I recently purchased an  89 GL, and during this first month of owning it, it has always started without a problem, but I just changed the distributor cap, and now the car will not start.  I changed the cap because the wire from the coil to the cap had become corroded to the point of being stuck inside and was causing the car to shut off at random times, once or twice a day. So after installing the new cap and wire, I checked and made sure that I have spark at every plug and I do.  Then I checked the ignition timing, (flywheel at TDC and piston in #1 is at its highest point, then at 20degrees advanced, the rotor is under the #1 position of the distributor cap.  Then to double check the firing order I made sure that the piston of each cylinder was at its highest point at the same time that the rotor was in the right position and it turned out that I had the firing order wrong, so I corrected it, but it still will not start.  Then lastly, just in case the previous owner had advanced all the wires ahead a position on the cap, I tried that and it still will not start.  I checked the trouble codes and it gives me a #34... 'EGR Solenoid or Circuit', but I somehow doubt that this would cause a no start or just happen to cause it the minute I changed the cap, unless it has something to do with me trying to start it with the firing order wrong.  Any help of insight on where I should head next with this would be greatly appreciated.

Spark plugs may be fuel fouled after the incorrect firing order starting attempt.

Pull 1 or 2 to see.

So after I realized that I had tried to start it in the incorrect firing order, I checked the plugs and they were fouled, so I put new ones in and with the correct firing order now, it still didn't start.  One weird thing was that the original cap was marked 1-3-4-2 firing order, which caused me to mess up the first time.  Curious why the firing order would be wrong on the cap??

Same cap is used on other cars w/different firing orders.

hi,

 just because #1 piston is at top , and the timing marks on the flywheel are at 0 ,  does not necessarily mean it is at top on compression,, it might be up on exhaust,,  they will line up on both..   in essence you could have the whole thing wired right and still be 180 degrees out of time,,  just a thought.   your post said changed wire, as in coil wire, if you changed all of them maybe you also have the firing order mistaken too. 

 firing order is 1-3-2-4     #1 spot on the cap is to the backside  near the firewall ,  and the rotor turns counterclockwise as you look down at it.

Edited November 25, 201312 yr by ruparts

I never actually touched or adjusted the actual ignition timing, I just changed the cap and the wire, with the #1 spot as you said, to the backside near the firewall and going couter-clockwise 1-3-2-4  

Now that my firing order is correct and I have spark, with clean plugs, the only thing I can think of is that it must have been something I did while trying to start it in the wrong firing order, can't think of what though would be serious enough to keep it from starting.

It was just flooded, and because of the very low temperatures, I had to let it sit for 24 hours to clear it.