HEI Ignition Problem

[nrb's70gmc]

if my 2 month old coil happins to be going bad could it cause the motor to run/cut out speratic like this.

[highperf4x4]

Originally Posted by nrb's70gmc

UPDATE
i guess the performer carbs dont have a internal filter (i checked mine)

earlier today when i had the engine running i was under the hood and the motor stalled i noticed a puff of whitish smoke came out of the carb (fuel filter was full)

now i know the both my modules tested fine but someone also said there modules tested fine also but they turned out to be bad.

guys im so confussed,lost,upset,pissed off
im a pretty mellow guy but when things like this happen (unknown engine problem) it is so damn hard to keep my cool.

If your ignition module goes bad it won't fire at all. You could be driving down the road running just fine and it would just die and never start again.

Did you try grounding the dizzy like I suggested before?

Get some wire and run it directly from the hot cable on your battery to the hot wire connection on your dizzy. See if this makes any difference.

If you have another coil try sticking it in and see what happens. Why did you replace your coil 2 months ago?

You said you replaced the pickup coil inside your dizzy. Is it adjustable? If it is you may need to close the gap a little.

You said you set the timing for 4 degrees before tdc. Did you do this with the vacum advance disconnected and capped off and the engine idling around 800rpm? If not, fix this first and go ahead and set it for 8 degrees.

You need to check everywhere for a serious vacum leak. Vacum lines, brake booster, carb gasket (make sure carb bolts are tight) intake manifold gaskets (make sure all intake bolts are tight) spray starting fluid along the edges of the intake manifold where it meets the head with the engine running and see if your rpms jump way up.

Originally Posted by nrb's70gmc

i blowed and sucked on the line and i could hear things moving

Your vacum advance won't cause this. If it quits working you will just lose some power and mileage but the engine will run fine.

Originally Posted by nrb's70gmc

could a alternater going bad cause these problem?? i have a 10 gauge wire

Not unless it's grounding out. You can disconnect the alternator completely and start the truck to see if it makes any difference. The truck will run fine off the battery for a while. In fact, check all your hot wires including the battery cable and see if they are grounding or melted onto anything metal.

Originally Posted by nrb's70gmc

if my 2 month old coil happins to be going bad could it cause the motor to run/cut out speratic like this.

Yes it can.

What's the chances of you being able to take a bunch of pics of your engine bay, carb, inside the dizzy/cap, etc?

[nrb's70gmc]

i replaced the coil 2 months ago because when i put it in i guess when i tighted the dust cover down it was rubbing one of the wires and finally pinched in half (my fault) thats why i had to replace the coil 2 months ago.

i do have another coil and can try it out
worst case i can take pictures as long as it is not raining outside 50/50 chance

[nrb's70gmc]

another thing that i have not replaced is the thing that the module plugs into (it has the 3 wires coming out of it) can that piece go bad?

[tasian]

how far did you dig into the carb to check for the internal fuel filter? my 650cfm has the screen inside that was clogged up and also had clogged up the tube between the bowls might be a good idea to tear it down a bit and clean it up check the internals and such depending on how it looked when you checked for the filter?

also i think just encase i would change the plugs sounds like there are some other cheaper shorties that way at least you won't end up speading a ton of money and time when its something so simple and im sure it won't mind new plugs anyway

[nrb's70gmc]

Originally Posted by tasian

how far did you dig into the carb to check for the internal fuel filter? my 650cfm has the screen inside that was clogged up and also had clogged up the tube between the bowls might be a good idea to tear it down a bit and clean it up check the internals and such depending on how it looked when you checked for the filter?

also i think just encase i would change the plugs sounds like there are some other cheaper shorties that way at least you won't end up speading a ton of money and time when its something so simple and im sure it won't mind new plugs anyway

well i unscrewed the inlet nut/fitting and pulled it out ther was no filter as far as i could see.

my old carburator had one right behind the fuel inlet on the carb but i cant remember what carb that was (maybe stock) thats why i thought it was odd that this edelbrock does not have one.

[highperf4x4]

Q-jets have inlet filters.

