I never post any questions because I always find the answers I need when using the search function. I haven't been able to pinpoint the solution to my timing problem, though. I have a fresh 355 that I just put in my 86. It's my first build. The engine started up fine after a few times of messing around with getting the distributor in right, but the timing has continued to read about 55* advanced. I have an 8" diameter balancer and corresponding timing tab, but I have read that I may have the wrong tab for my balancer making the timing seem like it's about 40* too advanced.

My question is this: Can there be any other reason for the engine to run at 55* advanced? I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it, but whenever I exceed 2000rpm I hear a snapping/popping noise coming from the carb. I haven't even been able to break the engine in properly because I want to get rid of that noise and time this thing right first.

Specs:
Comp Cams XE268H, gross valve lift: 0.477 I, 0.48 E
Holley 750cfm
Air Gap intake manifold
9:1 compression
1.5 ratio roller rockers on 1.94/1.50 heads
rebuilt HEI distributor with vacuum canister
Hooker 2055's

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

yea, 55* is way too much at idle. What happens when you try to bring it down to say, 15*? Stalls out? Try cracking the blades more?

 

Sonix, thanks a lot for the reply.

I tried taking it down from 55* and I could only go to about 45* without it stalling while adjusting the idle speed screw.

I dropped in the distributor again the same way I had been when it was starting at 55* advanced and I rotated it clockwise to where it would be about 10-15* advanced. I tried to start it and the engine backfired and smoke came out of the carb.

Do you mean cracking the throttle blades while it's running because I was definitely giving it some gas when I was trying to start it, or do you mean initially setting the blades to be cracked upon start up? How do I do that and what kinda changes would that make?

 

I meant cranking in the idle screw to crack open the blades more. Bump up the idle, in other words.
If you can't keep it running at less than 45* timing, then your distributor is probably a tooth off or something.
It took me 3 tries and a camshaft to get it right. Keep trying

 

is that with the vacuum can hooked up? manifold vacuum or ported source?

 

Yeah, I increased the idle speed when I was trying to bring the timing back from 55* down to about 45*. It would not stay running past 45*.

Every time I drop in the distributor I crank the engine until the #1 cylinder is TDC based on the intake and exhaust rockers. Then as long as the rotor points to number 1 on the cap and the oil pump shaft lines up with the distributor shaft, the teeth of the cam gear and dist. shaft gear don't really matter right? Basically moving the gear on the distributor shaft in relation to the cam gear only matters for having enough room to rotate the distributor body while setting initial timing.

That's how I understand it, but please tell me if i'm wrong.

The vacuum canister was hooked up when the timing was 55*. I disconnected it and plugged it and it was still somewhere way off from where it should be. I don't remember what it changed to or if it changed at all. I am connecting it to the port on the pass. side of the carb above the throttle blades.

 

hmm, i'm trying to picture that, I think that'd work. Here's what I do:

Rotate the motor by hand, with your finger in the #1 plug hole, when you get the puff of air, keep going until you see ~15* advance on your balancer. Then make sure your oil pump lines up right, and drop in the distributor. Rotate it until the rotor is pointing to A post. That post is now #1, then put your plug wires on clockwise around the firing order.

If the car runs at 55* timing, (yet runs... funny), but not with less advance, then either your balancer is hardcore off, or you did the distributor wrong. Carb would be fine, etc.

 

Let's make sure that is right before we go any farther.

Most aftermarket dampers are made for a tab that goes at around 2 o'clock. If the keyway in the damper hub and the zero degree mark on the damper ring are basically lined up, then you need a timing tab at about 2 o'clock.

If the keyway is at 2 o'clock when the timing mark is straight up, you need a timing tab at 12 o'clock on the engine.

 

Why do I want to rotate it until the timing mark is at the 15* advanced tab mark? I don't want to set the mark on the 0* tab mark?

 

Ok, five7kid. I will verify that first. Thanks.

 

Here's the other setup that Five7's talking about. The red line on the timing pointer is at 0'. The pointer is actually about 12:10 o'clock. You can see if you put this balancer on a engine with a standard pointer, it will read about 45' BTDC when the engine is at TDC.
(edit for clarity)

 

Ok, great info guys. That is exactly the problem. The 2:00 location of the timing tab I have does not work with my balancer. Can I use the tab I have now and just mount it in the 12:00 position or should I get a different one? It might be hard to see the tab at 12:00 with the timing light because of the serpentine belt system I have. Is there one particular tab to get that solves this problem? Thanks for the help.

 

One thing you can do is get a piston stop (TDC stop, sometimes called) and determine where the #1 TDC is, and mark your damper using your current tab accordingly.

Quick Readers Digest version of finding TDC: Remove #1 spark plug, install piston stop in spark plug hole. Turn engine over by hand until the piston contacts the piston stop. Mark the damper at the zero degree point of the tab. Turn the engine over in the other direction until the piston again hits the piston stop, mark the damper as before. Halfway between your two marks is TDC. Make a permanent mark on the damper in that spot.

