Timing Issues

I popped the crank on my 454 a few years back and picked up a 350 crate motor at great price. I had some family pull the motor of out of its crate and put the motor in, as I wasn't able to be around.

Any way's I used the new motor for 6500 miles and I was very upset with its performace and how it was running. I checked the timing with my light gun and the mark wasn't even close to the right spot. it was on the passanger side when the light flashed.

I turned the motor over tell I had compression on the #1 cylinder, and then lined the balancer up with 0 on the timing cover. I then pulled the distributer but couldn't get it to drop all the way with it facing the number one clyinder. I turned the motor over a bit and it dropped in all the way.

I fired the truck up and got it running but the light is flashing at about 14 before top dead. When I play with the distributer I can get it in as close as 12before and the motor starts to act up. Its also running hotter then it should and at times.

I can't think of what Im doing wrong or what to do. My last resort was the timing chain and gears dont match right. The dots where not lined up right when they installed them.

Any help would be great!

Motor is a 70's block as the oil dip stick is on the drivers side. Motor is basically stock besides the cam. Cam has a bit more lifted on it. Other wise it's basically stock besides the after market headers, Edelbrock 650 carb and matching intake.

Thanks. I checked the plug wires a few times, I have a diagram that shows plug location. All have to try and drop the distributor again. I took the cap off the distibutor and tried matching the inside point that spins to the #1 plug. Does it matter where the inside spining point, points or faces. What exactly do I align with the number 1 plug.

I also forgot to plug the hose that I took off from the vacum advance.

Thanks for all the quick replies.

My last resort was riping the into the timing cover and looking to see if they put the timing chain and gears on right.

I think I'd change the timing gear set to a mid '60's double roller unit.

Here is a bad example, but it's basically what I did or have been trying to do. This is the inside of my distributor under the cap. Im aligning it pointing to the number one clyinder. However it wont drop all the way into place unless i turn the motor a bit. Then I install the cap back on and all my wires.

If you're sure you have #1 at TDC you can use a long wide blade screwdriver to turn the oil pump drive so that it will line up with the dist drive. if the dampener and the timing marks don't line up I think your timing set is for a smog engine.

Maybe your timing cover is wrong for the damper you have. Don't some small blocks have the timing marks on the other side of the cover?
Just set the timing where it runs right, without worrying about the marks.

I have the tool that we made to prime the pump and it works great for turning the oil drive by hand, but even if I do turn that it still wont drop because the distributor wont drop all the way until it meshes with the cam. So no matter how I turn the oil pump I can't get it exactly pointing towrds the number one clyinder/plug hole. Its either at the clyinder before number one which would be 3. I fired it up again today and it will run at about 20 Degrees before and when I turn it town to about 16 or 12 she dies out even if you give it gas then back fires out the carb.

does the distributor make a difference I know its out of an old parts car maybe even from a 305. Balancer is off a parts car too.

Also when im turing it to top dead center or 0 on the timing mark cover I can feel compression tell the timing mark hits about the top of the motor or crank and faces straight up, by the time it hits the timing mark on the cover it seems to have lost its compression.

Im stumped!

No luck again. I turned it over tell I had the balancer at 0 on the mark. I then dropped the distibuter in so it faced the #1 clyinder. Tried to run it and it would only run with the light light flashing over on the other side of the motor. I go only get it to about 20 Degress once I made it on to the timing mark it ran bad and would heat up way to fast. Tried setting it at 8 degrees on the timing mark then dropping it in. Same thing.

Im starting to think I have something else wrong. Chain and gear put on wrong or something.

Line up the cam and crank sprockets dot-to-dot, then do what Denny says.

I got it! The timing mark on the balancer was the cause. I took a zip tie and stuck it down in the #1 hole. Found out that when my balancer mark was at 0 the piston was not at top dead center. So I used a zip tie to find top dead center and I made my own line with a white marker on the balancer. Dropped my distributor back in and had it times with in 5 mintues and running at about 8 on the timing cover marker.

Thanks for all the help advice and info. Now we will see how it runs when I get out on the road later this week.

Hate to say I told ya so but.......hahaha.