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Timing of course

4K views 19 replies 8 participants last post by  71Novacaine 
#1 ·
Hey Guys,
Well, here is my problem. I have a 350 with an edel 800 AVS carb. I cannot get the intial timing to retard below 30-40 degrees without it cutting out. I used to have it set at 18 and I can't even get close. What am I missing. Also it is running rich as hell because of the timing and when I turn the idle screws in it has no effect. I have the motor idleing at 1000rpm. Is it the floats? or the fuel pressure? but how would that effect timing. I talked to some guy at Summit and he said my balancer could have slipped and is giving me a false reading. But even when I play it by ear it still does not sound right. I know what my car sounds like and it is running ruff. Please give me a hand. I need to fix this problem. Thanks in advance.
Guy
 
#2 · (Edited)
Well,well welcome back...I used to have a similiar problem but my nieghbor has a nice timing light from snap-on that showed that my idle screw was set to high then once we set it to around 700-800(can't remember exactly) we set the timing...wow what a difference proper timing does.(killer burnouts and everything) Well Good Luck...:D I idle at about 800rpm
 
#4 ·
nova73harley03 said:
What did you change to have to reset the initial timing?
What he said:)


nova73harley03 said:
Your initial setting of 18* BTDC also sounds like it was a little high...it's usually around 8-12*BTDC.
Yep again UNLESS of course your not running a vacuum advance can on your dist and then that 18 degrees or so would be just about right;)
 
#5 ·
73 Nova said:
Well,well welcome back...I used to have a similiar problem but my nieghbor has a nice timing light from snap-on that showed that my idle screw was set to high then once we set it to around 700-800(can't remember exactly) we set the timing...wow what a difference proper timing does.(killer burnouts and everything) Well Good Luck...:D I idle at about 800rpm
Alright I will give that a shot. Thanks man
 
#8 ·
Here is the deal. I replaced the balancer and it is not that I can get the car to 18 BTDC but it will not start again when I shut it off and try to start it back up. Also It is at about 35 BTDC and it starts right up but it running very rich and boggs a little at about 2000 RPM. I don't have a clue. If I tune it to about 8-12 will that make a diffrence if I tried to start it from 18 BTDC. Need your guys help. Thanks again
 
#9 ·
If the timing marks are accurate then what would make it act so funny? You don't mention what type ingition you have. Is it stock points and coil? If you had a real weak spark that may do it. You'd run the timing up so the weak spark could light the plugs and it would still fire bad so it would run rich. Need more info on what you have for ignition. Also how did this problem develope? It was fine and suddenly acted up or what? Did you do anything to it that started it to act bad? RM
 
#10 ·
Well, It is an HEI ignition with an MSD 6AL box. It is weird because I got back from deployment and I put a new carb on new wires and plugs and It wouldn't start so I tweeked the timing until I got it to bump over and start. Thats it. Nothing else.
 
#11 ·
could it be the gap on the plugs?? The MSD manual says to run them at .050 is that to much? I will have to try maybe bringing them in to about .040. Maybe that will work.
 
#13 ·
71Novacaine said:
Well, It is an HEI ignition with an MSD 6AL box. It is weird because I got back from deployment and I put a new carb on new wires and plugs and It wouldn't start so I tweeked the timing until I got it to bump over and start. Thats it. Nothing else.
You shouldn't have to change the timing if it ran fine before the change.
When you change something and it you develop a problem the first place to check is the thing or things you changed.
In your case it's the plugs, wires and carb. Make sure you have the plug wires in the right places. It's real easy to 5&7 mixed up since they are next to each other in the firing order and on the engine.
The carburator may need tuning, the throttle blades are open too far or possibly you have a vacuum leak. Was it new or used? type and size?
 
#14 ·
I agree with DriveWFO try the old carb. Did you just do the carb or did you do an intake manifold too? So you parked the car when you got deployed and it ran fine? You were gone ,what a year, and you came home and ran it and it ran fine? Then you swapped the carb and it wouldn"t start so you tweaked the dist? How old is the gas in the car? The gas isn't old and bad is it? RM
 
#15 ·
well the carb is brand new. edel 800 cfm avs. I already checked for leaks by spraying carb cleaner around the carb and manifold. nothing. I checked the wires at least 20 times. I think it may be the plugs. I think the gap may be to much.
 
#16 ·
No I didn't run it when I got back. The bat was dead so I charged the bat. and put all the parts on it. I will mess around with it. Thanks guys. I just needed a push in the right direction. I was starting to get stuck.
 
#17 ·
Well, I made a little progress today. I got the engine to about 10-12 BTDC and it sounded great. Very smooth. The only problem is that it will not start back up when I get it that close to TDC. Once I get the timing close and I plug in the Vacuum advance the RPM shot up about 200-300RPM. Thats normal right?? I have an adjustable crane cams vacuum advance should I give it a little tweek? Why won't it restart? Could the MSD box not be getting enough power? The bat. was dead before. maybe I should throw it on the charger for a bit.
 
#18 ·
Timing?

Hey Now 71Novacaine. Sounds like more than one little snafu involved. 1. Yes, be sure the battery is fully charged. 2. remove distributer cap. 3. grab rotor and turn counter clockwise then release. 4. Did snap back? 5. Did it it move when you tried to turn rotor? 6. If not, advance weight system is gummed up. 7. If rotor moved and snapped back, its OK. 8. You set timing and then connected vacuum advance; rpm's went up 200 to 300.= Vacuum advance is connected to manifold vacuum and is working. 10. Vacuum advance connected to port vacuum; rpm's remain same at idle. Then advances timing when throttle is opened up. 11. Check total advance, engine running 2500 to 3000 rpm's; Is total advance 34 to 38 degrees? 12. If total timing is 34 to 38 degrees then trouble is someplace else. 13. Plug gap .045 maximum. 14. Did You install New inline fuel filter? 15. Could be dirt in needle and seat. 16. Fuel system How long stored? 17. Bad fuel if stored to long. 18. Fuel lines or sock tank filter, gummed up. 19. 6al box, check some other things first. Respectfully, "Bill's II
 
#19 ·
Okay thanks Bill I deffinitly have alot on my plate for tommorrow. Will let you know how it goes. Thanks for the response. Very indepth. Much needed.
Thanks Again,
Guy
 
#20 ·
Made some more progress today. Well, I was messing around with the car and I left the electric choke unplugged by accident and forgot about it. Tried to start the car and it started right up. I shut it down looked at everything and found the wire was not plugged in. I plugged it back in and the car would not start. Unplugged it and BAM its good to go. Still need to do a little fine tuning to get it perfect. Alittle ruff when it starts just because I still gotta mess with the timing a little and the A/F mixture. Very happy now. Thanks for everyones help.
Guy
 
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