hey everyone.
I just finished rebuilding my 350.
I added a edlebrock performer + cam,double roller timming chain,headers,holley street dominator intake, old holley 600cfm carb. a friend gave me. the rest of the motor is stock.
How do i go about setting the dist.? #1 TDC? then drop her in?
If so how do i find TDC now? I bolted my torque conv. up and had to turn the motor over by hand to do so .
but i need help on the timming..plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz lol
Car seems to either flud out and foul plugs. and I'm sure a 600 would prob starv fuel before it gives me too much right? The carb. was just rebuild lastnite.
any help would make my day.

 

Just because its only a 600cfm carb doesnt mean it wont flood the engine or not give it too much gas, it could be way off.

Drop the distributor in (and make sure its all the way in and engaged with the oil pump. Now rotate the engine over to top dead center by the timing mark. If the #1 valves are not moving you have found true TDC. Look at your rotar button and note where its pointing. Put your cap on and whichever terminal the button is pointing, that is the terminal you stick #1 plug wire on. Go around the cap clockwise and hookup in the order of 18436572 and hook them onto the plugs and fire it up. You'll need to use a timing light and set your timing after its running but that should get the car started. It should be close enough to 0 degrees.

 

install the crank and cam gear with both dots stright up and the cam timing will be set to fire on #1. set the rotor to point to #1 on the cap and then install the distributor.

 

thanks guys I'll give it a shot tonite

 

well guys i had a bad nite. I got or atleast i thought i had #1 TDC but i guess i didn't. I dropped the dist. in and turned her over and all i got was a loud Boooooooom!! out my exhaust..it knockd a window over that was leaning against the wall in my garage and smashed on my $3,200 fresh paint job scratching it all too hell

but anyways this is what i did. .........
I took out #1 spark plug and held my finger over the hole till i felt it pop my finger off the hole.
the i dropped in the dist.
I still don't get how to time it to start..like the hole TDC part. I put my PJ gears in with the dots touching. not like how ede said too. I already had it all together when i started this forum.

I don't get how to find TDC with the mark on my balancer..
if the line is on 0 then then # 1 cylinder is tdc? right? how can i tell if it's a compression strock or exhaust?

 

Sorry about the trouble.
Procedure, as I would do it:
1. Remove all spark plugs.
2. (With balancer installed) Turn engine over with a wrench clockwise from the front. If you have a friend have him or her put thier finger on the #1 spark plug hole.
3. As you turn it over, watch the timing mark where it says 0. If it passes and the friend didn't feel the air pushing out, then go 1 more revolution until the timing mark on the balancer is at 0.
4. Install ditributor such that the ROTOR points AT the #1 cylinder (front drivers side) and the base is correct (may take several tries, as the gear is angled and will rotate as it engages the cam gear).
5. Ensure the distributor seated on the oil pump rod. You may have to turn the engine over with the wrench some more to get it to seat. This should not change the the cam/distributor relation, but you will see the distributor turn. You may want to spin the engine the rest of the way back around two revs to bring the mark back to 0 to verify things.
6. Start the distributor lock bolt and clamp, but don't tighten too tight.
7. Install the distributor cap (only 1 way to install).
8. Install the Spark plugs and wires. 18436572. Clockwise from the top. #1 in the front towards the #1 cylinder on the driver's side. The #2 cylinder is the passenger side of block. #7 is drivers side rear.
9. Disconnect the Bypass wire (tan and black) if TPI. This puts the ignition module of the distributor in control of the timing allowing the "base timing" to be set.
10. Try to start the car. The plugs should be clean still, because you just had them out. A retarded distributor is hard to start. An advanced one will start quite well up to a point.
11. Set base timing (to whatever, 0-12 degrees depending). Advance is CCW, Retard is Clockwise with the base, from the top.
12. Lock the hold down.
13. Reconnect the Bypass wire.
14. Listen for rough running. Could be a loose wire, or incorrect routing.

It is easy to mess up, and have to do the whole procedure over, so don't get discouraged.

Sorry about the paint. Tell the shop it's flaking!

Hope this is all correct.

 

You can either use the screwdriver method (to feel when piston is at the top), or you can plug #1 spark plug hole with a rag and turn it by hand until it pops out by compression.

I had a lot of trouble getting my distributor last time I tried. Just try to get it in there at TDC, try starting it, and if it cranks smoothly but doesn't start, retard the timing. If it starts backfiring, advance it a little. If you can't use the advance to smooth things up, then just pull the distributor out and try it again. It can take a couple tries, but eventually it'll drop in right and crank right up.