My 87 has a new built 350 in it. I have a new Edelbrock carb on it. I removed the fuel pump from the tank and put in a sending unit in there. Installed new fuel filter and have a mechanical pump on the block. Right now, I currently went from the stock tubing (drivers side) with 3/8 rubber fuel line to the front of the radiator around and back through to the mechanical pump. Then out the pump with 3/8 rubber fuel line to a fuel filter to the carb.

There are 2 fuel filters to clarify. One in stock location near driver rear wheel and one before carb. This was a v6 car before. What I don't get is that the engine in it before this one when I first got the car had a Mr Gasket #12 fuel pump strapped to the radiator hose sucking through the v6 in tank electric fuel pump and had a snapped off piston inside one of the cylinders and started pretty much on first turn of key every time. Noisy as all get out with that broken off piston but fired right up.

I have installed a brand new HEI Accel distributor, wires, and plugs seeing how my complete engine is new. I really don't get it.

The only thing I can think of is either mechanical pump has lack of pressure or rubber tubing is too long and collapsing from the suction of the mechanical pump. So far, my thoughts are to try and install a temp elec pump to the the carb bypassing the mechanical...or shorting the tubing and going a different route with it.

Any other suggestions? Besides tossing the Edelbrock for a Holley or other more expensive carb?

Update...I have went back with a new electric #12 pump feeding fuel direct to the carb versus the mechanical pump. Still having the same problem trying to get it to start. It pops a lot out of the carb and exhaust.

 

So, I just know you did the obvious, before putting yourself through all this ordeal and typing; what happened when you squirted some gas into the intake?

 

I have tried that as well but makes no difference as the fuel bowls are getting fuel to them in the carb. I am wondering if something might be intermittently wrong with the HEI distributor. I was thinking about finding a used distributor from the junk yard and dropping it in being a basic one without the electronics on it and seeing what happens. I can eventually get it to start but that's after 2 or 3 times of killing the battery and having to wait for it to recharge. Then, when I do get it started, I have to hold my foot on the gas otherwise it will kill if I let it just idle. Been working on this car since 2010. Everything except the body has been replaced.

 

That would indicate no spark in the cylinders
Back to Auto 101
Check coil , dist ,plug wires , power to coil ( you do have 12V at the coil ????? ) ..............

Not your current problem but fuel in the carb bowls doesn't always mean fuel in the engine

 

I am going to do that tomorrow hopefully weather permitting. I do have 12v to the coil. It seems that everything is good but not sure if there may be an intermittent problem with the Accel HEI distributor. That's why I want to put a stock distributor in place and see what happens.

Will post up some more info as I test out some more possibilities.

 

Didn't get a hold of a distributor, but definitely getting voltage and fire. I got it running and could keep it running provided I kept my foot on the pedal with high idle. Once I let off the gas, it would die. I am swapping out my carb for a 750 Edelbrock and seeing what happens. Its the carb that was on the original motor that was in the car. It had a 350 out of a truck original owner started putting in it but had a broken piston and fired up a lot quicker than my new motor.

I am hoping its starving for fuel from the 600cfm being on it. About to go outside and put it on and see what happens.

 

The fact that it's a less-CFM carb won't create the symptom you describe. Remember, even the stock 400, came with a 2-bbl carb. So whatever the problem is, including a defective carb, it ISN'T because the carb doesn't have a large enough CFM "rating".

Pour some gas in the intake. An ounce or 2 should do fine. If it starts right up and runs good for a coupla seconds but then goes back to being like it is now, then you have a fueling problem. If it doesn't help, you have an ignition problem. Which in that case, would most likely be, the dist "one tooth off" such that the rotor isn't pointing at the towers you have the plug wires on currently. You could even try just moving them all around the dist one notch and see what happens... 1 of 3 things will happen: it will run better, it will be the same, or it won't run at all. Not hard to figure out what each one of those means. And of course, very easy to put back.

 

Thanks for the advice. So in order to check to see if its one tooth off, You are suggestion just shift all the wires one plug clockwise...and/or trying one plug counterclockwise. I can definitely do that...better than taking the distributor off and resetting it back in place a tooth like I was thinking.

I will be trying this out today before swapping carbs. Thanks again. Will update once i have test results.

 

Sounds like you have good fuel supply so I'm going for spark timing being off.

Verify TDC (using a piston stop or the like) and then Get a timing light and set the base timing to 8* and it should be good enough to start/idle and tune from there.

I'm also assuming that if you keep the foot on the throttle it runs good and smooth with no shake/misfire/backfire? What's the lowest RPM you can keep it running at and is it at a steady throttle opening? (could you have adjusted the valve lash too tight?)

 

Okay. I shifted the wires over one notch both ways. First clockwise and couldn't start. Then I shifted them counter clockwise and starting much easier. The only issue I am seeing is a bit of popping out the exhaust and some bad shaking to the motor. Seems like timing and idling may be off a bit from trying to adjust it to make it work with it being off before I shifted the spark plug wires.

If I keep it rev'd a little high it will run smooth...if I let off the gas, the motor starts jumping and sounding rough.

 

Hey bwiencek....I did as you said. I had to adjust the distributor a little more...air/fuel mix ratio screws on carb, and idle screw. Then I put my timing light on it and set it at 8*...then it jumped to 16* so I dropped it to about 14*. It seems as I adjust my idle screw on the carb the timing comes up a little but tomorrow when I have more light, I will put my tach back on and see what my idle is at. I am pretty sure that I am very close to being right on as it cranks immediately on first turn of key without pressing the gas pedal. I cannot believe after all this time this was the issue. I had to readjust the carb because of the fact of trying to adjust it when the distributor was off set.

Now I just need to pump up the tires on Wednesday and check and see if it will shift properly and adjust the TV cable as needed (if needed).

Thanks everyone!

 

If your timing is jumping up that much then I'm going to guess that you don't have the vacuum advance can unplugged and the line capped - you need to set base timing with the advance unplugged and the line capped. Since you made the idle mixture adjustment and timing shot up that means that your vacuum has increased (which is a good thing)

Here's what I would do:
- Plug vacuum advance and set timing to about 8*
- Re-install vacuum advance hose.
- Adjust idle speed to about 700-900 RPM (more or less depending on what cam you have in there - small cams can go lower, large lumpy cams like a higher idle.)
- Adjust mixture screws for highest idle and then reset idle speed and re-adjust until you've got the highest idle speed with the leanest idle mixture setting you can get and still have it run well. (in other words going richer or leaner either causes no RPM change or a loss in RPM)

Once you have it adjusted there pump those tires up, adjust the TV to a 'safe' (tight) setting and take it for a ride!

 

Sounds like it should be good and ready now. Got it where I want it. Little video clip of it cranking and running. Enjoy.