Can not get my timing right.

[gschretter]

Have a 81 chevy 350.

Switch from one of those heavy steel intake to a alm intake.

The alm intake has an EGR.

After the switch I could not get it stabed correctly.
I took pictures of what the distributor was at and no matter what I could not get it to that.

I have a mech working on it and he seem to not be able to time it right either.

Questions:
1. Switching from a NON-egr (OEM) intake to an ALM with EGR is there something that I am missing ?

2. Is the height of the material on the intake different from the two ?

3. Has anybody ran into this problem that before ?

4. Is there anybody around Irving,TX that could come by and take a look ? I will pay you. If the mech can not get to work by Thuesday. (He had it for three weeks) I am getting it tow back.



Thanks.

[Thunderbolt]

Are you saying you can't get it timed right ?? Changing intake manifolds has nothing to do with timing or getting the distributor in correct. If the aluminum intake has an EGR port as long as you have the cover on it it doesn't matter. Does the truck run or are you having problems getting the distributor in ?? I cant't see any reason the intake would be giving you your problem unless it just runs bad and then maybe you got the intake gasket on wrong or not sealed creating a vaccum leak. We need more details.If your having trouble getting the distributor in are you sure the oil pump drive is lined up. The only other reason I could think of is if the dist. hole in the intake was not in the proper spot, But in more than 20 years of working on 350's I have never seen that. Please give more info.

[gschretter]

When I put on the gasket on I used a Mr. Gasket and I put gasket sealer (black stuff) on the side that goes to the head. I torqued the bolts down in a cross fashion.

It runs really rough. Will not idle. Runs great over 3000 rpm.
In the mid range really bogs down.

[Thunderbolt]

While it running spray carb cleaner along the intake and around the carb. It sounds like you may have a large vaccum leak. By spraying carb cleaner if the engine speeds up there is a leak. I personally prefer Fel-Pro gaskets and I don't use any silocone anywhere except the front and rear of the intake. Some people use some around the water jackets and that is OK, But I would't use in anywhere else on the intake. Another place to look is the line going to the power brakes. Also check all your plug wires and make sure they are in the right order.