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Need some quick help on getting timing close....

I honestly was just asking to get me by for the weekend. I messed with it a bit tonight, hooked vac gauge up, did as heath mentioned on getting the highest vac, I advanced it till it stumbled and then turned it back just a bit. Tightened it up, still stinky at idle, but It ran much better and I even got to do some curvy dirt road drifting in the big pig :D


Good enough for the weekend.

Paul, I didnt check any plugs. When I dig into it more after this weekend ill pull some and see. Prolly could use a new set.
 
it's not whether you need a set or not, a plug reading will tell you what needs to be done.. it's amazing to me how people neglect the most direct diagnostic for what's happening with combustion in a motor.... :dunno: it's often one of THE first diagnostics we do on the boats... prob? pull a couple plugs and take a peak at how it's running.....

throw a fresh set in before you go (takes $20 and 15 minutes, if that) than pull em when ya get back and have time, it will tell you exactly whether you have a fueling issue.. not by smelling "gassy"...
 
I totally agree with Paul, if you get a lighted magnifying glass you can read a plug after a few minutes of driving, otherwise it make take a tank of gas to get your overall engine condition.
And don't be afraid to get into that carb...oh wait, I still got one sitting on the bench you got your hands on...nevermind!...:haha::haha::haha::haha:

seriously though, when you get back make sure your ignition system is in top shape, including getting true TDC by pulling no.1 plug and using a piston stop method of finding true TDC, then work your base, mechanical and vacuum advance curves from there.......THEN work on the carb.
 
I concur with Paul and Dave. Read your plugs if you wanna know what's going on.

Then what Dave said. Most do it backwards. They work on the carb first. Ignition is oh so important along with getting your advance in at the right time all that jazz. Optimizing your engine. I bet you could pull another 30 hp out of it without much problem
 
Cool. Thanks guys, if I get a chance tonight I'll grab a set of plugs.

Yah it's funny, I've never been much of an engine guy. No desire to work on em, no desire to build em. Same with transmissions. I just want them in and running.
 
"In and running" is almost the "easy" part...it's tuning them to peak performance thats difficult...every engine is different,and no two engines will run the same at different altitudes too,even ones built identically..

Each will need its own unique settings to obtain peak performance..
Todays fuel injected engines do the "tweaking" for you,constantly..
It's not always easy to get a carbed engine to perform satisfactorily..
Often its a long process of trial and error,trying different cams,intakes,heads,when you go away from factory stock..

Anyone ever use a "color-tune" spark plug?..they used to be popular back in the age of carbuerators...http://www.carbtune.com/colortune.html
 
It's pretty easy to pull a spark plug and find TDC. Then a streak of white paint on balancer. If you don't have a degree tab on the motor it won't do much good, but you can probably scrounge one up from some other SBC sitting around. That's like 20 minutes of work, then you're in normal timing light land.

In fact, with a dial back timing light you could potentially just put a white streak on something on the front of the motor and the balancer and find everything with the dial.
 
Put motor at TDC, white paint marker across balancer and continue it to a point on the block so they align, slap on a piece of timing tape, stick the gun on it
 
Pretty much useless at this point. Seeing #7 cylinder is sucking in half a gallon of coolant every 5 minutes.....


But i guess I now have a chance to put a timing mark on the cover when I pull the head. And hey I dont need to buy a fancy tool to set the piston at TDC, i can do it by watching the piston :haha:
 
folkenheath said:
I love engines. I'll sell you my engine, then I can build another one! :D

It should get your truck moving no problem. :woot:
Click to expand...


Lol, I don't need that much engine. Just something reliable is what I want.




If your bored some weekend in the next month though..... :whistle:
 
It is reliable, hydraulic roller cam for low maintenance and only has about 4,000 miles on it, I'd have to check the ODO to see. And no one "needs" that much engine, but smiles per gallon are real high and my MPG with the EFI big block actually stayed the same vs my carbed small block with about half the power. Driving a brick wall down the road with huge rubber tires causes a lot more friction than a larger cylinder and crank.

And FYI, I'm never bored any more with a 1 year old daughter and projects that are behind.
 
folkenheath said:
It is reliable, hydraulic roller cam for low maintenance and only has about 4,000 miles on it, I'd have to check the ODO to see. And no one "needs" that much engine, but smiles per gallon are real high and my MPG with the EFI big block actually stayed the same vs my carbed small block with about half the power. Driving a brick wall down the road with huge rubber tires causes a lot more friction than a larger cylinder and crank.

And FYI, I'm never bored any more with a 1 year old daughter and projects that are behind.
Click to expand...

Lol. Well I need cheap price too lol.
 
For a cheap price you would be better off fixing your 400, or taking a stock 6.0 and putting a good cam in it.

Although I would be leary about installing patriot heads, unless you like fixing stuff a 3rd time.
 
folkenheath said:
For a cheap price you would be better off fixing your 400, or taking a stock 6.0 and putting a good cam in it.

Although I would be leary about installing patriot heads, unless you like fixing stuff a 3rd time.
Click to expand...

I've remember hearing a bunch of bad about them a few years back. Don't know anyone that runs em around here though.
 
folkenheath said:
For a cheap price you would be better off fixing your 400, or taking a stock 6.0 and putting a good cam in it.

Although I would be leary about installing patriot heads, unless you like fixing stuff a 3rd time.
Click to expand...

Bowtie85 said:
I've remember hearing a bunch of bad about them a few years back. Don't know anyone that runs em around here though.
Click to expand...
The Patriot heads in question are the set that I sold him after I upgraded to a set of Darts. The reason I took them off is because they warped and blew a head gasket on my 355. I also noticed the inner damper springs were mostly broken and the valve seals pulled up. Granted the springs the heads came with weren't rated for the roller cam that I was running. Regardless, the heads will need to be decked and needs new seals, springs, retainers, and locks.
 
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