Today we started up my friends brand new 350 in his 79 camaro. It fired right up and we broke in the cam. It was running pretty good but was missing a little. I went to set the timing and it was WAY off the tab. I turned the dial on the timing light to 35* it showed up on the tab at like 8* BTDC. What could cause this? Distibutor being in wrong? The timing actually seems right, it runs fine besides the timing mark being off.

 

Theres a couple of possibilities.

1. If the balancer and timing cover arent a matched set. There are 2 different timing covers and balancers. 1 has the mark straight up behind the water pump. The other has the mark off to the drivers side. If you have the straight up balancer with the side mark, then the car will run best with what seems like alot of advance. To get by time the car by looking down behind the water pump, and set it so that the mark on the balancer looks to be straight up.

2. The ring on the balancer has slipped. The outer ring of the balancer is only connected to the center hub by a layer of rubber. If the rubber breaks loose from either part the ring can spin in relation to the hub. Only fix for this is a new balancer.

Being you have a new motor I'll bet its #1. Did you reuse the balancer from the old motor? Check to see if the timing tab is in the same place on both motors if you did.

 

Well last night instead of listening to me he took his car out got about 10 miles down the road and it blew up, there is a hole in the oil pan the size of my fist ....oh well, atleast I tried. thanks for the help