i cant seem to time my car right. i cant use a timing light because the balancer isnt there. right now the car seems under power and it backfires when i let off on the accelerator. I have an 82 Camaro but the guy I bought it from put in a 5.7 from an 87. I had to replace the head gaskets and intake gaskets. got all that done and the timing has never been right since. I had a friend help, thought we had it but the next day it started rough and it would chug when I let off on the accelerator. I messed with it today and it still isn't right. what can I do or buy to make it right?

 

Is there no harmonic balancer on it at all?

 

Are you saying the timing marker on the timing cover is missing? Also to set the timing on a tpi car you have to disconnect the ecm plug up on the fire wall to keep the ecm from controlling the timing.

 

not at all

 

ok. the harmonic balancer is not on the car. what position does the distributor cap usually sit?

 

You're worried about the motor sputtering.....how about overheating or no alternator because there's nothing to drive the belts. First things first, finish up the motor then you can ACCURATELY time the motor.

 

I have no overheating problems. the alternator is fairly new. the motor is all put together. I just need to find a way to time my car, that's all. im not rich so I cant dump thousands of $$$ into my motor.

 

you need to first buy and install a harmonic balancer. It's there to keep the engine internals balanced. You can ruin the motor without it. Install the correct balancer for that block and the correct timing cover. Make sure the timing cover is correct with the pointer in the correct place.

 

I guess I don't understand how you're driving accessories? The crank pulley bolts to the harmonic balancer and drives accessories such as your alternator.

 

You can get a new balancer for $50 or you can buy a new engine when that one shakes apart. Heck go to the junk yard and get a balancer, anything will be better than no balancer.

Is oil not pouring out the front timing cover hole, or is oil too expensive to put in?

 

Lmao on the oil. U can get a damper for free if u pay for shipping I will give u one I have like 3.

 

This isn't about being rich or not.
Do nothing else until you have a balancer to finish and easily time the motor.
There are a few different balancers for a sbc, make sure you get the correct one for the timing cover you have.

 

problem fixed. got what I needed off ebay for $6. simple part to put on. its timed now.

 

What did you set the timing at, and can I ask what procedure you used?

 

i did 6 degrees before top dead center. i had to unplug the connector on the firewall. i used a timing light. i looked it up in a Camaro book. ran fine after i did all that