[MHChevelles]

Trying to get the motor started for the first time and I am getting large puffs of fire out of the top of the carb, some times the residual fuel sitting in the carb will burn off. I have read so much on the internet and watched enough videos to make my head spin, but nothing is telling me what exactly is wrong. I am fairly new with regard to engine startup and setting things up.
Fully rebuilt stock '65 283 with mild cam, Edelbrock 600, HEI
Here is what I have done in no particular order: Adjusted all valves, checked and rechecked plug wiring, located 10 degrees BTDC compression stroke and dropped in distributor roughly locating cyl 1 firing, attempted to advance dist to stop carb fires but I don't know how far I should turn it or if I have gone too far, capped of vac lines but left on dist adv vacuum line.
I appreciate all ideas and experience here! I am hoping I am just dealing with a little timing issue and maybe flooding the carb?? I really don't know.
Oh, and choke is open

thanks!!!!

 

[VinceS427bb]

when you set the timing did you have compression/pressure blowing out the cyl-1 plug hole?
suspect that you have it timed for cyl-6 instead of cyl-1 on its compression stroke.
this is called 180* out of phase.

verify compression is coming from cyl-1 just before TDC and then drop in the distributor
i think this is the issue...

 

[Highway Star]

Also check plug wires again. Make sure you wired them clockwise, 18436572, with #1 on the terminal of the cap that the rotor is pointing towards when the #1 piston is at the top of the compression stroke...when damper and pointer are aligned.

 

[MHChevelles]

when you set the timing did you have compression/pressure blowing out the cyl-1 plug hole?
suspect that you have it timed for cyl-6 instead of cyl-1 on its compression stroke.
this is called 180* out of phase.

verify compression is coming from cyl-1 just before TDC and then drop in the distributor
i think this is the issue...

I couldn't get compression at all, maybe it's initial blow-by with new rings? This was before I adjusted all valves though, and they were not adjusted correct before. I have not checked compression after valve adjustment.
I did verify that I was TDC on the compression stroke, as I rotated the engine by hand I watched the valves and the intake valve opened and then closed while I came up to TDC. I also adjusted all valves using two crank positions, while on #1 TDC compression I adjusted certain valves according to a list I got online and then rotated the crank 360 to TDC for compression #6 cyl and adjusted the other valves. I think that if I was 180 out that the list of valves to adjust would not seem right..? Then after I got done adjusting the remaining valves at #6 TDC, I rechecked the dist cap as it was now pointing to #6 firing... Does all this seem correct?

 

[MHChevelles]

Also check plug wires again. Make sure you wired them clockwise, 18436572, with #1 on the terminal of the cap that the rotor is pointing towards when the #1 piston is at the top of the compression stroke...when damper and pointer are aligned.

I'll check that again. and when I pull off the dist cap, I have a difficult time determining exactly where it should go as the rotor point is wide, I am just lining it up by eye to hit #1 plug point

 

[Highway Star]

Oh man... you might have the lifter preload all jacked up...might have valves hanging open. I've done it too. Don't follow the book...only works with stock cam. Search EO/IC and readjust the valves by this method.


Here....this may help:

 

[MHChevelles]

I thought I had the preload right after I adjusted the valves, but that is an interesting point about it not being a stock cam. I am not very familiar with how a different cam changes things. It sounds like I should go ahead a readjust them using the EO/IC method. I have the specs of the cam if that helps determine if it's enough to create the problem.
If I am getting flame out of the carb, is that an indication that I have enough spark? I have the wiring rigged up for a start up as I am still in the process of body and paint and the interior is totally gutted, so I wired up the ignition switch loosely... I have a small wire going from the battery to ignition switch and then to the dist. Should I hookup a solenoid? or does that not matter?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Highway Star]

I think you are getting spark. It may be at the wrong time though. It really sounds to me like you should start at the beginning though and make sure everything's right. That is what I'd do...adjust lifters, phase distributor, wire ignition, fire it up.

 

[KRAKLIO64]

Sounds like you might be 180 deg. off. Like others said, start over from the begining and double check everything.

