebuild, always fired first go.

Set crank at TDC with valves closed on #1 - ie both lobes of cam pointing UP.
Looking down on dizzy cap from passengers side with cap off - rotor should be pointing at the mark etched into the dizzy housing around 7 o'clock. If not, remove and refit dizzy to match - be careful with the oil pump drive hex.
Rotate crank to roughly 7 degrees at the pointer (not final setting, just enough to get it to start).
Turn on ignition - rotate dizzy until you see the points arc (should only be a few degrees of rotation required), turn off ign, fit dizy cap.
Check firing order 1342- clockwise rotation, #1 lead should be at roughly 7 o'clock.

Should start on those settings

[spliceMk1]

Thank you very much for your help guys. I did have it timed in correctly after all.

I found that the fuel pump was cactus and the dizzy was too far retarded. Rotated it slightly clockwise, and bingo!