I'm a newbie and need help!! I was just out for a ride when I went to a gas station to fill up. I spent about 5 mins filling it up. Then, I fired up the car and the engine is chugging to turn over! It finally did turn over, but I have been having this issue a lot. It seems the engine struggles to turn over. I let the car sit for a while with battery connected and I get a normal volt reading from my car battery so, its not the battery being drained. I posted a question on here a few days ago about why my engine was dropping so many RPMS from park to drive (around 600). The response that I got was that I should adjust my ignition timing. Is this a related issue?? If your ignition timing is off will your engine struggle to start? Intuition says yes, but I'd rather get an answer from someone who's more knowledgeable. Thanks:thumbsup:

Too much base timming will cause a hard start when hot.What is your timming at now?A cracked cap will also cause a hard start.Bad or coroded bat conections will.A hot starter will.

My timing is at 10 degrees BTDC.

However, I do have an aftermarket cam in the engine which the previous owner had put in. I read somewhere that if you have an aftermarket cam you should advance your ignition timing to around 16 BTDC. Is this true??

check all your electrical connections and the size of your battery cables- the last time i had this problem, i fixed it with a bigger set of battery cables.
it's also possible that your battery is weak or your starter is dying.

There's countless existing posts on these topics. Some searches will be time well spent.
eg
cam initial timing
hard start
cranks slow

However, I do have an aftermarket cam in the engine which the previous owner had put in. I read somewhere that if you have an aftermarket cam you should advance your ignition timing to around 16 BTDC. Is this true??

It's very common for an aftermarket cam to need 16 degrees, give or take. It helps with idle quality and engine vacuum. But, don't crank it up without knowing your total.

I would suggest that at 10 degrees BTDC, you don't have enough timing to make it hard to start when hot.

Stock Initial is approx 8 degrees BTDC. Generally a SBC will take 12 to 14 degrees BTDC Initial with some modifications - Every engine is different. When setting Initial Advance (which is where an engine will start and idle by turning the distributer) ensure the Carb is setup with throttle plates in the idle circuit, the Secondary Plates set per Mfgr's Specs and Idle Air Screws approx 1 1/8th turn off seat. Disconnect all Vacuum sources such as Vacuum Advance, Tranny Modulator Sx, Power Brakes and PCV - The last thing you want is a Vacuum leak when establishing Initial Advance.

Once you have establish the initial advance write it down for future reference and take a Vacuum Reading. The Power Valve and Distributer Vacuum Pod should have approx 1.5 to 2 Hg's below the engine's Vacuum at Idle. If you note the Timing with Vacuum Advance haunting on the Damper it probably means you have Too High of a Vacuum Pod for the Engines Vacuum at Idle or you have a Vacuum leak - This is why you plug all Vacuum Sources to ensure there are no Vacuum leaks when establishing Initial Timing for a particular Engine.

Now connect the Vacuum Advance and slightly adjust the Throttle Screw and Idle Air Screws to compensate for the Vacuum Advance. The Timing at idle should be approx 10 or 12 more (say 24 degrees) at idle with full vacuum advance and the idle air screws set approx 3/4 turn off seat.

Drag Racers are not that concerned about Initial Timing and concentrate on the Total and getting it all in at a specific RPM but for the Street, Initial Timing is a MUST.

I also recommend that you use Manifold Vacuum to the Distributor Advance Pod and Plug the Carburetors Port Vacuum source. Port Vacuum is for SMOG Engines.

This may be as simple as a Vacuum Leak or the Starter Field Winding are Cooking from Heat or on the last legs. If your running headers it's wise to use a Starter Heat Shield.