Truck wont start!

[77chevyinline6]

put a rebuilt 350 in there and when i try to start it it just backfires out of the carb and catches on fire. this truck makes me want to smash my head into the nearest brick wall.

[rs74]

Sounds like you have it out of time. Take the distributor back out and bring #1 back to TDC and set back in. I don't know what your abilities are and not doubting you just covering a few things to consider. How did you set your timing chain. What was the process that you went through to set and time the distributor.

[f18delta]

Had a 70's model F100 that had the same issue. If I remember right, I had the distributor on 180* backwards. Caused a nice flame to leap out of the carb when I tried to start it.

[rs74]

Just don't try and look down the carb while trying to start or leaning over the engine playing with the distributor while starting. Nothing like a face full of fuel and fire. Be careful.

[bilfman]

Sounds like a 180 degree wrong turn on the distributor. I'm not sure on your engine knowledge but an easy way to get #1 cylinder to/near top dead centre is pull #1 plug ( front right side if facing the engine) get someone to tap the key and turn the engine in very small increments. While they do this you can lightly cover the plug hole with your finger (do not stick it in more then a 1/4 inch) when you feel the most compression your #1 is at or close to TDC. Then pull distributor cap and make sure you rotor is pointing near the #1 plug wire. From there it should start and you can fine tune your timing.

If you rotor is pointing opposite of #1 on the cap you need to pull the distributor out about 2" turn the rotor towards #1 and then drop the distributor back in. Hope this helps

[THE "10" SILVERADO]

I literally just had this problem. Got it running 3 days ago. It would backfire flames through the carb and almost singe my eyebrows off. Everyone said it was 180 out so I tested it and it got worse. Turns out it was only 1 tooth off the distributor and once I moved it 1 tooth it fired right up. Not saying it's not 180, but it could just be a tooth off. Hope you get it running soon.

[77chevyinline6]

well it turned out the timing was 180* off so i get it running pull out of the driveway and its like it has no power at all and then it just locks up, i look at the temperature hand and its pegged out past 250...but we turned the motor over and it turned over fine but it almost cranks hopefully its just a blown head gasket or something right? and we pulled it home with another truck and even if we pushed the clutch in the rearend still wouldnt turn freely so we pretty much drug it home to get it home really quick because we woke up alot of people driving with open headers haha.