1985 small block 350 won't start

[Ryan Rhea]

So around July of 2022, I bought a brand new rebuilt carbureted 350 for my 1985 k10 and had it installed, it ran absolutely AMAZING and hadn't given me any problems or signs of anything going bad. This morning I went out and started it up, drove to pick up some things, and came back home and turned it off, not even 30 minutes later I came back out to go to work and try to start it again as I always do, it cranked and cranked and cranked, and sometimes it would fire once or twice, but just would not start, I know for a fact it has fuel, and I know it has spark as I checked, and it fires off sometimes, but it won't run no matter what. What could have happened in the half an hour that it wasn't running? Could the timing just go bad like that? Is it the distributor cap? I have no cule. If anyone has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[squaredeal91]

Sounds like the problem lies at the distributor maybe? Be sure power source is good. Check spark to see if it's intermittent.

 

[Ryan Rhea]

Anything you would recommend checking first in the distributor?

 

[squaredeal91]

First verify spark. And if you have power to distributor then it's either the module or coil. I don't know how to test the module. But coil and module can give same symptoms.

 

[Ryan Rhea]

Alright! Thank you!

 

[Ricko1966]

How did you verify you have spark? Dump about a tablespoon of fresh fuel down the carburetor throat get in and try to start it. Let us know what happens.

 

[Ryan Rhea]

I used just a cheap O'Rileys spark tester and it was sparking great, also the fact that it fires off occasionally tells me there's probably some kind of spark. Alright! I'll try that.

 

[squaredeal91]

I'm sorry I forgot to ask about spark color. You want to see a blue spark. Most of the time I've had things with orange spark not start. Maybe someone else knows what I'm thinking? Spark could be weak. Have you tried spoon feeding gas to see if it fires?

 

[rusted nuts]

I'm sorry I forgot to ask about spark color. You want to see a blue spark. Most of the time I've had things with orange spark not start. Maybe someone else knows what I'm thinking? Spark could be weak. Have you tried spoon feeding gas to see if it fires?

Yep Ya want that blue spark that will knock ya on ya ass.. Yellow spark is for whimps.

 

[RaisedK5]

Pull a plug and see if it's wet. If it sits for half hour and wouldn't start but will start if you leave it for days, the carb could be leaking and fuel puddling and flooding the engine. You can try starting it will the throttle wide open and see if it'll start.

 

[82sbshortbed]

Bad plugs? I had my choke adjusted too rich. It would start fine on 70 degrees days. Then we got a cold snap and it fired up and ran real crappy even when I tried to clear it with a little throttle. I didn't mess with it until the weekend when it was warmer and it fired right up ran great. So I figured out it was the choke flooding it. Maybe plugs got fouled with too much gas. Just an idea if you say it's getting gas and spark.

 

[Ryan Rhea]

Spark is a very bright blue, looks super good, it does however have wet plugs after cranking for a bit. This morning I go to try to start it, it cranked for like 20 seconds, started to sputter and cough, and then it started and ran veryyyyu veryyy rough for about 30 seconds, then started to run wayyy better, and now every time I turn the key it starts on the first crank, I'm very confused, but it seems to be working great today

 

[Wumbo]

Quadrajet?

Well plugs might be leaking.

 

[Ryan Rhea]

It's an Edelbrock 4 barrel, would that cause the same problem?

 

[squaredeal91]

Anything can get flooded