Timing
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 1
From: East China MI
Timing
I bought my wife a 57 Chevy. I know it's not a Corvette, but it has a 350 in it so this would apply to most C3's.
It was starting hard and the distributor was loose (Bubba), so I put the timing light on it and advanced the timing until it was happy. It runs and starts good. Then I checked the timing at idle with the vac advance disconnected. 60 degrees at idle? Yes, I'm on the number one plug. Maybe I'm dense, but I'm not getting it????
It was starting hard and the distributor was loose (Bubba), so I put the timing light on it and advanced the timing until it was happy. It runs and starts good. Then I checked the timing at idle with the vac advance disconnected. 60 degrees at idle? Yes, I'm on the number one plug. Maybe I'm dense, but I'm not getting it????
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Either you have the distributor in wrong or the plug wires are not in the correct holes on the cap. I had a similar problem in my street rod when putting in a new motor. All the plug wires were one hole off.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 103
From: Des Moines Iowa
I wonder if the harmonic balancer has slipped, or is mis-marked? 60 degrees is a heck of a lot of advance.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 1
From: East China MI
This is a rebuilt motor that I know nothing about. Just bought the car.
I understand the dist can be in any positition. What my brain is having such a hard time with, is that it starts and runs at 60 advanced. It seems to me that it should not even run at that setting.
Is it possible to put the balancer in wrong? The pointer looks aftermarket to me but seems to be in the right possition.
Loose balancer? If I took the belt off could I feel this?
I understand the dist can be in any positition. What my brain is having such a hard time with, is that it starts and runs at 60 advanced. It seems to me that it should not even run at that setting.
Is it possible to put the balancer in wrong? The pointer looks aftermarket to me but seems to be in the right possition.
Loose balancer? If I took the belt off could I feel this?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 103
From: Des Moines Iowa
This is a rebuilt motor that I know nothing about. Just bought the car.
I understand the dist can be in any positition. What my brain is having such a hard time with, is that it starts and runs at 60 advanced. It seems to me that it should not even run at that setting.
Is it possible to put the balancer in wrong? The pointer looks aftermarket to me but seems to be in the right possition.
Loose balancer? If I took the belt off could I feel this?
I understand the dist can be in any positition. What my brain is having such a hard time with, is that it starts and runs at 60 advanced. It seems to me that it should not even run at that setting.
Is it possible to put the balancer in wrong? The pointer looks aftermarket to me but seems to be in the right possition.
Loose balancer? If I took the belt off could I feel this?
It may be possible that the key for the harmonic balancer has sheered and the balancer has spun on the crankshaft, but I'm not certain about this. I am pretty sure that if you were trully running @ 60 degrees before top dead center, you'd be having serious hard starting problems with the engine fully warmed up, in addition to probable serious pre-ignition issues.
Last edited by jovette; May 30, 2007 at 05:19 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 1
From: East China MI
jovette
That's what I was thinking. I will have get into it when this other problem (working for a living) is not so demanding.
Thanks for everybodies input. I will post when I get back to it.
That's what I was thinking. I will have get into it when this other problem (working for a living) is not so demanding.
Thanks for everybodies input. I will post when I get back to it.
