The 283 Rebuild Begins

[joe231]

in my experience, with the distributor 180* out it will try to run but will crank over slow and then fast then slow, pop and back fire through the carb, sometimes even blow fire up through the carb too.....doesn't seem to matter how many times I have swapped out distributors I inevitably get the dist 180* out....or the last one I did, I accidentally put my wires on counter-clockwise, it kinda acted the same way then too...I knew it need to be clockwise but for some reason I looked at the cap and put the wires on backwards.

set it to TDC and just line up the rotor with your number one on the cap, that should get you close enough to run

oh and make sure you got the firing order right

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by joe231

oh and make sure you got the firing order right

Yeah - those numbers on the original intake manifold (used again on this motor) were the first thing I checked. It seemed to crank fairly consistently, albeit tight at first (which was expected) and I did get some nice flames out the carb (who needs eyebrows anyway?)



I hope I don't have to crank the dizzy half way around though, cause that little square plug's going to be right up against the firewall.

[padresag]

you have to pull the distr up and turn the shaft 180. just time it back to nbr 1
ron

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by padresag

you have to pull the distr up and turn the shaft 180. just time it back to nbr 1
ron

Ron, sounds like the easy way to go. TDC #1 cylinder with plug out - to feel the compression stroke, take cap off - to note where the rotor's pointing, un-clamp the HEI body enough to turn the rotor to the proper position, drop the HEI back in, cap back on, plug in and wire back on and light her up, right?

[padresag]

voom-voom
ron

[MacAttack]

Well, you know what they say about old, fat white guys: No (timing) rhythm.



Mac.

[joe231]

if you are just moving it 180* there is no need to bring it to TDC, just pop the cap, mark where the rotor, is loosen the clamp, pull the distributor up enough to clear the cam and rotate the rotor 180* drop it back in, might take a couple stabs to get it just right, as you know the dist gear has to mesh with the cam gear and the oil pump drive

or you can use it as an opportunity to check TDC again....I have had to pull the valve cover and rotate the engine through all 4 strokes while watching the valves just to be sure of TDC before, the timing mark on the damper isn't always right, or if your valves aren't adjusted correctly you could have trouble finding TDC...

so now we gotta wait a whole 4 days to hear the continuation of this soap opera???

oh and...

Originally Posted by MacAttack

I hope I don't have to crank the dizzy half way around though, cause that little square plug's going to be right up against the firewall.

I thought that was a joke
do we need to be worried????

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by joe231

or you can use it as an opportunity to check TDC again....I have had to pull the valve cover and rotate the engine through all 4 strokes while watching the valves just to be sure of TDC before

Oh no! I finally got those things sealed and I'm not taking them off again!

Originally Posted by joe231

so now we gotta wait a whole 4 days to hear the continuation of this soap opera???

And you really expected otherwise?



Mac.

[joe231]

[daverod]

[sidthirteen]

[4dranch]

[2ndGenRR]

Somthing to consider... Make sure that you put your plug wires in clockwise firing order around the dizzy. I did counter-clockwise once and had the same result you are experiencing.

[joe231]

Originally Posted by joe231

in my experience, with the distributor 180* out it will try to run but will crank over slow and then fast then slow, pop and back fire through the carb, sometimes even blow fire up through the carb too.....doesn't seem to matter how many times I have swapped out distributors I inevitably get the dist 180* out....or the last one I did, I accidentally put my wires on counter-clockwise, it kinda acted the same way then too...I knew it need to be clockwise but for some reason I looked at the cap and put the wires on backwards.

set it to TDC and just line up the rotor with your number one on the cap, that should get you close enough to run

oh and make sure you got the firing order right

Originally Posted by 2ndGenRR

Somthing to consider... Make sure that you put your plug wires in clockwise firing order around the dizzy. I did counter-clockwise once and had the same result you are experiencing.

Echo, Echo, Echo, Echo

[2ndGenRR]

Originally Posted by joe231

Echo, Echo, Echo, Echo

That's what I get for ignoring one of Joe's posts...

[joe231]

see, i'm not ALL hot air and useless info

[4dranch]

Originally Posted by joe231

see, i'm not ALL hot air and useless info

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by 4dranch

Yeah, you wouldn't want to put that to a vote.

Mac.

[joe231]

[4dranch]

Originally Posted by MacAttack

Yeah, you wouldn't want to put that to a vote.

Mac.

[joe231]

[Desert1957]

Hey Mac,

If you just want to get it running , Rotate the engine around until mark on the balancer is at zero on the timing tab.

Take off the Distributor cap , Note where the Rotor is , Install Number 1 plug wire in the Cap to the left of the mark.(If you have enough slack in your wires)

Start your spark plug firing order (Clockwise) from this position , remember the Engine does not care where Number 1 is in the Distributor cap , It can be in any of the eight holes , as long as the rotor is pointing to it.

Start engine and Listen to the glorious smells and sounds of a Virgin Small Block come to life.

You can re-phase the distributor to put number 1 in the front after the engine break-in if you like.

Trust me , this WILL work.....

Your friend DESERT

[protrash64]

I had to do what Desert1957 mentioned because of my intake mainfold. Im running a performer airgap and the dizzy will hit the runners. It actually points towards the passenger side now so as to have some adjustment.

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by Desert1957

Take off the Distributor cap , Note where the Rotor is , Install Number 1 plug wire in the Cap to the left of the mark.

It's odd you bring that up - as the more I think about it - I may have missed that and put it just behind (to the right). I may just be one hole off - like Jason said originally.



I'm so confused.

[4dranch]

[QUOTE=MacAttack;3354839]I'm so confused.[/QUOTE]