Thread: 350 wont fire :l. Timing??

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Hey guys, I have a 1977 chevy with a 350 out of a 1973 chevy in it. I got the motor in and it turns over, but wont fire. It backfires really bad through the exhaust and every once in awhile through the carb. I tried to just get the timing close enough for it to fire but it wont go. I pulled the cap and tried to turn the rotor to the number 1 cylinder, but the rotor will not turn that far. Its pointing straight at the number 2 cylinder. My buddy said he thinks my timing is 180 degrees off. how do I fix this?

For the longest time it was a running joke in my family that I would invariably set the timing 180 out of phase when starting a new engine. Then I figured out what I was doing wrong.

Pull out number one spark plug and put your thumb over the hole. Turn the engine over with a breaker bar or by carefully tapping the starter. You will feel it suck on your thumb and then you will feel compression starting to blow your thumb off. That is telling you number one is coming up on it's compression stroke, that is where you want to be.

Watch the timing pointer and when you feel the compression stop blowing, look at the timing mark and move it to zero or slightly advanced. Now drop your distributor down in so the rotor is pointing to number one. You might have to use a 1/4 inch drive socket the same size as your oil pump shaft to slightly turn it so it aligns and lets the distributor drop right down in alignment. Sometimes you need to do this a few times until it drops.

Now clamp the distributor just tight enough so you can turn it by hand and try to start the engine. (after reinstalling the plug and wire) Once it fires turn the distributor a little each way until the engine runs well. Then you can time it with a proper light.

Don

Thanks Don. I will give that a try when I get home from work tonight and let you know what happens. I had it running for about 3 seconds haha, but thats the only time I could get it to actually fire. Thanks again, Josh

Well! that got her. I did what you said and she fired right up! Thanks for the help Don. I really appreciate it. Josh

Once again CHR provides the experience to get things going!

Way to go Don!

Good advice, but I wouldn't do the 1/4" socket thing. It might drop off the extension inside the engine.
If you just turn the engine over after dropping the dist. in the hole, it will line up with the drive and drop all the way down.

Yep, you're right. I forgot to mention that I use a socket and extension that are a very tight fit, then run a strip of tape around them to keep them from coming apart. The reason I don't do the bump routine is I don't like to disturb the engine position until the distributor is completely seated. I know that works, but I try to make it as foolproof as possible as I do this so infrequently.

Glad it worked out for you and that it fired up. Believe me, it's a mistake we've all made at one time or another.

Don