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Engine Help Needed PLEASE

9K views 89 replies 15 participants last post by  Calpantera 
#1 ·
HELP

This thing has been giving me problems for months now I have tried everything I can think of and still cant get the car to start up.

I checked every wire to this car from under dash to engine to distributor etc all wires are installed and hooked up correctly. I have an hei dizzy on the chevy 350 and its getting the 12v it should. I get gas and spark. The car will crank and crank but just wont fire up. Sometimes it backfires through the carb.

I was thinking the dizzy is 180 out because I replaced the coil and igniton module so I know this is not the problem also cap and rotor are practically new also.

back to the the dizzy being 180 out. I pulled the #1 plug removed the dizzy and set the car to TDC correct me if I'm wrong but its suppose to be set TDC on compression stroke correct? When the piston is at the very top near the plug. If so this has been set correctly and the dizzy dropped back in and pointing at the 530clock position close to #1. Still nothing. Unless the previous owner did something with the crank and timing chain that I dont know about im stumped.

Any help? I dont know exact numbers but the 350 is running a holley 770 carb edel heads, big cam, was set if for NOS but all that has been removed and returned back to stock.
 
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#3 ·
Im hoping you can tell me its 180 out that would be great. Read up online and did the whole process.

Pulled dizzy
Pulled #1 plug driver side closet to fron of car.
Rotated engine by hand
Put a small guide in the cylinder so that it backed out slowely when i turned the motor over by hand.
Waited till the piston came to the very top of the motor.
That is TDC correct on the compression stroke?
 
#4 ·
Piston comes to top on both compression and exhaust stroke. You can verify compression stoke buy either pulling the valve cover and making sure both valves are closed at piston TDC or as I usually do is put my finger the the spark plug hole while somebody rotates engine by hand until I feel the air push my finger out as it comes to TDC.

From your post sounds like 180* off.
 
#6 ·
Yes. As you rotate the engine the exhaust valve will close and the intake valve will open as the piston goes down then will close as the piston comes up to TDC. Both Valves will be CLOSED at TDC Compression Stokre. At TDC the mark on you balancer will line up with TDC mark on the indicator. Drop your dizzy so the rotor lines up with #1 on the Dist Cap. Make sure you have clearance for the vacuum advance canister to move if needed for final timing set.
 
#7 ·
To see if i was 180 right now. Couldnt I pull the cap off valve cover off and remove the #1 plug rotate the motor to TDC when both the valves are closed and see if the rotor is pointing correctly? Obvious if its not I couldnt simply remove it and redrop it in correctly.
 
#9 ·
Rotate engine until timing mark is coming around and about two inches from the pointer. Put your right thumb over the #1 spark plug hole to plug it.
Pull your breaker bar with your left hand to continue rotating the mark towards the pointer.
If you're coming up on the compression stroke of #1 you will feel pressure build against your thumb and squeeze out if you lift it a little.
 
#11 ·
Well Batman;) (sorry), if you don't know where your timing marks are you're shooting in the dark. Nothing we tell you here will have a reference point.
Once you have a clear timing mark things should fall in place.
Here's what many of us do;
I use a remote starter push button switch. It's hand held. I've installed a junction block on the firewall that holds the starter motor relay wire. One end of the switch wire goes on it and the other connects to a full time hot terminal on the radiator bulkhead. If your battery is not in the trunk just use its positive terminal. Then a button-push rolls the engine over. Great for setting valves or bumping to a desired spot such as TDC. And that way too, the high tension leads can't knock me on my butt.:(

OK, back to your problem. There's no need to pull the distributor,,, yet. Just remove #1 spark plug and roll the engine over with the starter motor until compression blows your finger off the hole. Next look at the timing mark on the balancer. Get the mark and timing cover indicator close, then pull the distributor cap. You want the rotor pointing to #1. There's nearly a 100% chance that yours won't be. So after making SURE which wire on the cap goes to #1, adjust the distributor rotor to do so. If the rotor is close then all you have to do is rotate the distributor housing just as when setting timing. If it's not close you'll have to lift the distributor clear of the cam shaft drive gear and rotate the 'rotor' to point before #1 terminal. You have to place it ahead of the terminal because the distributor will not drop into place until the engine is cranked because of the oil pump quill shaft. Once done, find TDC again and repeat as necessary. Then lock down the distributor so that it's snug when turning the housing by hand. Then hook up your timing light. THEN make sure your ignition wires are correctly positioned on your cap. The wires are clockwise, looking down at the cap, 18436572. Then start it and set timing. Simple.:) Standing by,,,,,,,,,,,,
 
#14 ·
I think that looking at the valves ara confusing you. As stated before , pull the number one plug " driver front" turn the engine over , by hand or have someone bump it over till you feel the compression. It will also hiss. Then you can put the thing in the plug hole that you used before.With the piston all the way up on compression stroke you should be at TDC. Then look at the number one valve springs " both should be up, not compressed by the rockers. Your ballancer should have a timing mark " hash mark going across".If no timing tab , turn engine over till the hash mark is around one o' clock or piston all the way up. If you have a timing tab, line hash up with the zero. Then set dist like before mentioned.
 
