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PLZ HELP chevy 350 quadrajet, Unilite distibutor. WONT IDLE IN GEAR

down4thakrown

down4thakrown

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i started my truck and it misses a little or maybe its the big cam i have. but is it normal for the timing tab to bounce between 2* or is it suppose to stay still? and will it start if its 180* off and with out moveing the dist. ? it also just ran outta gas so this might have somthing to do with it. im bout to get more. and when i put it in gear it dies when its idleing at about 800-1000rpms
 
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its a rebuilt i just broke in, with a new quadra jet, and a unilite distributor. you guys think mabe the ignition wires are too close. right be fore it ran outta gas a couple of plug wires where touching the hot wire goin to coil and red wire coming from the dist. think this could of had somting to do with it?
its a comp 4x4 cam with 274 lift duration. new carb jetted for stock blazer with 350. new tranny. unilite distributor with heli core wires. accell super stock coil and mallory ignition, i got the mix screws turned 2 turns out.

whats wierd is when i first started it the line on the balancer stayed still for a while but this is only when we had to hold the pedel to keep it running. the more we mest with it to get it to idle the more it started to move. but all we had to do is turn the idle screw in alot more

i also dont have any mufflers or collectors. just some brand new hooker comp. headers. and a like stock replacement aluminum intake
 
Have you checked for vacuum leaks?

Rough idle and turning up the idle speed to solve it sounds like a pretty healthy vacuum leak.

As long as the plug wires are in good shape (pretty hard to tell just by looking) then it shouldn't matter what they are near, as long as it's not exhaust.
 
the wires are brand new, i took the carb cleaner and sprayed around it but it didnt sound like it changed to much. but its also hard to tell with open headers.
 
after i got it to idle, it wouldn't idle smooth, it sounded like it was missing. but it got worst then soon ran outta gas, so the low gas might of had somthing to do with it.i only put 5 gallons in a dry gas tank and ran it for probably 30-40 minutes today. i'll put 10 gls in tomarrow.
 
Try messing with the fuel screws. I got a rebuilt today and it idled rough. Didn't think they'd be that off, but they were. With a little screwing out on the fuel screws it ran like a champ.
 
Storm Trooper said:
Double check your plug wiring. It's easy to mix up a couple.
No it won't run at 180* off. Just throw flame :D .
Are you sure the rockers are adjusted right?
One thing at a time though.
Click to expand...
the plug wires look right. i think the rockers are adjusted right. my buddy had his motor rebuilt by the same guy and he didn't have to touch his rockers.
 
Just for info- an engine can run with the distributer 180* off. Its actually a very common mistake that can result in the engine running like he explained.
 
started it again and now it dont wanna idle. its starts to idle for a couple of seconds thend it dies. also when it dies gas shoots from the top of the carb.i got the idle screw turned in pretty far to where about another 1 1/2 turns and its bottemed out. i had it probably 2-2 1/2 turns out just to get it to idle yesterday. i think thats might be a sign of a vaccuum leak. but i dunno since i have never dealt with tuning a motor with a new cam in it.
 
well when i started it today it didnt want to idle then i let it sit but when i came back it i started it up and it was idleing really high. but when it starts to die it starts missing then the timing light keeps missing with the engine like its starting to lack spark. then its starts popping and back firing. then dies. it also dies right away as soon as i put it in gear. i think theres a problem with the ignition.
 
did you check the timming with the distributor advance disabled. if not the timing will bounce around abit. if it was unhooked then did you have the block line bored when it was rebuilt. one time i had the block line bored and used a std timing chain (not for line bore - too long) and the thing ran like crap and wouldn't hold a tune up. timing seemed to move forward and back a few degrees like you said. changing the size timing chain made a big difference.
 
i didnt rebuild it. the distributor doesnt have a vaccum advance its a mechanicle advance.
 
is the gas tank new/ clean or older. had a tank run dry and sucked up crap once before, ran terrible. it plugged only one primary jet. feel if some header tubes are hot and others are cold. if so follow the intake manifold runners to the carb and see if all of the cold tubes (cylinders) feed of one side of carb. worth a try
 
the more we advance it the smoother it runs, but it still dies when i put it in gear
 
could it be a bad coil?? the more we advance it the better it runs and the timing light stays working. but the timing mark is for away from the timing tab. when we turn the distributor counter clockwise it runs better i think thats advanceing?
 
double check that you have #1 located on Distributor. Find TDC for #1 piston then see where rotor is pointing if its HEI. I was off one position on mine and it had similar symptoms.
 
well i started it up but everytime i gotta start it i have to hold my foot to the floor. but, i got it idleing at about 1500 rpm's and when i put it in gear it still dies. seems like as soon as a load is put on it, it sputters out.
 
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