I'll leave my proper introduction to when I sell this car and finally get my 240 on the road. Until then, I'd appreciate some help.

I just gave my 280Z a tune up, and surprise surprise, no more starting. At first I put the wires in the wrong order, so it misfired. Realizing this, I switched back to the proper order, and at this point all it does is crank to some ridiculous extent. It has fuel, air, and spark. My current guess is that the replacement distributor cap is the culprit, since the original looked like this:

and the replacement looks like this:

I'd think that maybe timing is now off by some 15 or so degrees because of the new cap (which is the only replacement I've been able to find) and is the source of my dilemma. I'm dying here guys. It's been an entire week without a car, and I can't put my recently purchased 240Z on the road until I sell this car. I used up some emergency funds because I was sure that I'd sell the 280Z in a few days, but then this happened .

Is that replacement cap made for 280Z or? Else try to find on Ebay or contact somebody here for the original one...

So have you re-installed the original cap to test this?

My dumb arse threw all the old stuff away

Then my first step would be to find a different cap to see if that makes a difference. Also verify that you have it properlyattached to the distributor. You haven't loosened th edistributor mount during this process, have you?

No sir. Went hunting for a different cap, but couldn't find one. The original one has the plug in for the 1st wire "closest to the radiator." This one has two ports (going down, 4 and then 1) parallel to each other.

I don't understand those two pics. The top one looks like it's from an EFI L6(Intake hose along the bottom?) and the bottom pic is from a carbed L6....different upper rad hoses....am I hallucinating?

How do you know you have spark at the plugs?

There are two caps. A taller one and a shorter one and rotors to go with them. You can use either set as long as they match. You'll know if you put the short cap over the tall rotor because it won't go all the way on but if you put the tall cap over the short rotor, it will fit but the rotor won't be close enough to reach the cap's contacts. I found this out a few years ago because my Z has the shorter combo and my 810 has the taller combo.

I don't understand those two pics. The top one looks like it's from an EFI L6(Intake hose along the bottom?) and the bottom pic is from a carbed L6....different upper rad hoses....am I hallucinating?

How do you know you have spark at the plugs?

I thought I had seen those pics before...

http://classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=30868

How about showing us your own situation with pics of your car's distributor/ignition components, so I/we can see and understand better what's going on?

The second picture is from a 1972 l24.... mine to be precise.

I finally figured it out. Someone must've replaced or removed either the distributor or the oil pump at some point and never bothered to take the engine to TDC. I cranked the motor until I got cylinder 1 to TDC, removed the distributor cap, and looked at where the rotor was pointing. My new firing order for all intents and purposes is 241536. Retarded.

I appreciate the help guys. I was so sure it was the wrong cap/rotor until sblake01 posted. Oh well.

The second picture is from a 1972 l24.... mine to be precise.

The first pic is from a "77 280, mine to be precise

Thanks for the loan of your pic in my previous thread.