New 440 problems

[Charger jUNkiE]

Finally got the 440 for my charger up and running.  Long project. Followed all the things on the check list and the motor started on the first click.  Ran for 25 minutes at 2000rpm fluctuating every now and then.  Thing runs like a sewing machine, sounded great.  Started about a week and a half later to tshoot some trans leaks and attempt an initial tune up.  Once again ran like a watch sounded great.  Oil pressure awesome temp awesome voltage and alternator and battery all looking great.   Shut it off because of life work Sunday etc.  three weeks later after checking fluids and trying to finish  what I started, couldn't start.  Starter sounded fine then just stopped. Click click click no turn.  Checked it off the motor and ran fine.  O'Reilly china crap?!?!.  Tried a week later and it cranked but now backfires through carb.  Found timing error. 4-6 were backwards and I got the dist 180degs out. I had pulled the dist to put a spring kit in and inspect since the dist was old.  Put it all back together and it cranks put no turn over.  Then starter quits.  I don't trust the china starter right now but this thing cranked and fired up before?  Checked plug wires and timing.  Very frustrating especially after hearing it run so good before.  440 .030" over comp 21-223-4 cam. 9.5 compression. 452 iron heads. Electronic ignition with FBO box and direct connection dist. Any help would be appreciated.

[Dino]

Probably the FBO box. Swap it out for something else to try.

[Charger jUNkiE]

Thought maybe that was it.  Set up a test fixture and spun the dist. Spark Plug was snapping and popping white blue spark.

[70 sublime]

See if you can bypass the main battery cable from the battery to the starter
Just clamp some vise grips on the big nut on the starter so you can grab them with a booster cable and then other end to the battery
Then try to start it with the key again ( making sure your battery if fully charged up first )

I had the cable die on mine
Got all green inside the conector from the copper wires right at the starter
Looked fine from the outside but using a booster cable to by pass it was the only way I figured it out

[b5blue]

My FBO box died years ago and I've had bad battery cables at the battery connector that looked perfect.  What kinda gas you using?

[Dino]

Thought maybe that was it.  Set up a test fixture and spun the dist. Spark Plug was snapping and popping white blue spark.

It will spark, but not as it should. I would still hook up another one.

[Charger jUNkiE]

Reply to B5Blue.  I am running shell 94 octane unleaded.

On top of all this the starter I got less then a month ago is going intermittent on me.  Does anyone one, any company not sell Chinese junk any more.  I wanted the mopar starter sound but now I just want something that is reliable and consistent.

[Dino]

Get a mini starter. They come on 90s Dakotas.

[b5blue]

Ethanol 94, is it fresh? Fuel can go stale nowadays. 

[70 sublime]

Reply to B5Blue.  I am running shell 94 octane unleaded.

On top of all this the starter I got less then a month ago is going intermittent on me.  Does anyone one, any company not sell Chinese junk any more.  I wanted the mopar starter sound but now I just want something that is reliable and consistent.

What do you mean by going intermittent ?
Is it going click click click and not turn like the battery is dead or is the starter spining but not engaging the flywheel ?

[b5blue]

Still troublesome it "ran fine" then 5 weeks later find wires wrong and 180 out? 

[Charger jUNkiE]

To answer everyone's questions,

Intermittent:  I go to start, and it cranks and turns motor over.  Then I stop to check something and when I go to attempt another start it just clicks.   I will wait for maybe an hour or whatever try again, and it will crank over.  It clicks when it gets hot or maybe hits a dead commutator bar on the armature (don't know, but the Chinese reman is out).  New cables ran continuity tests just to make sure, checked for hot or burn marks or any loose connectors, fully charged Interstate 27 group battery.  12.6 volts doing nothing, 10.58 volts when cranking.  11.2 volts when clicking and no rotate.  I think I bought someone else's problem (starter) going to a mini starter cuz all the old Mopar starters seem to be half a#$ rebuilds of old problems.

I got 94 octane unleaded about a month ago when I started for break in.  Said nothing about Ethanol.  Its unleaded. 1.5 gallons of 110 octane mixed with 6.5 gallons of 91 octane 8 gallons in the tank now.

The motor originally fired off and ran awesome during break in and one other time after that.  THEN I removed the distributor to inspect it because it was an old and never ran old Direct Connection stuff. Wanted to make sure it hadn't dried out and then I put a limiter plate and springs in it to attempt to modify the curve.  When I put it back in is when I had these problems.  I mixed 4 and six plug wires and thought I had it on mark but then found out I made a mistake, and it was 180 out. (corrected all this) and was trying to start and back firing stopped but it acted like it didn't want to fire off.  I paused to check something and that's when the Oreily started shit the bed.  putting in a mini starter this weekend to put the starter issue to bed.

[b5blue]

  Okay don't feel bad about the 180 cuz shit happens. I had the same no crank issues, I checked the neutral safety switch, replaced the starter, checked voltages in keyed switch and grounds and on and on. It wasn't till my son was working the key and I was doing push/pull/wiggle testing on all wires that I found the dam loose battery connector connection. You must find the issue WHILE it is in fail.
  The fuel is okay at 60 days, I quit Ethanol for now. I bought the classic battery connector repair for my car and have no issues. I've found rebuild for our old car is crap and most new China stuff actually good if you don't try to go super cheap. 

[70 sublime]

If you can get it to only click and not crank I still think you should try the booster cable on the stater main cable bolt to see if it will crank

Cables look good till you pull the crimped on end off and find it is green inside

Costs nothing to check it this way

You can change all your starts you want and get it to work when you have pulled on the main cable to get it off but then a week later it will be back to not starting again

Just ask me how I know