New Build Startup Issue

[Newbomb Turk]

When you install your next distributor, throw the book aside because it’s wrong most of the time.

Cranking a new engine and not getting it lit is the number one cam killer there is. It ain’t good for the rings either.

Next time, roll the engine over to 35 degrees BTDC. 40 works too.

Grab your distributor and mark on the housing where the number one spark plug wire goes.

Then look at which way the drive tang is pointing. It is almost NEVER lined up with the rotor.

So, if you line the slot in the drive gear up like the book says you’ll be wrong every time.

Once you know which way the slot in the gear needs to point, use a long screwdriver and turn the gear against rotation and it will walk up out of the cam gear. Rotate it until the slot is where you want it.

Then drop the distributor in. Grab the rotor with one hand and twist it for full advance. Then turn the housing so the number one mark on the housing lines up with the rotor.

Lock it down. If you have it wired correctly it will light right off.

 

[66fyssh]

Sounds like you're on the way to a running engine. Let us know how the start up goes this time!!

 

[Bewy]

The dist fires as the the trailing edge of the reluctor passes the pole piece & the shaft is turning CW. Set the timing pointer to 15-20* BTDC for a quick start. These two things have to be lined up. You could be on #1 or # 6 cyl on compression. You will need determine which cyl; one method is too remove a valve cover & watch valve operation. It doesn't matter if you use #1 or #6, as long as you have the plug wire positions/firing order correct.

 

[YO7_A66]

Sounds like you're on the way to a running engine. Let us know how the start up goes this time!!

Tried to fire it up again and it lit, but I couldn’t get the rpms up to start the fun. After about 5 seconds or so, I shut it down and added more advance. Then, one pump and turned the key and it fired up again. It ran rough for the first 10 seconds or so as I kept trying to get the rpm’s up. A few more seconds went by and it started smoothing out and up past 2k. Now I started the 25 minute counter. It finished the 25 minutes and I turned it off at 2300rpms and it dieselled a second then backfired out the exhaust.
The only leak so far was the brake master cylinder. No clue why except I may have topped it off sometime in the last two and a half years while waiting to get this engine back together.

Mainly kept it at 2300rpms while slowly blipping it to 2800 or so every once in a while as I was watching for issues.
At a warmed up 2300rpms, it showed 50psi oil, 22” vacuum (steady/solid), and never got hot on the gauge.
The 2300rpms started out at 46 degrees timing but I got it adjusted down to 32 for most of the run.
Waiting on it to cool down now so I can pull the valve covers and check the lash. If that looks good, then I’ll put in the inner valve springs and break it in again for another 20 minutes then bring it down to idle and start working on the timing and carb.
I think there is still a timing issue but I’ll recheck it after the next break in.
Thanks everyone!

 

[AJ/FormS]

Teeing the PCV together with the booster is gonna make the back cylinders idle lean. Good luck tuning that.The PCV should be running to the front of the carb, and entering the intake thru a channel provided that will mix transfer-slot fuel into it, and hopefully every cylinder will get proper AFR.

> If you have a big cam, I recommend not to run the booster off just one intake runner. Pressure in the runner, at idle, can bounce to the positive, lowering booster vacuum, and depending on how sensitive your booster is, it may not function.
>The booster should always be evacuated into the Plenum, all by itself, so as to minimize idle fluctuations when cycling the brake-pedal.
>If you think you might have timing problems then make sure the Powertiming is not more than 34>36 until you fix it.
> I would drive it with just the outer springs for a few hours, but keeping the rpm under about 4500. During this time, I would set the idle speed kindof high, and I would idle her as little as possible.

 

[JunkyJimmy]

As AJ mentioned I also had a module (hei) that the polarity was wrong, pulled our hair out for hours on a brand new motor. Guy that worked for me mentioned it ( I had never heard of that ),flipped the wires around and all was well, good luck I hope you get it figured out!

 

[66fyssh]

it dieselled a second then backfired out the exhaust.

I'm far from an expert but I find that's generally caused by too high of an idle or timing too far advanced.

 

[YO7_A66]

I'm far from an expert but I find that's generally caused by too high of an idle or timing too far advanced.

I shut it off at 2300rpms, so I assumed it was caused by that. I didn’t want it to idle yet.
Thanks!

One more question: I’ve got the drivers side rockers off tonight and was inspecting the pushrods and found one that has a scrape all around the diameter. No marks along the length of the rod. It does not even wear thru the markings on the pushrod. I’m assuming that it has already clearances itself in the alum pushrod hole.
Any thoughts beside run it again?
Thanks again!

 

[Swinger 340]

Coming up on TDC (piston towards the top and the balancer on the 20 degree mark) with thumb feeling pressure on #1, the picture of the rotor is about the same.
Second picture shows #1 dist location.

View attachment 1716304533

View attachment 1716304535

Your Disturber housing seems to be correct, so I would say the drive gear is set in wrong. Move your cap wires two notches CW and that should give you your #1 firing position. if everything else is correct. Timing gear and chain is in the right position?