Engine help

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Caspian

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This has me stumped, I've done everything I could think of to get this engine to work right..

I just got done swapping the 305 in my truck to another 305 I received with the truck, found out that this 305 is from a Camaro SS and not a Monte Carlo SS. Anyway. I've bumped it on TDC 4 times now and verified that the rotor is pointing towards #1 cylinder as it should. Triple checked my firing order and it is correct. I've reset the carb adjustments back to factory.

I can try to start the engine, it will sputter try to run and die. It won't start with the choke fully open, it won't start with the choke fully closed, you have to find a sweet spot for it. When it does run(it hasn't ran longer than 30 seconds) you can't give it gas or it dies automatically and it won't idle on its own. It acts like it is running off time.

I installed a new timing set while I had the engine on the stand and did it with the dots on both gears lined up properly.

Plugs are new, wires are like 2 months old. I had to replace the fuel pump yesterday as the old one wasn't pumping enough fuel(bad diaphragm).

I'm left dumbfounded as to why this engine will not fire up and run properly with everything done correctly, can't set timing cause it won't run.

Only thing I can possibly guess at is that it might be ICM in the distributor. The spark the coil throws is fat and yellow.
 

Caspian

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Changed coil, throws blue spark, battery is too dead to try though, will update in the morning.
 

1low4x4

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Are you turning the dizzy back and forth when trying to start each time to retard and advance the timing to see if it will start
 

Georgeb

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Just a thought but check for a large vacuum leak somewhere..... You have covered a lot of ground searching for the issue but it may still be so simple you are overlooking it.
 

Caspian

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I've done both of those as well.

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Caspian

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Dist has to be all the way against the firewall for the engine to fire off, and when it does it still runs like its out of time severely.

I'm fixing to upload a video of it running for 30 seconds..

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RangRayy

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Just a thought are you sure you were on the compression stroke on #1 and not #6?
 

Caspian

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Positive. I'm triple checking everything again.

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RangRayy

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Listening to the video is it backfiring a bit? When my truck had a vacuum leak it would idle crappy but when given gas it was fine. Throw another carb on if you have one to help rule that out.
 

Caspian

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This carb is good. Its not 3 months old. Cant even give the truck gas without it just dying.

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Georgeb

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Just for my peace of mind you have used a timing light on it??
 

Caspian

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I have. I've also lined up the timing notch on the balancer that was on the engine with the 0 on the timing tab, stuck a screwdriver in #1 cylinder to verify every time, as well as stuck my thumb over the hole.. I've moved the wiring around the cap by 1 to see if that fixed anything, it didn't..

I cannot for the life of me, figure out why this engine will not fire and run properly. I installed the timing set properly with the dots lined up:

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Unless GM is different than that 4 letter word that starts with an F, that's how I've always installed them.

I've spent enough money that passed 3 days fixing little pop up problems to have just dropped a TBI 350 short block in with my HO heads, intake and carb.....
 

Georgeb

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Are you sure the valves are adjusted correctly and not too tight?
 

Caspian

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R10 Burb
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Are you sure the valves are adjusted correctly and not too tight?
Didn't think about valves being too tight.. I'll check all the valves tomorrow I guess.

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