Engine information

[Jeff w Ashworth]

I think I'm having a brain fart, rebuilt my 5.7 350 in my 1984 GMC at first when I turned it over nothing but spun over, took and turned it 180 degree's and now it want's to start but die's I've cranked the distributor all the way front to back and have not got it yet, that's why I'm calling it a brain fart because I'm having problems thinking about it. Thanks for any and all help.

 

[fast 99]

Assume it is getting fuel and spark? Kind of sounds like a guess where the distributor is at. Need to start over. Remove #1 plug get it on the compression stroke. Watch the timing mark on the damper bring it to TDC, Then look at the dist rotor it should be pointing at the #1 plug terminal or close to it. If that is ok check the firing order.

 

[Jeff w Ashworth]

The motor is a 97 350 vortex I put an aluminum intake on it with carb. and a HEI distributor, and the timing has always been hard to set and then you don't have much adjustment on it was starting to think something might be going bad inside the distributor or something, like today I got it to start and adjusted the rockers and shut it off to switch everything to the other side and then wouldn't start.

 

[Matt69olds]

Make sure the outer ring on the balancer hasn’t moved. With the engine assembled it’s not very easy to establish true TDC, but with a spark plug style piston stop it can be done.

Remove the number one plug, install the piston stop. Slowly, and BY HAND, rotate the engine until the piston touches the piston stop. Put a mark on the balancer. Rotate the engine the other direction until the piston again hits the piston stop, put another mark on the balancer. TDC should be between those marks, and hopefully very close to the timing mark on the balancer. If not, the out ring has spun.

Once you have determined the balancer is accurate, rotate the engine in its normal direction (with #1 cylinder on the compression stroke) until the timing marks line up at the desired initial timing spec, say 10 degrees. If you overshoot the timing spec, don’t rotate the engine backwards until they line up, rotate the engine far beyond the desired spec, then slowly rotate in the normal direction. Just backing up the engine will put excessive timing chain slack into your desired timing mark. Put a spark plug in the number one wire and ground the plug. With the ignition on, rotate the distributor back and forth. Every time the pickup coil and poke piece (the star wheel looking thing under the rotor) align and become misaligned, you should see a spark. If not, either the distributor isn’t installed right, or you have ignition problems that need sorted out. If you have spark, then you know for a fact the distributor is installed on #1 compression stroke.

Next, remove the cap. Rotate the distributor until the pickup coil and pole piece teeth line up, make sure the rotor is still pointing to number one plug wire. Tighten the distributor, reinstall the cap, plugs,wires, etc. The engine should start, and when you put a timing light on it, you should find the timing is very close to 10 degrees.

 

[AyWoSch Motors]

Everybody else has said the same thing, but this is the way I do it....

Bar the engine over until the timing mark on the balancer is set to 0 on the mark. And if you just had the valve cover off, take it off again, and check the number 1 cyl intake and exhaust valves. If one is closed and the other is open, your on the exhaust stroke, so turn it over 180. If both valves are closed, your on the compression stroke (can also be tested by putting you thumb over the whole and feel for the puff, but not my favorite way of doing it).
Now, take a big long screw driver and set the oil pump drive to point just about the last intake bolt in the rear. Then set your distributor in. As your setting the distributor down, set it so the rotor is first facing almost 90° right, and as it meshes with the cam, it should grab the oil pump drive, and settle down, so that the rotor is pointing somewhere in the vicinity of the number 1 cyl. Adjust as needed until you get it where you want it. Make sure the distributor is settled all the way down to the intake face.
Now, take a marker, and mark intake, or something near by that doesnt move, where the rotor is pointing, and mark the cap, where the #1 spark plug stud is. Put the cap on, and rotate the housing until the 2 marks line up.
Now it's set at 0. If youd like to set a little base timing advise rotate the distributor a little more. I'd aim for about 8°-10° for a base set. Should run after that enough to set the timing with a light.

Remember this, the cam and the engine doesn't care where the rotor is pointing in the cap, as long as the rotor contacts the #1 point when the engine is at TDC. It could be facing totally backwards, and as long as its lined up it doesnt care.
Traditionally, youd prefer the #1 to be facing somewhere near the front, because that's the way everyone does it, and also, it makes hooking up the vacuum advance easier. If you do it that way, your vacuum advance should be facing the back left side of the carb.