Edelbrock Carb Help

[geezer#99]

THe only thing for you to do is verify true tdc on #1. Buy or make a piston stop. Confirm or remark your balancer to your timing tab.
You can make one from an old sparkplug like in this link.
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...ing-383-a.html

[77ChevySharkBite]

being as I've never seen that before how does that work? If I made a pit stop how would I use it?

[geezer#99]

Simple process!
Pull #1 plug, stick your finger or thumb in the hole and bump the motor over till air is pushing your finger out. You're close to tdc then.
Disconnect the neg post on the battery. You don't want anyone to crank the motor.
Put your tranny in neutral if an automatic. If a standard have someone hold the clutch pedal to the floor. Makes it easier to turn the motor by hand.
REmove all the plugs.
Insert the piston stop. Make sure it reaches about 3/4 inch past the end of the plug threads.
Hand crank the motor till the piston stop makes contact with the top of the piston.
Put a mark on your balancer at the zero mark on your timing tab. A dab of white paint works well.
Now hand crank it all the way the other way until the piston hits the stop. Again put a mark on the balancer. Now you'll have 2 marks on the balancer. At the point exactly betwwen them will be tdc #1 at the zero mark on your tab. Mark it really well. It will be permanent. Use a hacksaw blade to cut a small groove in the balancer.

[77ChevySharkBite]

Okay thanks man!

[77ChevySharkBite]

Okay so need help once again under an attempt at hard acceleration it kind of bogs and wants to die then seems to do a backfire through the carb any suggestion?

[geezer#99]

See post 26 and 28.
Your timing is wacky.
FIX IT!!!
Or enjoy a crappy running motor till the end of time!

[piecesparts]

Get the timing straightened out and then troubleshoot the carb for any further issues.

[77ChevySharkBite]

Okay fellas thanks for the help! I'll have to work on it tomorrow bug I'll get it fixed.

[bnoon]

A couple of things worry me here.

First, we have a previous owner who modified the engine enough that they marked their own timing mark on the balancer. Something inside the engine isn't stock. Cam most likely has been changed and is either running advanced, retarded, or simply 180 degrees out from the balancer.

EDIT: This part removed. I just reread geezer#99, he's dead on with the piston stop for the timing mark.

[77ChevySharkBite]

Truthfully that is a concern for me as well. What the PO told me when we bought the truck was they did a rebuild on it, didn't say how much of an rebuild they did just said they rebuilt it. I have just always assumed it was gaskets.

They showed me the original cam that was in the truck and said they just went and got a replacement because it wore a lobe off, how's that possible?

Whenever we found the mark on the balancer my first thought was actually if the timing on the truck is completely off 10:1 odds the cam isn't timed correctly either.

Now I really want your guys opinion here, I was already planning to overhaul this motor and build it CORRECTLY where I knew all the pistons were done right etc etc. since I'm having this issue with the motor kind of seems like I might as well tear into now and get it done right what do you guys think?

[8lugnutz]

Originally Posted by 77ChevySharkBite

They showed me the original cam that was in the truck and said they just went and got a replacement because it wore a lobe off, how's that possible?

It's definitely possible, my '79 GMC that I had in high school wore THREE lobes down, the tallest of the three was .030 from being perfectly round. My uncle helped me put a new cam in, and he said it was common back then because of the metal that was used.

If it were me, I think at this point I would tear it down and rebuild it. You will fix this issue and more than likely another will pop up, kind of like a doctor treating the symptom and not the true cause. At least if you rebuild it, you will absolutely know that all is right inside the block.

[77ChevySharkBite]

Originally Posted by 8lugnutz

It's definitely possible, my '79 GMC that I had in high school wore THREE lobes down, the tallest of the three was .030 from being perfectly round. My uncle helped me put a new cam in, and he said it was common back then because of the metal that was used.

If it were me, I think at this point I would tear it down and rebuild it. You will fix this issue and more than likely another will pop up, kind of like a doctor treating the symptom and not the true cause. At least if you rebuild it, you will absolutely know that all is right inside the block.

Oh okay thanks for letting me know that.

Yeah that's what I had the feeling of doing because when you put it back together you'll know all is well and know that it's done right and truth be told of course there's been minor issues to be done, I rather do it right the first time then have to redo it again. Looks like I need to start doing some saving.

[77ChevySharkBite]

I have found the real problem with the timing checked everything and made sure the truck was on TDC and well it was as perfect as can be, so it has to be in the timing chain, so $100 later I have ordered a new timing chain and gear set and balancer on the way from summit, so looks like I know what I'll be doing this weekend.

[geezer#99]

So, did you buy or make a piston stop?

[77ChevySharkBite]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

So, did you buy or make a piston stop?

Actually what we used was a like a BIC pen and we verified it was close as possible to TDC

[geezer#99]

Ya' I figured as much!
Thanks for the chuckle!!
My keyboard's a bit wet but worth it! LOL!!

[77ChevySharkBite]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Ya' I figured as much!
Thanks for the chuckle!!
My keyboard's a bit wet but worth it! LOL!!

Even in using a pen, doesn't that help solve the issue?

[piecesparts]

Just by chance, did you look at the distributor and see where the rotor was pointing, when you had the timing at TDC? There could be a chance that the dizzy is off a tooth or more.

[77ChevySharkBite]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

Just by chance, did you look at the distributor and see where the rotor was pointing, when you had the timing at TDC? There could be a chance that the dizzy is off a tooth or more.

Yes we made sure to verify that it was pointing towards the #1 cylinder and in fact it was pointing pretty dead on.

[77ChevySharkBite]

Okay, so I want to ask a question how important is it for a balancer to be accurate?

Reason for asking this still trying to get it running right actually just went and bought a new timing chain and gear set, installed it verified, double and tripled checked TDC and everything lines up perfect even the dizzy, so the only other thing I can see being the key issue would my balancer being somehow completely messed up.

[cadillac_al]

Dude, I just wrote a super long response and the whole ****ing thing disappeared. Skip White Performance sells distributors for $50, old ones aren't worth messing with for that price. I have bought a couple and they work flawlessly. I thought you already bought a balancer?

[77ChevySharkBite]

damn that sucks!!!

Yeah I bought a new one but I haven't installed it yet.

[ironroad9c1]

take it off and toss it in the trash,. but a good qjet. enjoy .

[bigwheel15]

Put your new balancer on, old one might have slipped causing all your headaches trying to set timing.

[77ChevySharkBite]

Well being I just spent $500 on a combo kit i'm going to keep the rdlebrock and I just got rid of the qjet.

Yeah most likely that's what my weekend project will be is make sure everything is back together and running