Hello guys, Just a quick intro, I'm a friend of Hamilton's and Hankcash's. I'm in The Coollows here in Dallas. Don't hold that against me! Hankcash told me about the board and I am having some issues with an engine I put into my '53 Chevy 5-window pick-up (pic attached- Jeff I had to borrow this from the website-hope you don't mind). It's a small block 350. Problem is I can't get it started, it could be distributor related and I am not sure if it is installed right. I've checked firing order, cylinder orientation, the distributor is used but was working before I put it into this engine. I've installed all new wires and all new plugs. I am pretty sure it is at TDC and it fires but it won't start. I even double checked and moved it to 180 out and it didn't fire at all, so I am sure it is at TDC to cylinder 1. There is gas in it. Any suggestions? Also, I want to double check if my wiring is right. So if anyone is in Dallas and could maybe help me on this as well because I don't know much about wiring or stabbing the distributor. I'm more of a hands on learner. I'd pay you whatever in cash, beer, pizza, women or help you out in return with your car with stuff I do know. I'd like to thank you guys in advance for any suggestions. Adam
does it backfire? might be your timing is out (way to retarded) advanced I'd think it would hardly turn over when you pump the throttle by hand at the carb does it shoot gas down the carb? is it an HEI distributor? if its a points one have you tried to "hot wire it" so to speak?
I will ***ume you know how to get it on TDC and start your plug wires there. Do you have a nice hot BLUE spark? Have you always been a name dropper?
If you are positive it is on TDC then have someone crank it while slowly tuning adjusting the timing both ways and see what happens. It may start or try to start. If it gets close and you run out of travel you might need to move the distr. back or foward a tooth. If you are not sure that it is on TDC, here's what to do. 1.Pull coil wire 2.pull plug no. 1 3.hold you finger over the spark plug hole 4.Slowly have someone bump it over 5.when you feel compression or when it blows past your finger you are close 6. continue to bump it or turn it by hand till you get to the 0 degree timing mark. 7. that's TDC. 8. pull cap and mark direction rotor is pointed. 9. make sure wire at that point is the #1 wire. 10. 18436572 is firing order if it doesn't try to run after all that, it's not timing. other possiblities. there were several types of timing pointers used on SBCs. if you've changed the timing cover or the pointer, it might be pointing to the wrong spot. if it's a fuel problem it should run on starter fluid, regardless of the carbs problems or fuel pressure as long as the timing is ok. Hope this helps. You probably have tried all this already anyway.
Hey thanks for the suggestions, I've already tried checking all those. But I appeciate it anyway. Although it may sound like I'm an idiot I'm not. I'm a mechanic by trade, it's what I do for a living I just seem to have been stumpped by this one. Again thanks for the advice. Adam
<font color="green">Adam, I'm told you and misslinzi (sp?) are significant others. I just want to thank you for donating to Shawn's family. We actually received quite a few from "lurkers" As it turns out, I am a 350 nut, not a popular thing on the HAMB, but I have been known to build a stout one. Just ask HANKCASH. He's probably still picking se**** outta his ***! Anyways, you two need to come out to MarkX's shop Tuesday night. Maybe I can hook up and help you with that engine. </font> RASHY
I'm going to think maybe you re used to Fords and tell ya the cylinders are numbered 1 3 5 7 on the Driver's side (driver's side in USA, not Australia or UK) and 2 4 6 8 on the p***enger side, just in case ya didn't know that little bit.