#16 ·
I sound so stupid on such an easy project err.

Valves are at TDC when the valve springs are compressed or not? I did searches online and came up with nothing. Not having adjusted or worked on valves im in new area. I would do the bump till the air pushed out the #1 but I just want to make sure 100% this time that it is correct thats why im adjusting it by the valves.

So how should the two valves be when at TDC or what should they look like. I noticed they compress down on the valve springs is this correct or do they both need not to be compressed.
 
#17 ·
TDC Compression Stroke. The Valve springs are NOT Compressed. The valve springs hold the valves closed until the rockers pushes them open. compress when the valves open.
 
#18 ·
You need the timing mark on the balancer. The valves will tell you if it's 360°. Find the timing mark and we can help. Do you have a timing light? Do you know anyone that's 'mechanical'?
 
#20 ·
Get your self a rack of beer and have them over for Thanksgiving.:yes: Be sure to take notes.
 
#21 ·
So everything was set to TDC on compression stroke valves were right dropped the distributor in and it fired right up. Tried to start it back up again and nothing. Move the distributor a little but to set it correct and still nothing.

This leads me to believe that the chain is worn out. I know this car was run hard as it was set up for the strip. Does this make sense that the chain could be worn or have a broken tooth
 
#22 ·
Or you have a defective ignition coil with too weak a spark to ignite the fuel on most occasions, and on a rare moment enough to spark her up. Hard to say turning her over by hand if it is jumping a chain or do you have issues at the dizzy gear? Hand stressing the chain is possible but it is a workout...I think you can go search for a technique or someone will jump on it here.
 
#23 ·
Fired right up huh? How did it run before you shut it off? Did you let it warm up? Do you have a choke? How long did you wait before you tried to start it again?
Do you know how to check for spark? I'm going to tell you anyway: Pull a spark plug. Any plug will do. Put the wire back on it. Hold the plug against a good ground on the engine and have someone crank the engine (with the ignition on) You're looking for a spark in the plug gap. DO NOT pull the wire at the distributor cap to see if the spark can jump to it's end from the cap. TRUST ME, never do that. It's really hard on pacemakers and the back of your head when you're thrown against the bottom of the hood.:eek:
Just remember that the spark only happens once every two revolutions. Also, don't freak if the engine starts. That horrible sound is only air being forced out of the open spark plug hole. I recommend shutting the engine off and reinstalling the plug.:D
 
#24 ·
I have good spark and it cant be a coil as the coil and ignition module are both brand new. I checked for spark and it did get good spark.

Yes it fired right up but it ran rough and stumbled when given gas. I do have an electric choke on the carb. The car never got warmed up as it wouldnt run long enough to get warmed up. Once the car died I tried to start it right back up again and got nothing waited a few mintues and still nothing.
 
#27 ·
That does not mean that the needle and seat are allowing fuel into the carb. You need to look into the carb while pumping the gas and turning it over just disconnect the coil so you keep you eyebrow in tact. If it started once it should start again. If the chain went it would not be a happy motor. Which way did you turn the timing. Did it make the motor fight the starter when you went to restart it? If you move it til it fights a little you know you are too advanced but at least close enough to get it running and get a light on it.
 
#29 ·
Timing light shining on balancer timing mark??????????????

And yet another way to do it if you ever find the TIMING MARK!,,,,(grrr);
When the #1 plug is out and grounded near the front of the block and you're watching it for a spark, make sure the engine is just being bumped with the key. Tell your helper "BUMP" as the motor moves. You're looking for the TIMING MARK(!!!!) You need to look at it the instant the plug sparks. That will tell you where abouts the spark is firing. Do that and report back. We'll help from there. (find that timing mark!!!:() Do you know which is #1 plug?
 
#30 ·
Let's see how this works;

Disregard the embarrassing backfires, they're fixed.
OK, let it run until the 1:39 mark and note the flashing light on the balancer. It's showing my timing at 38°. The TDC mark is 38° above and left of the timing marker. Find TDC.
 
#31 ·
OK, nobody asked this question; Do you know the firing order? Did you install the plug wires properly? Note the #1 wire at the cap. The next wire, clockwise, looking down, HAS TO BE #8. Continue around the cap and check the rest. Make NO mistake. Very important! Oh, yeah, firing order is 18436572.
 
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