Engine help

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Caspian

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2016
Posts
175
Reaction score
38
Location
Sapulpa, OK
First Name
Ken
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
R10 Burb
Engine Size
350/TH700R4
This has me stumped, I've done everything I could think of to get this engine to work right..

I just got done swapping the 305 in my truck to another 305 I received with the truck, found out that this 305 is from a Camaro SS and not a Monte Carlo SS. Anyway. I've bumped it on TDC 4 times now and verified that the rotor is pointing towards #1 cylinder as it should. Triple checked my firing order and it is correct. I've reset the carb adjustments back to factory.

I can try to start the engine, it will sputter try to run and die. It won't start with the choke fully open, it won't start with the choke fully closed, you have to find a sweet spot for it. When it does run(it hasn't ran longer than 30 seconds) you can't give it gas or it dies automatically and it won't idle on its own. It acts like it is running off time.

I installed a new timing set while I had the engine on the stand and did it with the dots on both gears lined up properly.

Plugs are new, wires are like 2 months old. I had to replace the fuel pump yesterday as the old one wasn't pumping enough fuel(bad diaphragm).

I'm left dumbfounded as to why this engine will not fire up and run properly with everything done correctly, can't set timing cause it won't run.

Only thing I can possibly guess at is that it might be ICM in the distributor. The spark the coil throws is fat and yellow.
 

Caspian

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2016
Posts
175
Reaction score
38
Location
Sapulpa, OK
First Name
Ken
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
R10 Burb
Engine Size
350/TH700R4
Changed coil, throws blue spark, battery is too dead to try though, will update in the morning.
 

1low4x4

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2011
Posts
2,409
Reaction score
716
Location
Texas
First Name
Nick
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
5.7
Are you turning the dizzy back and forth when trying to start each time to retard and advance the timing to see if it will start
 

Georgeb

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Posts
3,259
Reaction score
214
Location
Wisconsin
First Name
George
Truck Year
2003
Truck Model
K10 Burb Z71
Engine Size
5.3
Just a thought but check for a large vacuum leak somewhere..... You have covered a lot of ground searching for the issue but it may still be so simple you are overlooking it.
 

Caspian

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2016
Posts
175
Reaction score
38
Location
Sapulpa, OK
First Name
Ken
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
R10 Burb
Engine Size
350/TH700R4
I've done both of those as well.

Sent from my SCH-S968C using Tapatalk
 

Caspian

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2016
Posts
175
Reaction score
38
Location
Sapulpa, OK
First Name
Ken
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
R10 Burb
Engine Size
350/TH700R4
Dist has to be all the way against the firewall for the engine to fire off, and when it does it still runs like its out of time severely.

I'm fixing to upload a video of it running for 30 seconds..

Sent from my SCH-S968C using Tapatalk
 

RangRayy

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Posts
647
Reaction score
240
Location
Kansas City, Missouri
First Name
ryan
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
r10
Engine Size
350
Just a thought are you sure you were on the compression stroke on #1 and not #6?
 

Caspian

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2016
Posts
175
Reaction score
38
Location
Sapulpa, OK
First Name
Ken
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
R10 Burb
Engine Size
350/TH700R4
Positive. I'm triple checking everything again.

Sent from my SCH-S968C using Tapatalk
 

RangRayy

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Posts
647
Reaction score
240
Location
Kansas City, Missouri
First Name
ryan
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
r10
Engine Size
350
Listening to the video is it backfiring a bit? When my truck had a vacuum leak it would idle crappy but when given gas it was fine. Throw another carb on if you have one to help rule that out.
 

Caspian

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2016
Posts
175
Reaction score
38
Location
Sapulpa, OK
First Name
Ken
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
R10 Burb
Engine Size
350/TH700R4
This carb is good. Its not 3 months old. Cant even give the truck gas without it just dying.

Sent from my SCH-S968C using Tapatalk
 

Georgeb

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Posts
3,259
Reaction score
214
Location
Wisconsin
First Name
George
Truck Year
2003
Truck Model
K10 Burb Z71
Engine Size
5.3
Just for my peace of mind you have used a timing light on it??
 

Caspian

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2016
Posts
175
Reaction score
38
Location
Sapulpa, OK
First Name
Ken
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
R10 Burb
Engine Size
350/TH700R4
I have. I've also lined up the timing notch on the balancer that was on the engine with the 0 on the timing tab, stuck a screwdriver in #1 cylinder to verify every time, as well as stuck my thumb over the hole.. I've moved the wiring around the cap by 1 to see if that fixed anything, it didn't..

I cannot for the life of me, figure out why this engine will not fire and run properly. I installed the timing set properly with the dots lined up:

You must be registered for see images


Unless GM is different than that 4 letter word that starts with an F, that's how I've always installed them.

I've spent enough money that passed 3 days fixing little pop up problems to have just dropped a TBI 350 short block in with my HO heads, intake and carb.....
 

Georgeb

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Posts
3,259
Reaction score
214
Location
Wisconsin
First Name
George
Truck Year
2003
Truck Model
K10 Burb Z71
Engine Size
5.3
Are you sure the valves are adjusted correctly and not too tight?
 

Caspian

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2016
Posts
175
Reaction score
38
Location
Sapulpa, OK
First Name
Ken
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
R10 Burb
Engine Size
350/TH700R4
Are you sure the valves are adjusted correctly and not too tight?
Didn't think about valves being too tight.. I'll check all the valves tomorrow I guess.

Sent from my SCH-S968C using Tapatalk
 

Forum statistics

Threads
44,175
Posts
950,952
Members
36,303
Latest member
Spider
Top