being a mechanic you have come to the right place. there are lots of non mechanics here that know everything there is to know about cars. Paul
Well there isn't too much to look for on this and for the most part should be some what of a no brainer. This is what I would do if I were you and had this problem. Quit chasing your tail and start from scratch. Check you timing with crank and cam. check plugs and wires making sure firing order proper on dist. and distributor timed up. check for spark and fuel. and if you think it might be necessary check your compression. If it still doesn't fire you have a bad part (i.e. dist) or you screwed it up so start over. good luck Hollywood
Adam in the hizzy.... Hey man. I am ready to see that truck back on the road. Adam is one hell of a guy, and I am told that he is the last person to get into a brawl with... So, with him on our side in HAMBland, we should be alright. As far as the problems that you are having with the truck... Do the tires have air in them? I had trouble getting my shoebox started once, but all it turned out to be was that the tires were a little low... Also, what battery are you running? I tried saving a little money by hooking up a couple of AA batteries to the terminals.... it wouldn't crank.. so I had to drop the $12.50 and buy one of those "used" ones from that guy Hector on the corner.... And one last thing.... ADAM is a mechanic. He works in the garage at a dealership just down the hwy from me... I'm not gonna tell these guys what the name of the automaker, cause it will get them going and your intro will go straight down the ****ter..... I'm not gonna tell these guys that you work on VW's.. trust me brother, we are cool like that... your secret is safe with me.... Now get your *** over here and drink with us.... Fireworks @ dark!!!! HC
Are you sure the timing chain marks are lined up correctly? I've seen cases where the advance/straightup/retard marks were misaligned (circle to triangle as an example). Mutt
post an intro with a question that has so little information the solution could be any one of a million things.
Yeah I know all that **** I posted was like mechanic pre-school. Didn't mean it to be insulting. I've gotten stumped on timing a couple times before and after I checked and checked it turned out it was 180 out. It's aggrivating. what distributor are you using? HEI? maybe the module is bad? You work at boardwalk? I'm in Richardson and not doing much till my job starts for if ya need an extra hand give me a PM.
All this 350 chev stuff. I'm sittin here now hating life because I have to put a new timing chain in my 75 blazer. it's got a fairly fresh motor, only 277,000 miles and the chain is ****ing history. I'll never build another 350 chev.
48 Hemi next time spend a couple more $ on a GOOD timing chain and it will last a little longer. Also, maybe after you put a few more miles on it, get it broke in good, and the rings are seated good, won't be so much strain on the timing chain.
Revhead, That would be great if you could come out and give a hand or just some ideas. I get off work around 4pm and then pick up my daughter so I usually get home about 5pm. E-mail me and we could set it up whenever is good for you. Boardwalk is the place. Don't hold that against me. It pays the bills at times. Adam
I trust you have thr wires on the cap in a clockwise arrangement? lots O Ford guys make that mistake[or VW]..........also if its an HEI...Its hooked to a straight 12 volts and not thru a resistor? Jus tryin to help.....sometimes its the simplest thing that will stump ya.
[ QUOTE ] Hey thanks for the suggestions, I've already tried checking all those. But I appeciate it anyway. Although it may sound like I'm an idiot I'm not. I'm a mechanic by trade, it's what I do for a living I just seem to have been stumpped by this one. Again thanks for the advice. Adam [/ QUOTE ] Adam, I'm a mechanic too, but spent a whole day trying to start this motor, not realising I had several plug wires in the wrong places. And this was AFTER I had checked them several times, running my hands down each one to MAKE SURE they were in the correct places The motor would fire then die away straight away. A SBC will fire with a whiff of fuel and half a battery, fouled plugs and a m***ive air leak, so you have a basic intrinsic problem such as distributor a mile out, points closed up, or maybe a duff coil. Squirt neat gas down the carb and crank her over, and if it fires heartily its a fuel problem.
One thing I want to mention that my seem far fetched, but is the gas in the tank good. Was it sitting for long without the engine in it? I have known of bad gas giving those symptoms. It will try to start but won't lite fully. Just a thought. Good luck. And BTW Smallblocks ARE traditional
so many questions i will start with,do you have more pictures of the downtube/exhaust manifold/motor plate?is the engine part of the down tube?, how is the drive hooked to the crank?
RaceFab- I even have another question about that BIKE......wher are the two BIG dimples to rest the BIG CAHUNAS!!!!
More stupid advice, but maybe you have a vacuum leak. MarkX's ride had a pretty intense vacuum leak that took us a little while to track down. The carb, or manifold was a bit warped and once we cranked that ***** down tight, we got fire. You could hear the vacuum leak though. Are you hearing any strange wheezing sound when you are trying to start?
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