SBC 350 with new cam will not start, only pops a couple times then nothing.

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.

Honky Kong jr

Super Sarcastic Man
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Posts
14,968
Reaction score
9,828
Location
Denver,PA
First Name
J-me
Truck Year
87
Truck Model
V10
Engine Size
Lil BB 407
It wasnt wrong just odd. I have a similar pic with #1 up front in one of the manuals.
Maybe not wrong but evidently confusing and conflicting. #1 is in the same place just the connector is 180 off
 

Snoots

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2013
Posts
8,709
Reaction score
17,993
Location
Georgia
First Name
Roger
Truck Year
1973
Truck Model
Jimmy Sierra
Engine Size
350 w/203
Could've been the pj's.
 

QBuff02

I like Big Blocks and I cannot lie
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Posts
867
Reaction score
1,598
Location
Central IL
First Name
Quincy
Truck Year
1982
Truck Model
K30
Engine Size
454
If it was me, I'd start back at square one. I'd get #1 up on tdc, pull the valve cover if you have to, to verify if it is on true tdc and check the distributor rotor index to make sure that #1 is truly on #1, from there I'd rewire the distributor with the correct 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 firing order and see what happens. Too many times I've seen (and done a few times myself) the distributor be off 180 degrees. Start with the basics.
 

QBuff02

I like Big Blocks and I cannot lie
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Posts
867
Reaction score
1,598
Location
Central IL
First Name
Quincy
Truck Year
1982
Truck Model
K30
Engine Size
454
The only thing the motor will do is pop off occasionally then nothing.

Crank gear was set to 12 Oclock and Cam gear set to 6 O clock.

Then Motor was turned over to put Cam gear at 12 O clock and Crank gear at 6 O clock to get TDC on #1.

Distributor was installed pointing in the general vicinity of the Number one cylinder.

I have been using 2,1,8,4,3,6,5,7 firing order in the clockwise direction.

Have The Plug wires all connected to the correct cylinders, The Carb is spraying fuel.
Pulled the plugs and they are getting spark.

Tried re stabbing the distributor 180 degrees several times going back and forth and also pulled the driver valve cover and rechecked TDC compression stroke then restabbed the Dist and all that has ever happened is an occasional pop.
I have also tried both ways with the dist and advancing and retarding the dist.


As read above, What concerns me is rotating the engine 180 degrees before installing the distributor.. I've generally installed them "straight up" as in when the dot on the cam gear and the dot on the crank gear are opposed to each other. cam at 6 o'clock and crank is at 12 o'clock. Stick the distributor in with the rotor pointing at the #1 cylinder, and if I have to, use a long flat head screw driver to line up the oil pump drive shaft with the distributor gear. This will generally have you within a few degrees. And if your firing order was #2 and then #1, you're only compounding the problem of improper timing. That is why in my previous post I stressed the importance of verifying tdc, distributor orientation and firing order before beating yourself up too much. And mentioned that If you have concerns of actually being on true tdc, pull a spark plug and rotate the engine until #1 is at tdc (if your balancer has a good timing line use it as a reference to get in the area of tdc) then pull the valve cover and make sure the rocker arms are up and the valves are both closed on #1, this is true TDC. I about beat myself up over this almost same thing on an install last fall, but my experience told me to verify the distributor FIRST, and when I did I was off and a simple reset had us fired up and on our way to happy motoring!
 

4WDKC

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2016
Posts
2,366
Reaction score
1,090
Location
Southern Florida
First Name
Kacy
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
V10
Engine Size
350
Mine did the same thing, and while cranking sounded like it had no compression. I backed the rockers loose set to tdc and tighten rockers on cyl. that was loose till there was no space between push rod and rocker arm. rotate crank 90 degrees and tighten the loose ones. Do this for 2 full rotations of the crank and it fired up. if it runs smooth without clatter from the rockers break in the cam, if not adjust rockers then break in cam. After cam is broken in there is additional 1/2 -3/4 turn needed on the rockers. This worked for me YRMV.
 

buddy350

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2017
Posts
95
Reaction score
72
Location
El Paso,TX
First Name
Buddy
Truck Year
1973 k20
Truck Model
Suburban
Engine Size
350
Got it to run tonight..


Restabbed the dist and readjusted the valves.

Runs good with B12.
We decided that the quadrajet is probably gonna need to be replaced.
Now if I can find a good deal on a Edlebrock 600cfm.
 

Honky Kong jr

Super Sarcastic Man
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Posts
14,968
Reaction score
9,828
Location
Denver,PA
First Name
J-me
Truck Year
87
Truck Model
V10
Engine Size
Lil BB 407
Got it to run tonight..


Restabbed the dist and readjusted the valves.

Runs good with B12.
We decided that the quadrajet is probably gonna need to be replaced.
Now if I can find a good deal on a Edlebrock 600cfm.
Get a Holley. You’ll thank me for it later and cool you got it running.
 

1987 GMC Jimmy

Automobile Hoarder
Joined
Jan 23, 2016
Posts
5,848
Reaction score
2,389
Location
Mississippi
First Name
Jesse
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
V1500 Jimmy
Engine Size
350
Or! Or you could rebuild the Slobberjet yourself, by mail order, or by a reputable local. I know a guy. Seriously, a Quadrajet genius. I don’t actually call them that, though. That’s what my colleague above calls them. Gotta keep everyone happy.
 

Honky Kong jr

Super Sarcastic Man
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Posts
14,968
Reaction score
9,828
Location
Denver,PA
First Name
J-me
Truck Year
87
Truck Model
V10
Engine Size
Lil BB 407
Or! Or you could rebuild the Slobberjet yourself, by mail order, or by a reputable local. I know a guy. Seriously, a Quadrajet genius. I don’t actually call them that, though. That’s what my colleague above calls them. Gotta keep everyone happy.
:D
 

Snoots

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2013
Posts
8,709
Reaction score
17,993
Location
Georgia
First Name
Roger
Truck Year
1973
Truck Model
Jimmy Sierra
Engine Size
350 w/203
Or! Or you could rebuild the Slobberjet yourself, by mail order, or by a reputable local. I know a guy. Seriously, a Quadrajet genius. I don’t actually call them that, though. That’s what my colleague above calls them. Gotta keep everyone happy.

Cliff Ruggles?
 

4WDKC

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2016
Posts
2,366
Reaction score
1,090
Location
Southern Florida
First Name
Kacy
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
V10
Engine Size
350
Or! Or you could rebuild the Slobberjet yourself, by mail order, or by a reputable local. I know a guy. Seriously, a Quadrajet genius. I don’t actually call them that, though. That’s what my colleague above calls them. Gotta keep everyone happy.

If you call them that they start to charge accordingly.
 

TravisB

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Posts
1,146
Reaction score
1,268
Location
Kentucky
First Name
Travis
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
350
I read this and cringed. If you installed a flat tappet cam all that cranking couldn't have been good for it. Follow the break in procedure if you can. I had a cam in my garage that looked like a broomstick except for a couple lobes that survived as a reminder to break them in right. Less than 1000 miles and ruined. :(

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
44,075
Posts
948,865
Members
36,146
Latest member
Nuggets40
Top