Thread: Please help I am racking my brain on this one.

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After hearing from everyone on here I went back on my 350 and reset the timing gears for advance timing now the engine will not start. I checked the fire it seems to be getting good fire, and has plenty of fuel. Am I overlooking something or should I just set this thing to stock timing I used the Comp Cams extreme 4x4 cam

Check to be sure you didn't stab the distributor 180 degrees out of phase. It's easy to do, hitting TDC on the exhaust stroke instead of compression.

Well, if it isn't running now.. you've got no choice but to go back to basics. Bring # 1 up to Top Dead Center, verify the crank / cam indications and verify the distributor points to number 1.

I have checked the gears and the distributor at least a dozen times now, I have brought it up to top dead center on number one, checked the rotor for location, I have pulled the timing cover and checked my marks to make sure I didn't get something out of line there, checked for spark, made sure it had good fresh fuel. I am sure it is probably something simple I am over looking but for the life of me can't figure out what that would be. I had a friend of mine that went through the same thing I am and he never did get his to start when he set it for advance, just wonder if this cam will not allow me to go that far advance. the package from cloyes states that it is 4 degrees advance.

I know it's basic, but did you pull the #1 plug, stick your finger/thumb over the hole, and verify 100% that you were on the compression stroke when you set TDC? It doesn't make sense that advancing the cam a few degrees would stop it from starting....

Did you remember to put the rotor bug back in?

When I say verify #1 at TDC, I mean take out the plug(s) and either view the piston or touch the top of the piston after holding the cylinder closed with your finger and feeling compression blow past as the piston travels up. Don't trust the balancer lines at this point.

Yep I did it again, I went pulled number one plug and put it on top dead center and reset the distributor and it fired right up. Thanks guys this engine build has been a nightmare for me but I am just about done. I do have one other question, I put in new lifters and they are still ticking at me I talked to parts store and they said to bring up the truck and they would verify and warranty them for. I just want to know if I may have done something wrong or did i just get some bad parts again which has been the theme from this parts store on this build. They are a little slower of a store and parts do seem to sit around for a while before they sell them.

did you preload your lifters??? Did you run the oil pump before starting the engine? Could be they are not pumped up. How did you adjust them??

Before you get into any more second guessing take the truck out and run it down the road for a bit, getting it fully up to operating temperature and running it easy through the rpm range - no need to see 5000rpm or more, but run it up & down, exercising the engine a bit. Then come back and see if the lifters are still clicking. If so then I'd let it cool down and go through them again, being 100% sure that you're starting on #1 compression, both valves closed and off the lifters, and proceed through your firing order getting the pre-load right. If they still click then think about going to see your supplier. Just my $0.02....

The cam came with instructions that said not pre-load the lifters as it could damage the cam during initial break-in, I have run it and adjusted the lifters a couple of times now and still sounds awful. I drove it to work and back yesterday and it ran fine just noisy from the lifters, work and back is about 60 miles round trip. I adjusted them at work and them again when I got home. I guess it is time to replace them and try again.

my question is how did you adjust them??? run them down then back off x number of turns? If they are adjusted to far down they won't, can't get oil in them. Guess I don't understand this. I'll sit back and learn .

I adjusted them two different ways, first time I adjusted them was after the heads were installed. I turned the push-rod until there was a little bit of resistance felt then went 1/2 turn more, did this a couple of times at first with no success on quieting the lifters. Then with the engine running I tightened them until a miss started in the engine and then backed them off 1/2 turn, performed this one two different times. These are standard rocker arms not roller rockers, and from my research this is the two most accepted standards for adjusting the lifters. If anybody has any better suggestions I am for sure all ears on this one as I have never had this much trouble adjusting lifters before.

[QUOTE= I turned the push-rod until there was a little bit of resistance felt then went 1/2 turn more, did this a couple of times at first with no success on quieting the lifters.
If the lifters were not loaded when you Tightened them down I'd bet you bottomed them out. Then done it again. If it were mine I'd loosen them run the oil pump for some time while rotating the engine. Then try again.

A running adjustment is messy, but usually easy and effective.

However, I've always heard them being adjusted by backing them off until you hear a click, tighten it down until the click is silenced, plus a half turn.

However also, some say a quarter turn, some go half, and some say three-quarter.