 

wait....wait....wait.... before you go any further i had the same exact problem! what you need to do is first, make sure the timing pointer is on the engine and tight. next remove the number 1 plug and bump the key until you feel the compression blow your finger off the whole where the number 1 plug goes. that means you are close to TDC next, take a long small piece of rubber hose and put it in the cylinder until you feel it touch the top of the piston, now by hand only move the crank in the proper direction so that the rubber hose comes out of the cylinder. keep moving until the piston is at TDC then look at your balancer and see what the pointer says. if the 0 on the balancer and the 0 on the pointer line up then you can rule out a balancer and pointer issue.. if it does not line up then you have located your problem and you can correct as nessacery. at this time you can also make sure that your rotor is pointing at the number 1 spot on the cap.

if that checks out your not gonna believe this but you probably have a bad distributor!! believe it! i took my engine out cashing this same problem, i replaced the balancer, pointer, checked the timing chain, tried 3 timing lights, and as soon as i put the new msd distributor in there sure enough the timing is right!!! i have never had a problem with it since.

it appears that my reman dist, had too much play in it and it was causing the bogus timing readings..

let me know how it turns out for ya..

 

The engine started up and runs fine with the new TDC mark that I made on the balancer. Thanks for the help.

 

and you do know that if you had to make a new mark then somethings wrong right? if that balancer has spun and you just remarked it your motor wont be balanced properly.. but i guess if your happy then its cool.

 

1985 camaro z28, I have the problem that I quoted from Supervisor42. There are two locations for the timing tab. I have a timing tab that is located at the 2:00 position with a balancer that shows TDC at the 12:10 position. I simply made a new mark on the balancer lined up with the zero mark on the tab when the engine was at TDC.

 

no sense in argueing the matter.. all im saying is if your balancer is spun it wont propery balance you engine. so what year is this engine and balancer that you seem to have to run the other timing marks? and just a f.y.i. when a blancer spins it usally moves toward the 12 o clock position. actually i had some people here that said the same thing about my car, i refused to take that for an answer and sure enough it turned out to be the dist. anyway glad to hear you finally got it running.

 

I appreciate your help and concern. My block is from a 79 truck. The balancer was bought new two years ago. I am worried that I have that slipping problem, but realize that the crank key does not line up with the timing mark. This results in the condition that I was having (TDC is actually 12:10). If this balancer is slipping as you say it could be (going back to 12:00) wouldn't the timing mark then be at the 10:10 position? I am trying to explain my thought process as best as possible. What do you suggest I do to verify my balancer is not the problem?

 

actually on a ford motor the keyway in the crank will line up with the 0 on the balancer, on a sbc its not like that.

what you can do is what i said above,

1 remove coil wire

2 remove the number 1 spark plug

3 put your finger over the spark plug hole on the number 1 cylinder

4 have a friend bump the key very quickly until you feel air blow out of the cylinder, it will blow your finger off the hole

5 i used a drinking straw because its soft. insert a drinking straw into the cylinder and by hand only rotate the engine back until its at TDC. after you know for sure your at TDC. look at the balancer and see where the 0 degree mark is pointing, if its pointing at the 2 oclock postiton then your balancer is fine. if not then you most likley have a problem with your balancer. i bought a new balancer and pointer that were matching units and still could not time my motor.. it ended up being the dist. for some reason it was messed up and would not time out.

and just another fyi. my dist. was a BRAND new unit i bought from advanced auto parts. i threw it away and installed a msd pro billet and the timing is easy as pie to set now and everything lines up great.

you can call me if you like and i can help out in any way that i can.. pm me and ill give you my number.

 

Ok, that's exactly what I did. I did it twice actually just to be sure. The mark on the balancer is not at the 2:00 position, it's in the 12:00 position. Someone is going to chime in on this and tell us we need to stop talking about it since we're obviously just going in circles.

So with that in mind, i'm going to side with the fact that the timing tab is in the wrong location with my balancer. The distributor should be fine, it does not have that much play and the timing mark is not bouncing around when I shine the light on it. Thanks again.

 

The engine I used in my picture is a '78 truck block.
The balancer you have is correct for the block.
The 2:00 timing pointer was the part that was wrong. Re-marking the balancer accurately to line up with the 2:00 tab is just fine.
Now, go rip some Mustangs.

 

i have 76 truck block so could i have the same problem dont run great with out alot of timing it seem like

 

I had exactly the same problem and it turned out to be the distributor. This is what I found:
1/ Pull the cap and cut a hole or slot at the #1 post. this is to see the rotor as it sweeps past with the engine running
2/ Install the cap start the engine
3/ Shine your timing light at the slot
The ignition should be firing exactly on the post..not in front of or behind. If it's not.. you have a condition that is Reluctor/Magnet Phase or it's OUT OF PHASE!
I fixed it but pulling the dist and the guts out of it. Redrilling the holes that holed the magnet down and aligning the reluctor to magnet and the #1 post! If you have a dial back timing light make sure it's set to 0deg. You can measure how far off the post it is by adjusting the dial until the rotor aligns with the post. My billit aluminium distributer was out of phase by 33*advanced!! I had 50-55* on the balancer and the timing tab and balancer were good! Seems when it was all said and done ,..my out of wack distributor was adding 30 something degrees advance, to my balancer degrees, 55-33=22*,...so my balancer should have been 22*