Small block Chevy guys, I have some questions.

[muddysub]

OK I admit it, I don’t know a whole lot about these engines. I’m a diesel guy, I’ve never built a small block, I’ve never dealt with having to set timing on one or any of that shit. But at work I am building an 84 CJ7 with a hot rod company 355 in it. We got it running yesterday and during our initial break in run we found that it’s leaking oil from the distributor gasket and the headers started glowing. I had to turn the distributor counterclockwise as far as I could to get the thing to even start so I’m wondering if I’ve got the distributor one tooth off and the timing is what’s causing the exhaust to glow. Also, I was wondering if the length of the distributor shaft is adjustable. If there’s a set screw holding the gear on to the end of the shaft and I can slide it up a little and effectively shorten the distributor that should get it to seat all the way against the manifold and stop leaking. I haven’t pulled it back out to see if that’s even possible I figured I’d ask the gurus as I’ve got a couple ring and pinion jobs to do, it’s leaving to get exhaust built and won’t touch the CJ again till probably Monday.

 

[HankScorpio]

Distributor should seat to the manifold nicely. I don't think there is a set screw, it should be a roll pin through the gear. I have never had oil leak from the distributor base, even on older engines with some pretty significant blowby and crankcase pressure. Glowing exhaust sounds like you are lean or too much timing, it shouldn't be glowing. How much timing do you have in it? How long did it take to get that hot?

 

[Wes Harden]

Yes counter clockwise has advanced the timing, you are probably off on the distributor stab. #1 (front Dr side) at TDC compression stroke
Line up timing marks ( I'm assuming was checked when motor assembled)
Pull dist, look into hole with long flat screw drive align oil pump drive @ 10 minutes to 5 o'clock, stab dist. You want the rotor to be pointing at # 1 cylinder.
Sometimes if head have been milled, and intake this changes the distributor boss hight. Add a second paper gasket. Make sure the blow by has an exit( pcv system)

edit oil pump drive timing

 

[JoshHefnerX]

I've run into a problem where there are several different sets of timing tab/balancer positions. If they are mismatched tab from one and balancer from another you can be off by something like 20deg.

 

[Blue85]

Get a timing light dude! I've seen headers glow from retarded timing - the charge is still burning in the tube. Hard cranking usually means timing is too far advanced, but it doesn't sound like the engine was cranking hard, just didn't want to run.

 

[Kain]

the oil pump drive set 11 to 5 with a screwdriver on tdc stab dizzy pointing towards #1 then you should be able to get it to start

 

[6872xtc]

Like Wes said, the timing could be retarded some still, and if the air fuel ratio is too lean as well, you get glowing headers.
The extra gasket under the distributor is my suggestion too. I put an adjustable collar distributor in my big block after getting the heads and intake milled.