Thread: .060over 350, won't run

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Hello everyone, this is my first thread so please bear with. I have a '74 custom Chevy van in great condition that I had reserected from the dead a couple years back. Now I'm continuing my mods in the engine compartment. I'll give a brief run-down of what I've done and then my question/problem.

I replaced the original 350sbc 3 years ago with a 2 bolt long block bored .060. Installed a so-called "RV" cam (216/228 @.050), Hooker headers, Edelbrock Performer 600 carb, Performer EPS intake w/2" 4-hole spacer, and Comp Cams rollertip rockers 1.52:1. The heads were casting #882. The engine ran pretty well but being the vrooom vrooom junkie that I am, I started planning more upgrades and had been finding all the parts I wanted during the the past year.

Now for this year's mods...
Parts:
Edelbrock performer RPM heads 70cc chamber (the 882s had 76cc)
Jacobs Pro Street Ignition
Crane Cams electronic Distributor
Malory digital timing retard (so I can adjust the timing at the dash)
Malory Comp 140 Electric Fuel Pump w/ return regulator)
160 high flow thermostat (Milodon I think)
Replaced belt fan with Derale dual electric pulling 4000 cfm (the engine would start to overheat at a stoplight with the A/C running).

I matched the intake ports to the heads, blended the spacer to the intake, opened up the throat of the carb, removed excess material around the outside edges of the venturies, knife edged the butterflies and filed down the butterfly rods. I also matched the headers to the exhaust ports and drilled a coolant passage in the block between the 3/5 and 4/6 cylinders for better cooling around those exhaust valves.

I was planning originally to port the #882s but read in several sources that they are pron to crack and don't flow well anyway so don't waste your time for maybe 15-20 HP. So I found a pretty good deal on a set of the Edelbrock heads.

The problem:
When I went to start the engine it would crank over for a while then I would get one "fire" like it wanted to start and then sounded like it was just pumping air when I try to give it some gas to get it going. I think the ignition is set up right because I do get spark. I suspect the carb is not doing it's job. I removed the barb and sprayed carb cleaner through all the little passages and put it back together but I have not been able to try starting the engine again because I smoked the starter trying to start it the first time.

Anyway, that's where I am with my project. Any suggestions that might help me get the engine started would be appreciated. I am going to look for someone local to rebuild my starter today.

Hawmps

Sounds like you may have washed down your cyl.'s....run a compression check & see if you stuck your rings. If you did then a squirt of oil into the plug holes will give you enough compression to fire it off.
Have you pulled your plugs & how do they look?

Plugs are new, I haven't pulled them since trying to fire up the engine. I'll pull 'em and run a compression test. I'd be curious to how much pressure is generated with these heads anyway. The #882s were about 155 - 160psi.

If your starter was weak it may have been pulling to many amps to turn it over.....when it doeas that it takes juice away from the ignition circuit.....make sure the battery is fully charged and the new starter pulls low amps to turn it over.....

I have seen the plug spark outside the engine in these cases but thread it in the block and it wouldn't fire....

check the timing with a light while someone cranks the engine....see where your at....

It's possible with the mods youve done to the intake and head's, carb,etc,,,,,,,that you now have to much raw fuel all at once getting to your combustion chamber. ( common problem )
Older aircraft engines used to have the same problem because of porting and polishing,,,they would have to preheat the intake manifold so the gas would mix properly.
I said could be,,,,,try running a hotter plug and a leaner mixture.

Originally posted by Hawmps

I matched the intake ports to the heads, blended the spacer to the intake, opened up the throat of the carb, removed excess material around the outside edges of the venturies, knife edged the butterflies and filed down the butterfly rods. I also matched the headers to the exhaust ports and drilled a coolant passage in the block between the 3/5 and 4/6 cylinders for better cooling around those exhaust valves.

The problem:
When I went to start the engine it would crank over for a while then I would get one "fire" like it wanted to start and then sounded like it was just pumping air when I try to give it some gas to get it going. I think the ignition is set up right because I do get spark. I suspect the carb is not doing it's job. I removed the barb and sprayed carb cleaner through all the little passages and put it back together but I have not been able to try starting the engine again because I smoked the starter trying to start it the first time.

Anyway, that's where I am with my project. Any suggestions that might help me get the engine started would be appreciated. I am going to look for someone local to rebuild my starter today.

Hawmps