Thread: timing

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My son and I are street rodding a 78 El Camino. It has a 267 small block. We just changed intakes (Edelbrock performer) and new billet distributer. We have triple checked the firing order, set the engine to TDC and routed our plug wires according to the firing order. The engine turn over fine (no back firing, but maybe just a little fast) but it will not start. What are we doing wrong ?

Sounds like a ground to me. Check for spark, and look at the diagram for the new distributor. if it connects to the factory wiring harness, and you havent one any modifications to the origional harness, you should have a ground in place. Look for the connections, connect as needed, and clean all your teminals. Hope this helps.

Tech, correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't 360 degrees put him right on the money? Sounds to me like 180 degrees out.

An engine turns 720 degrees to each cycle. Exhaust stroke and compression stroke. If you fire at tdc on the exhaust stroke you're 360 degrees off. As usual Richard is right even if it sounds wrong.

Thanks Al, I stand corrected. It's just always been my experience that with a problem like that I've had the distributor 180 degrees out.

Well you're correct too. The cam and distributor turn 180 degrees when the crankshaft turns 360 degrees.