74 chevelle engine+fire out intake

[scoopy03]

we have a 74 chevelle engine in a 83 buick regal and we have it timed at 7-9 on the crank we used the firing order 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 we had to hotwire the ignition from the starter bc the key wouldnt work from inside the car (but that is beside the current point of matter right now) we got it cranking over and it started to shoot fire out the intake. we have an hei distributor in it and mainly stock internals. this engine just seems to never run right. we tried on both compression strokes.

[bobss396]

My money is on the distributor being 180 degrees out of rotation. The symptoms you describe are classic with that condition.

[molhannah]

I agree, pull the # one plug out stick a finger in the hole and when you turn the crank over by hand, your finger will feel the compression. When the piston is at TDC line up the timing mark at O. Now remove the cap and see if the rotor is pointing at the # one plug wire. Good luck.

[relic7680]

i worked on a '79 GMC truck w/ a stock 350 4bbl and had a very similar problem....distributor was in fact 180 off.

[scoopy03]

Originally Posted by relic7680

i worked on a '79 GMC truck w/ a stock 350 4bbl and had a very similar problem....distributor was in fact 180 off.

we tried 180 out.there's no more fire out of the intake.it is just not starting.

[bobss396]

Well that's an improvement. Do you have spark and gas to the carb, is it flooded? When the #1 piston is fully up, does the rotor point to the #1 tower on the distributor cap? Like the post below, the timing mark should be on "zero". I'd continue hotwiring it if it worked before.

Bob

[scoopy03]

Originally Posted by bobss396

Well that's an improvement. Do you have spark and gas to the carb, is it flooded? When the #1 piston is fully up, does the rotor point to the #1 tower on the distributor cap? Like the post below, the timing mark should be on "zero". I'd continue hotwiring it if it worked before.

Bob

it has spark and gas.

[joe68]

CHECK your firing order and make sure they match the firing order correct placement of wires

[scoopy03]

Originally Posted by joe68

CHECK your firing order and make sure they match the firing order correct placement of wires

we got it fixed it by doing the valve adjustment by removing the valve covers and loosening the rocker arms and adjusting them by the exhaust order and intake order. all chevy push rods must be movable by hand. u must be able to rotate them by hand in their proper locations.

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by scoopy03

we got it fixed it by doing the valve adjustment by removing the valve covers and loosening the rocker arms and adjusting them by the exhaust order and intake order. all chevy push rods must be movable by hand. u must be able to rotate them by hand in their proper locations.

The proper way to adjust hydraulic lifters on a SB Chevy is to rotate a pushrod between the fingers of one hand, while tightening the nut with the other. The lifter must be on the cam base circle while making this adjustment. Once the pushrod stops easily turning, tighten the nut an additional 270 degrees (3/4 turn) to obtain the proper amount of plunger travel in the lifter.

The tedious and proper method to do this is to start with cylinder 1 on TDC compression stroke (NOT exhaust stroke). Make your adjustments to both #1 lifters, then turn the engine clockwise (at the balancer) 90 degrees, make the adjustment to #8, then another 90 degrees on through the firing order.

[scoopy03]

Originally Posted by silicon212

The proper way to adjust hydraulic lifters on a SB Chevy is to rotate a pushrod between the fingers of one hand, while tightening the nut with the other. The lifter must be on the cam base circle while making this adjustment. Once the pushrod stops easily turning, tighten the nut an additional 270 degrees (3/4 turn) to obtain the proper amount of plunger travel in the lifter.

The tedious and proper method to do this is to start with cylinder 1 on TDC compression stroke (NOT exhaust stroke). Make your adjustments to both #1 lifters, then turn the engine clockwise (at the balancer) 90 degrees, make the adjustment to #8, then another 90 degrees on through the firing order.

thats pretty much what i just said. but if u read chiltons its says to do it with 1 at TDC then turn it so 6 is at TDC so then you get the other rockers.