problem getting 350 started

[Bextreme04]

wow, that's a LOT of rich man. It could be from pumping the gas and holding wide open, but I don't think so. Have you rebuild the carb recently? That looks to me like you have fuel going in where it shouldn't instead of through the idle circuit. When cranking, can you look into the carb and see if you are getting fuel dripping in from somewhere? It might just need a float adjustment or the fuel pressure might be too high and pushing past the needle.

 

[82sbshortbed]

Should be able to hold your finger on the 1 cylinder and crank it till it blows air past your finger. Then you know you're a TDC on the 1 cylinder.

 

[82sbshortbed]

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Hope this helps

 

[curse]

Have you rebuild the carb recently? When cranking, can you look into the carb and see if you are getting fuel dripping in from somewhere? the fuel pressure might be too high and pushing past the needle.

Carb is new from Summit, Edelbrock 1406
I don't feel comfortable looking in carb while cranking since the muffler incident.
Can a mechanical fuel pump cause too much fuel pressure?

Should be able to hold your finger on the 1 cylinder and crank it till it blows air past your finger. Then you know you're a TDC on the 1 cylinder.

That's one method I used. I ordered the top dead center tool to make sure the mark on harmonic balancer is correct

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Hope this helps

That's what I got but shouldn't #1 on the cap point where #2 is? That looks advanced

 

[Bextreme04]

Carb is new from Summit, Edelbrock 1406
I don't feel comfortable looking in carb while cranking since the muffler incident.
Can a mechanical fuel pump cause too much fuel pressure?

Yes. I had a brand new AC Delco mechanical pump pushing more than 10 psi and shoving fuel past the needle on my quadrajet. It was running pig rich and I couldn't get the idle mixture right no matter what because of it. I installed a regulator and was able to dial it down closer to 6 psi and it starts and runs MUCH better.

Carb is new from Summit, Edelbrock 1406
That's what I got but shouldn't #1 on the cap point where #2 is? That looks advanced

It doesn't matter where you have them. As long as you have the rotor pointing to the spot where your #1 plug wire is attached when the #1 piston is at TDC of the compression stroke, that's all that matters.

 

[Bextreme04]

And just for reference, everything I've read says the Edelbrock is even more sensitive to fuel pressure than the quadrajet. You should have no more than 6 psi at idle. You can rent a fuel pressure gauge for free at one of the box fuel stores if you don't already have one. It should also work for checking vacuum when you do get it running as well.

 

[curse]

I installed a regulator and was able to dial it down closer to 6 psi and it starts and runs MUCH better.

Like this? https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Al...fuel+pressure+regulator&qid=1590089766&sr=8-3

It did seem to have a butt load of pressure when I removed fuel line at carb.

 

[Bextreme04]

Like this? https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Al...fuel+pressure+regulator&qid=1590089766&sr=8-3

It did seem to have a butt load of pressure when I removed fuel line at carb.

That is for higher pressure fuel injected systems and appears to have a boost reference port on it. I would use something more like this if it is necessary. https://www.amazon.com/Holley-12-80...sed-search-10&pf_rd_t=BROWSE&pf_rd_i=15727321

First step is to check the actual fuel pressure though. You can also try to swap in a different mechanical pump. I chose to spend a little more money and go with the regulator because I didn't want to potentially have to swap out two or three pumps before I got one that had the correct pressure. With the regulator, you know you can turn it down to whatever you need, regardless of the pump output pressure.

 

[Snoots]

Are you running an HEI? Those plugs should be gapped at .045.

 

[Ricko1966]

Yes they do and that is what we use at the shop, I was trying to give him an alternate method that wouldn't involve buying a new tool, but those are the best.

Or clamp a spare plug into a jumper cable and clamp the other end to the block negative cable whatever.The clip broke on mine so that's how I do it now.And on fresh carbs you can fill the float bowls through the vent tubes using a mustard bottle or dish soap bottle, so theoretcaly the engine will fire right up you hang the throttle and break in the cam.If you think have too much pump pressure pinch the fuel line shut and start it see if it runs better for 45 seconds.I worked at a shop where we converted many Vws from injection to carburated we ran a tee in the fuel line straight side went from to carb dog leg side we ran to the return line and put a restrictor in the line.Needle closes fuel returns to the tank needle opens carb fills. I think the same thing could be accomplished with a tee and a fuel filter with the fuel filter being the restrictor.If you have a tee and a fuel filter laying around its worth a shot.

 

[curse]

That price of that regulator isn't bad. I found a fuel pressure tester for carburetor motors for $20. I'm picking that up tomorrow. When I think back, the quadrajet that was on there previously poured gas out onto the manifold, not sure from where but it got wet. I assumed it was a faulty gasket. Maybe it is the fuel pump pressure.

Are you running an HEI? Those plugs should be gapped at .045.

Yes and that's good to know since I gapped them at .035 per wherever I got my info.

 

[Bextreme04]

Also, I have to apologize. Somehow I was thinking you had the factory quadrajet whe nI said 2 turns on the idle mix screws. I have no idea what the Edelbrock carb should be at for the idle mix screws

 

[curse]

No problem, I started with a factory quadrajet. from edelbrock they were 1 1/2 turns out. 2 turns out shouldn't keep it from running.

 

[SirRobyn0]

When I think back, the quadrajet that was on there previously poured gas out onto the manifold, not sure from where but it got wet. I assumed it was a faulty gasket. Maybe it is the fuel pump pressure.

Maybe, but usually if a carb is actually spilling gas out on to the manifold, it's either the float or the needle / seat. Typical symptoms of to high of fuel pressure is hard hot restarting (which can be other things to), ruff warm idle, stalling, flooding ect. I can't say this enough, if your running an edlebrock and your having issues with tuning or it running rich, and you can't control it with tuning get a regulator. It'll be worth it.

 

[curse]

Well hot damn, just under 10 psi. Edelbrock recommends no more than 6.5 psi and they highly recommend 5.5 psi. Well, that was a first for me...crossing fingers.