[nrb's70gmc]

i tested both my coils 1 is bad and the other is good

i think my timimg is mest up because at high rpm it starts sputtering and a little bit of back fire

i have spark i have fuel
the ignition wire (to the dist) has power

the engines is running hotter as well and i believe the timing can affect the temp (but im not positive)

i test drove it again today and same ole problem (its like somone is switching my truck off like a light switch)

[72chevyk10]

if its runing rich that'll make it run hot too. the edelbrock carbs dont like anything above 5.5psi of fuel pressure. the fuel pump may be puting out more then the carb can handle. im just kinda thinkin out loud but: fuel filter is full, and its runing hot. im chasing down a similar problem with my truck at the moment. but mine wont stay runing long enough to see if its runing hot though. i have a regulator on my engine and i set it at 5.5psi. i have a small cap mallory that i am pretty sick of and will be replaced by a msd as soon as i have any money ive been kinda following this thread to see how it turns out and just thought you should know about the fuel pressure thing

[nrb's70gmc]

Originally Posted by 72chevyk10

if its runing rich that'll make it run hot too. the edelbrock carbs dont like anything above 5.5psi of fuel pressure. the fuel pump may be puting out more then the carb can handle. im just kinda thinkin out loud but: fuel filter is full, and its runing hot. im chasing down a similar problem with my truck at the moment. but mine wont stay runing long enough to see if its runing hot though. i have a regulator on my engine and i set it at 5.5psi. i have a small cap mallory that i am pretty sick of and will be replaced by a msd as soon as i have any money ive been kinda following this thread to see how it turns out and just thought you should know about the fuel pressure thing

hay man i need all the info i can get--but the thing is my truck has ran fine untill a week ago--like i said when i first had this problem i pulled the cap and saw that the cap was chipped/burned ware the carbon brush goes though the bottom so i replaced it-- that was the only phyisical problem i could find--i test drove it--it ran pretty good for a total of about 1 hour off and on (running around town) then it started doing the same thing as before...

i have been running this same engine set up sence 2004 (besides basic maitnece,

i really think my timimg is shot to H3LL because my dizzy is not even parallel like it has been sence i had shop put it in (the 3 wire plug is at almost a 45D angle facing the cab

and my plug wires are custom cut to fit when its sitting parallel
the truck wont think about starting when i set it parallel

[72chevyk10]

Originally Posted by nrb's70gmc

hay man i need all the info i can get--but the thing is my truck has ran fine untill a week ago--like i said when i first had this problem i pulled the cap and saw that the cap was chipped/burned ware the carbon brush goes though the bottom so i replaced it-- that was the only phyisical problem i could find--i test drove it--it ran pretty good for a total of about 1 hour off and on (running around town) then it started doing the same thing as before...

i have been running this same engine set up sence 2004 (besides basic maitnece,

i really think my timimg is shot to H3LL because my dizzy is not even parallel like it has been sence i had shop put it in (the 3 wire plug is at almost a 45D angle facing the cab

and my plug wires are custom cut to fit when its sitting parallel
the truck wont think about starting when i set it parallel

hmm.. well mine is kinda doing the same thing. a few weeks ago i noticed it had a miss to it and it just got worse and now its basicly undriveable. mine is runing really rough. is that basicly what yours is doing? do you have a tach on yours? mine varys at idle by about 200-400rpm and actually does the same thing at any rpm... i have my timing set at about 14* at idle which is where it was before it started doing what its doing now.

and this may be a dumb question by me but what is "setting the dizzy parrallel"?

[nrb's70gmc]

Originally Posted by 72chevyk10

hmm.. well mine is kinda doing the same thing. a few weeks ago i noticed it had a miss to it and it just got worse and now its basicly undriveable. mine is runing really rough. is that basicly what yours is doing? do you have a tach on yours? mine varys at idle by about 200-400rpm and actually does the same thing at any rpm... i have my timing set at about 14* at idle which is where it was before it started doing what its doing now.

and this may be a dumb question by me but what is "setting the dizzy parrallel"?

setting the dizzy parrallel just means that was how my dist would always sit at (the mallory sticker would be parallel with the cab)

now when i set it parallel it wont even start

it seems to me that my truck is doing simular things as yours the motor just has a sick sound to it (idleing or in gear)

the only way i can explain it is you know when your sick and you get flem in your neck and you clear your thoat---thats what my trucks exhaust pipes sound like now..

the rpm does move a little but i dont have a tach

[nrb's70gmc]

does anyone know off hand what size the bolt is on the balencer? i want to rotate the motor and get the #1 at TDC so i can re time it (for good)

That is how you rotate the motor manually correct?

[nrb's70gmc]

is it possible to rotate the oil pump manually so i can get this damn dizzy to sit the way i want it?