 

[MHChevelles]

Thanks guys. I think I will reset all the valves using the EO/IC method, then reset my distributor, and check plug wiring, and see if it fires.
Any pointers on dropping the dist in correctly, I mean making sure it's within a certain range of the #1 cyl firing point? It doesn't seem very accurate eye-balling it, but maybe that's all it needs for initial timing? Should I do this at 0 TDC or 10 BTDC?

 

[Bluegoose1970]

1-Run your lifters and set them
2- check top dead center and make sure you have compression.
3- hand turn engine to TDC. Set distributor @ TDC facing #1, eyeball is fine. Double check spark plug wires.
4- hard starting, backfire thru carb is to much advance or valve not shutting on intake.
5- above only applies if valves are set, cam is installed correctly, distributor is on #1 on the compression cycle,
Take your time. Set valves correctly. Establish TDC, and install distributor on #1, and wire correctly. If you do not get compression on #1, don't go any further.


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[Andy's Auto Repair]

Looking from the front of the engine back, you want the vacuum advance right around the 10 O'clock position.

 

[MHChevelles]

Looking from the front of the engine back, you want the vacuum advance right around the 10 O'clock position.

I'm not sure what this means...

 

[MHChevelles]

1-Run your lifters and set them
2- check top dead center and make sure you have compression.
3- hand turn engine to TDC. Set distributor @ TDC facing #1, eyeball is fine. Double check spark plug wires.
4- hard starting, backfire thru carb is to much advance or valve not shutting on intake.
5- above only applies if valves are set, cam is installed correctly, distributor is on #1 on the compression cycle,
Take your time. Set valves correctly. Establish TDC, and install distributor on #1, and wire correctly. If you do not get compression on #1, don't go any further.

I am worried about compression since I got no reading before I did the valve adjustment. I have a gauge... when I hook it to a cyl, should I get a reading even with hand turning it? or do I need to turn it with the starter?

 

[Highway Star]

Looking from the front of the engine back, you want the vacuum advance right around the 10 O'clock position.

:noway:This is subjective, based on the orientation of the distributor once it is stabbed in. Line up the #1 terminal with the rotor terminal perfectly straight...then fasten the cap to the housing. Then turn the distributor cap 1/2" or so counter clockwise. Engine will fire up if everything else is right.

 

[Highway Star]

I am worried about compression since I got no reading before I did the valve adjustment. I have a gauge... when I hook it to a cyl, should I get a reading even with hand turning it? or do I need to turn it with the starter?

You need to turn it over with the starter. All plugs out. Throttle fully open. Let it crank over 4-5 times.

 

[Andy's Auto Repair]

I'm not sure what this means...

Think of the distibutor as a clock, with the firewall being 12 o'clock. By putting the advance at the 9/10 clock position, you should have enough rotation to get it times correctly after you get it running.

I do it as simple as it gets. Pull number one plug and have someone bump the starter until your finger pops off the hole. Grab a socket and ratchet and line the timing marks up to top dead center using the front crank bolt. . Install the distributor with the rotor pointing right at number one on the cap. Figure out where this is by putting the cap on and marking the dizzy housing with a Sharpie one terminal past the tower 9clockwise). Tower being where your power, tach, and pickup wires are. The dizzy most likely wont be engaged or even dating the oil pump drive, so with a little pressure on the housing, bump it over again until it fully engages. Put your hold down on and do the finger popping, bumping excercise. Now you want to see your balancer and tab marks lining up and the rotor just past the number one cap post.

What you want to see is a rotor just past number ones mark on the housing, the dist fully engaged, and the hold down tight enough so that when she does fire up, it doesnt throw the whole housing back out of the block. Once you are confident that it is close, reinstall the cap, all wiring, and double check your secondary wires. Not to be redundant, but it is 18436572 clockwise.

Get your timing light ready. As soon as you see idle rad temps 150 or above, set your baseline where you thing it needs to be. On a relatively stock small block, I start out at 6 degrees,

 

[Tom Mobley]

EO/IE first, then other stuff.

 

[Bluegoose1970]

X2
By compression, I meant that you are on the compression stroke, ie finger blows out the spark plug hole, you are coming to TDC.


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[XCELERATIONRULES]

Check out the box wrench page for your motor...and set your dizzy exactly as the picture shows.
Your either one wire or 180 degrees off.