Car won't start - did I break it?

[howieb4]

This winter I pulled the dash and consoles for some restoration work. Did the foil trick to the tach and speedo. Pulled the fuel sender to determine the make of it. And other various cosmetic things to the motor(powder coating the air intake, painting various things, etc). Now the car doesn't want to start. If I shoot some starting fluid into the carbs, the car fires for a second or two, but once the fluid is burned off, nothing. When trying to start it, it gives two whirs, then a longer one. It does that pattern over and over. I pulled the plugs and smelled them. It's more an exhaust smell than a gasoline odor. Could I have done something to cause this? Is there a connection that I forgot to make in the dash? Maybe I broke something when I reinstalled the sending unit? I did put Stabil in the tank in late October.

[tubut]

First I would check if fuel reaches the carbs (clogged filters, dead pump, etc). If the supply is there, check if the ignition wires are connected to the correct cylinders and that distributor cap is oriented correctly, then check if you have spark at the plugs.

[Franco D]

Since you had removed the dash, I would first go back thru and check all the fuses and wire connections making sure there is good contact. Then, continue on to fuel, electrics, etc.

[rogerspeed]

if the "Euro spec" was produced for the US market originally the electric fuel pump was fused through an auxillary box next to the main.

[howieb4]

My lack of engine knowledge is starting to show it's ugly face. By looking at the literature that I have, I am guessing that I have a mechanical fuel pump, not electrical. It looks to be attached to the block by the distributor and next to the fuel filter/bowl assembly. I pulled the fuel line off the carbs and turned over the motor and no gas came pumping out.

Rogerspeed, the car was originally sold in Canada. I do not see any other box under the dash besides the main one.