["QUICK-SILVER"]

Originally Posted by TAQuest

I will go though this again piece by piece to bring you along but I'm just wasting time typing.

I know timing. I have been messing with timing for how long now? 30 plus years my friend! So have a little confidence in my ability to time an engine.

I know how the engine timed with the dots NOT lined up. It timed normally. Get it close so it will start and idle then fine tune it. Works every single time. I have a bunch of old cars and trucks. They are all timed like that and they are run great.

When I lined up the dots and tried to time it I could get it to start but it would not fine tune. The timing was always off no matter how much I fine tuned it.
After a half an hour of fine adjusting I knew the move I made was wrong.

Can you see now that lining the dots up was the wrong move?

Thanks for your help.

Cam advanced like it was the engine didn't run right at all except for idle.

Cam advanced like it was had valve events happening way too early.

Advanced valve events had the engine pulling 2~3 times the idle vacuum it does now.

Doesn't matter how much you "fine tune" ignition timing, with the distributor, when the carburetor adjustment for idle can't even be close to right.

Your first timing chain pic showed crank gear was off at least two teeth. That is not a degreed cam it was some ones mistake. As posted earlier...Does appear that you have it right now.

Clay

[TAQuest]

Originally Posted by "QUICK-SILVER"

Cam advanced like it was the engine didn't run right at all except for idle.

Cam advanced like it was had valve events happening way too early.

Advanced valve events had the engine pulling 2~3 times the idle vacuum it does now.

Doesn't matter how much you "fine tune" ignition timing, with the distributor, when the carburetor adjustment for idle can't even be close to right.

Your first timing chain pic showed crank gear was off at least two teeth. That is not a degreed cam it was some ones mistake. As posted earlier...Does appear that you have it right now.

Clay

Clay,
Do you really think that someone who assembled this whole engine from a kit couldn't get the dots lined up? Seriously? You are very stubborn.

On top of that you think that something as simple as 'idle' was stopping me from tuning it? I would be inside the car with my foot on the gas. Not just letting the idle screw do everything.

[Stan Weiss]

Originally Posted by TAQuest

Clay,
Do you really think that someone who assembled this whole engine from a kit couldn't get the dots lined up? Seriously? You are very stubborn.

On top of that you think that something as simple as 'idle' was stopping me from tuning it? I would be inside the car with my foot on the gas. Not just letting the idle screw do everything.

If that is the case (and I don't, I believe the cam was installed wrong) then why was the engine done at 3200 RPM?

Worth saying again

Definitely needs a better cam, but sure would be nice to find the issue first.

Stan

[TAQuest]

Originally Posted by Stan Weiss

If that is the case (and I don't, I believe the cam was installed wrong) then why was the engine done at 3200 RPM?

Worth saying again



Stan

Why? I don't know. If it was cam related then we will be fixing that. If it was not then we will fix that too. Cam first. One rock out of the field at a time.

[Stan Weiss]

Originally Posted by TAQuest

Why? I don't know. If it was cam related then we will be fixing that. If it was not then we will fix that too. Cam first. One rock out of the field at a time.

Just saying what I would do if it was my field and my rocks. lol

But it is your field and your rocks. Good Luck

Stan

[TAQuest]

Originally Posted by Stan Weiss

Just saying what I would do if it was my field and my rocks. lol

But it is your field and your rocks. Good Luck

Stan

Yup.
Maybe a $17 timing set from a warehouse that would close soon after they sold it was funky and the dots were wrong? Or the cam was ground wrong.? Hang your hat on that rather than thinking that all the mechanics working on the engine were wrong.

[SA74SD]

I've tried following this for over 450 replies. I do recall two things by the OP.
36 degrees total timing and never uses a timing light, times by ear.
A degree wheel and confirmed TDC would put the guesswork on that cam to an end.
I wish you luck and success.