Thread: 350 spits fire when static timed

Tweet

Rick, considering that you told us in your first post that you stripped the engine down to basics, then came back with a new manifold, new carb, new Accel Dizzy and new coil; then later told us that you have no way of knowing anything about the lower end/balancer/timing pointer, etc. I think that Tech's advice of a Damper Doctor rebuilt balancer with matching pointer is a great idea to remove that from unknowns column. Looking at Tech's links the rebuilt damper is $62 and the pointer is less than $8, so for less than $100 you know that you're solid on the timing marks. Sounds like a good plan to me if you've decided to stick with this engine, but before you spend that money it makes sense to verify TDC and index your damper to the pointer you have. Even if the damper is bad it doesn't change your spark timing, it just makes it difficult to set your base timing. That Accel distributor may be causing your problem, as has been pointed out.

What's the knibley pin ?

I've heard some good ones, but that one is beyond me.

And, just saying, pull #1 plug and bump it till you get compression stroke, stick a screwdriver down the hole and feel for top dead center while you crank it by hand (very safe and pretty accurate) and you can then verify if your pointer and balancer mark lines up. It's free, take ten minutes, and verifying before you buy parts never hurts.

Originally Posted by firebird77clone

What's the knibley pin ?

I've heard some good ones, but that one is beyond me.

And, just saying, pull #1 plug and bump it till you get compression stroke, stick a screwdriver down the hole and feel for top dead center while you crank it by hand (very safe and pretty accurate) and you can then verify if your pointer and balancer mark lines up. It's free, take ten minutes, and verifying before you buy parts never hurts.

Firebird, it was misspelled. Google "kinibly pin" and you'll get several examples of the use of the term in explaining stuff - https://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei...#q=kinibly+pin

You're right on the advice to verify the existing pointer & balancer marks before going farther. Over night my brain kicked in with one of those "flashes" that since you don't have any type of cam position or crank position sensor involved any variation of the timing is happening apart from the damper/pointer, which only provides a base line for initial timing, and the reference point to understand the variable timing changes after that. The advice to check the distributor is spot on.

After reading this thread from the beginning and with some excellent advice being given by many who have been at this for a long time I have come to a conclusion. I would take the Accel dizzy and find the nearest trash bin and toss it in. I would run a stock Chevy points dizzy before I'd run that piece of junk.

The comments that are repeatedly on here slamming Accell distributors is misguided-while many of you may or not have had problems with them, most issues were very basic as is most issues involving ignition stuff

The dist has a few things that it does-triggers the primary, distributes the secondary (after the coil multiplies it) and with either or both controls the advance of the timing---and don't forget turns the oil pump!

Assuming a completely 100% good distributor/ignition system-----it doesn't take in to account issues with bad initial timing(which has very little to do with bad dampners/pointers), screwed up fuel supply, mixture, chokes,cooling, vacume leaks, etc,etc

I have test fired many engines without even having a front cover, dampner or pointer installed-however, I can guarantee you that the basic timing was correct and had been set with numbers generated by checking tdc with a positive stop method and degree wheel.

This OP has left too many basic things undone, unresponsive to comments/requests for info, and no pics of the install so we don't even know if its a real deal-

And since I have tried to give in depth answers but get back animal comments???????

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

The comments that are repeatedly on here slamming Accell distributors is misguided-while many of you may or not have had problems with them, most issues were very basic as is most issues involving ignition stuff

The dist has a few things that it does-triggers the primary, distributes the secondary (after the coil multiplies it) and with either or both controls the advance of the timing---and don't forget turns the oil pump!

Assuming a completely 100% good distributor/ignition system-----it doesn't take in to account issues with bad initial timing(which has very little to do with bad dampners/pointers), screwed up fuel supply, mixture, chokes,cooling, vacume leaks, etc,etc

I have test fired many engines without even having a front cover, dampner or pointer installed-however, I can guarantee you that the basic timing was correct and had been set with numbers generated by checking tdc with a positive stop method and degree wheel.

This OP has left too many basic things undone, unresponsive to comments/requests for info, and no pics of the install so we don't even know if its a real deal-

And since I have tried to give in depth answers but get back animal comments???????

I don't wish to argue with you and many people would agree with you on Accell anything and many would not, so I'll pose a question. If you had the choice between a genuine MSD dizzy and an Accell dizzy, which one would you choose? Oh, and by the way I think the guy is a poser.

Well actually Ken, I go a long way back with the Accell people and would have to say probably an Accell-I loved it when they came out with the dual point dist with point wires that you could disconnect to set degrees of dwell. It also let me wire in a switch that I could trigger in high gear to retard the timing a few degrees so i COULD RUN OVER 44 * sorry caps intial timing-------

Msd has went thru much more discussing malfuntions for more people over the years but I do think most were operator induced-poor grounds, connections, low voltage, coils mounted wrong, caps not seated, bad seconary carbon wires plus a multitude of inproper wired retards, varible timing devices-----------------

When Accell first hit the market they put out a quality product just like Fram and then the must have shipped their production to China and they went down the toilet and yes I'm aware of MSD problems though I believe they got their act together.
Reminds me of when I worked at Zenith, 18 1/2 years, till they moved to Mexico. They started going downhill in the 80's when they moved the Quality Dept. to Engineering and Engineering would just issue a waiver and everybody went on their merry way. The joke at the plant was that everybody was looking for the man that put the quality in before the name went on. Never did find him or her as the case may be.

I think lots of the engineering on electronics WASN'T under a" hot hood in the summertime"(song title)

I remember solving my Ford eltectronic on 1974 460 in F250 with an bag of ice over the modual----It certainly was hot to touch---of course-I don't remember ever changing a spark plug after the electronic ign came out. The higher voltage would carbon track inside the caps occasionally and cross fire as they also cross fired with the 7mm wires--then 8 & 9 mm wires solved that