[gabby35]

make sure none of your plug wires are crossed I've done that more than once when your in a hury or angery

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by nrb's70gmc

is it possible to rotate the oil pump manually so i can get this damn dizzy to sit the way i want it?

yeah, you can stick a long flat screw driver in there and turn it. Just don't drop the screwdriver!!!

I did this last night to get my distributor in straight after I pulled it out.

[highperf4x4]

Originally Posted by nrb's70gmc

the ignition wire (to the dist) has power

the engines is running hotter as well and i believe the timing can affect the temp (but im not positive)

What you need to know is if the wire still has a full 12 volts as mentioned before. HEI requires the full 12v for proper fire. That's why I suggested running a temp wire straight from the battery to eliminate that possibility.

The engine will run hotter if the timing is way slow but it will only be a marginal difference. It will also run hotter if you burned a valve. A burnt valve will also cause the rest of these symptoms too. I would get a compression gauge and run a compression test on each cylinder.

Originally Posted by nrb's70gmc

does anyone know off hand what size the bolt is on the balencer? i want to rotate the motor and get the #1 at TDC so i can re time it (for good)

That is how you rotate the motor manually correct?

The bolt should be a 5/8" but it's best to pull the plugs out or the motor will try to "kick back" on you making it difficult to achieve tdc.

Originally Posted by nrb's70gmc

is it possible to rotate the oil pump manually so i can get this damn dizzy to sit the way i want it?

Yeah, as mentioned above you can use a long flathead screwdriver or you can get the tool designed for priming an oil pump and use that.

Originally Posted by gabby35

make sure none of your plug wires are crossed I've done that more than once when your in a hury or angery

This is good advice. The firing order is 18436572 and the cylinders on the driver's side front to back are 1357 and the passenger side front to back is 2468. Won't hurt to double check.

[nrb's70gmc]

i tried rotating the oil pump the other day with a flat head but it seemed like the (tip) was twisting but the screwdriver was not- maybe the tip was caught in the cam gear i dont know, (it is my first time doing this) should there be any resistance when rotating the oil pump? or should it spin freely?

[72swb_327stroker_?]

I am thinking it is your timing... how many miles does the truck have?

This sounds very similar to my trucks old 350 that the po installed. The motor only had 60k on it and it stretched the chain enough to do her in.
The timing chain skipped a tooth and did the exact same thing that you said....running hot, poor performance when warmed up, and no power under a load... Now that I am thinking more into all of your posts here, it is very possible. All of your symptoms are on key with timing problems.

Something to consider.

[nrb's70gmc]

Originally Posted by 72swb_327stroker_?

I am thinking it is your timing... how many miles does the truck have?

This sounds very similar to my trucks old 350 that the po installed. The motor only had 60k on it and it stretched the chain enough to do her in.
The timing chain skipped a tooth and did the exact same thing that you said....running hot, poor performance when warmed up, and no power under a load... Now that I am thinking more into all of your posts here, it is very possible. All of your symptoms are on key with timing problems.

Something to consider.

thanks man for the info- so your saying the timing chain could have skipped a gear/tooth?

i am not for sure on the timing chain miles but i do know in 2001 i had a timing gear break (white plastic cam gear) a friend said the factory used the white plasitic grears.

at that time i replaced the timimg set in 2004 i put that same set on my new 350 which has only 15,000 miles on it.

[nrb's70gmc]

ok guys

i plulled the #1 plug to find tdc i rotated the motor over by hand untill the timing mark and taimimg tab lined up on 0 degrees i stuck a screwdrive i the hole and its hitting the piston so thats good

the only thing is the rotor is sitting/facing 180 degerees from ware it should be (between 3 and 6 post on cap)

if i take it out and rotate it will be in between 1 and 2 so my question is will it drop right back in if i just pull it out and rotate 180

[nrb's70gmc]

the plug is black now before it was like a light coffee brown so now i know somthing is not right)

[Sinister]

You might be at TDC for #6, or the TDC for the exhaust stroke on #1. You can pull the valve cover and see if both valves are closed for #1, but I doubt they will be.

[nrb's70gmc]

Originally Posted by Sinister

You might be at TDC for #6, or the TDC for the exhaust stroke on #1. You can pull the valve cover and see if both valves are closed for #1, but I doubt they will be.

so do i need to be at tdc with #1 intake open or closed?

which valve is which (first/second) when looking at #1

[Sinister]

Both valves will be closed at TDC for #1. If you just turned the motor until the balancer lined up you have a 50% chance of being at TDC for #1. The piston will be towards the top of the bore on the top of compression stroke and top of the exhaust stroke. You want TDC of the compression stroke.