[70temp455]

I just added a new tool to my arsenal

Cold engine Compression Test results :

1=150
3=135
5-122
7-130

2=150
4=137
5=122
7=130

Hmm, weaker as they go towrds the back.
If I can get it running again and warmed up I'll do another test.
Andy
(broke a plug gettin em out)

[Wild Bill]

sounds like you may have multiple issues of which only the timing chain has been resolved.

Look for one or more of these to be causing you problems some of which have already been mentioned:

-Needs valve job
-Flat cam/bent pushrod/broken rocker or stud
-Vacuum leak from carb, cracked intake, bad gasket, cracked hose, bad power brake booster, bad pcv valve
-Worn out/stuck mechanical advance
-Worn rings/cylinders
-Marginal fuel pump
-Water in gas
-Carb tune
-Coil, plugs, wires
-all of the above plus what ever I couldn't think of

We can't see it or fix it from here. You have to dig in and check or eliminate all possibilities like you have started to do. Borrow known good parts.

One way to remember which way to turn the dist to advance is to think of the vac adv canister as an arrow head pointing the direction to advance.

Bill

[70temp455]

Originally Posted by Wild Bill

-Needs valve job
-Flat cam/bent pushrod/broken rocker or stud
-Vacuum leak from carb, cracked intake, bad gasket, cracked hose, bad power brake booster, bad pcv valve
Checked for Vacumn leaks (but I need to do it again since I swapped intakes)
Old intake does not appear to be cracked.
New Gaskets, most hoses are new, except to the brake booster and the Booster is holding a Vacumn, PCV isw
-Worn out/stuck mechanical advance
Need to pull and re-drop the Distributor so I'll look it over real well.
-Worn rings/cylinders
Don't know, Compression Test indicates a fairly worn out engine
-Marginal fuel pump
Possible, I have one in the shed I could swap.
-Water in gas
Brned it all up and went and got 5 gallons of fresh gas
-Carb tune
Newly rebuilt, but seems to like 1 to 1-1/2 turns out on Idle mixture screws
-Coil, plugs, wires
Coil is Used I have 3 or 4 other used ones I could try. Plugs and wires are new.
-all of the above plus what ever I couldn't think of
All or none of the above.

Well, I'm closer and yet no closer !
I put the Edelbrock Performer intake on and it seems better , like it wants to Idle, yet the timing mark indicates in the 28-32 degree area.
When I put the new timing chain and sprockets on, The mark was on "0", Rotor pointing about 1' oclock (towards the steering wheel) and both dots on the spockets were TDC at the top. So this indicates that the Timing mark is correct. It was getting Late and Dark so I had to call it quits for the night.
I really wish I could rebuild this engine but I have nowhere to do it.
Andy

[70temp455]

Prior to all the recent issues I could not turn the Distributor forward enough to get the timing up past 12 Degress. So I pulled and re-drppoed the distributor One gear tooth back (CCW) and therefore I then needed to turn the Dist. somewhat CCW to get #1 to line up with the rotor (now about 12 oclock) and therefore be able to rotate the dist forward (CW) to advance the timing.
Would this, for some reson, cause the timing mark on the balancer to read a 38ish instead of 12ish. I counted 14 teeth on the gear so each tooth would amount to 25.7 degrees (26 + 12 = 38)
I think, just to keep my scrambled brain straight, I am going to reset the Timing mark on the Balancer to TDC and re-drop the Dist where it should be.
Last night I noticed that there didn't appear to be as much fuel in the (Clear Plastic) filter I have between the tube from the Pump and the carb when trying to get it running. At one point it started but sounded off, and then picked up some fuel and started to run better for a few seconds before dropping off again. It was a very similar type sound as the day it first started running crappy (before the Carb abd Dist swap), SO I ordered an NEW AC Delco Fuel pump.
Hope this get's it done.
Andy

[Lemans1970]

Before jumping to the fuel pump, keep in mind an earlier suggestion that the fuel pump may not be getting what it needs (ie, occluded fuel line/hose, bad pickup, bad gas). Someone suggested feeding it with fresh fuel from a 5 gal can. I would keep this in mind as well.

[70temp455]

I had 5 Gallons of fresh fuel. I put 1 gallon in a 1 gallon can, put a new piece of fuel line on the pump, dropped it in the 1 gallon can. Barley got any to the filter and carb abd within 5 minutes the can was empty. The pump sent it all thru the return line and back to the tank.I dumped the rest in the tank and tryed again, barley got any to the filter.
I am going to hook up my 10 gallon compressor and blow back thru the the line from the pump incase it is blocked up somewhere (like the sock). A ne pump isn't gunna hurt and it will be here tomorrow of Friday.'
Andy

[Leonard Welch]

Do you have a TCS system on this engine?

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...&highlight=TCS

[se428bandit]

I'm going thru the same thing on my ventura,it's also a '72. I had to run the idle mixture screws on the carb all the way out to get it to idle. I'm changing the cam and timing chain next week,i'm thinking i have a few lobes on the cam that are wiped out. When you rev the engine does it pop back thru the carb?

[70temp455]

It did have the TCS system from factory but that was bypassed since before I owned the car.
It only backfires thru the Carb when I get the timing to far the wrong way.
I'm thinking of installing a new cam and lifters, but I'd really like to totally rebuild the engine.
I just got the fuel pump and will install it within the hour, just got home from work !
I took the coil out of the distributor and checked it out. The RED and the WHITE wires for the terminals (for the plug) are criss-crossed. I tryed it with them in the corect fashion (running straight out(to the slots for the trminals)) RED on Right and wHITE on the left but it only got a very weak spark and would not start. I re-crossed them and it started. Maybe the guy I got it from wired the module criss-crossed.
Got a new cap, coild Rotor, the works.
We'll see what happens.
Andy

[post toastie]

Are the plugs wet? weak spark, stuck floats or floats set high, too rich of mixture especially on an old motor. Distributor timing. Any one of these can cause rough idle and poor performance.

[67drake]

So Andy,got the new pump in?
Been watching this thread,just no answers for you.

[70temp455]

New pump in !
Local speed shop loaned me a Carb.
It started and Idled but needed tuning.
Spent all day chasing down a couple friends, 1 had a q jet but it leaks like all Heck.
Maybe go by a new Edlebrock tomorrow.
The one I was trying to use was new 5 years ago and didn't run then so I took it back off and stored it but didn't know it was the carb, too late to do anything about that now, so I guess I have to buy another NEW one.
Andy

[Lemans1970]

Wow ... timing chain, carb, fuel pump ... sounds like there were A LOT of issues, but hopefully you're now into the final stretch on this one.

[70temp455]

Originally Posted by Lemans1970

Wow ... timing chain, carb, fuel pump ... sounds like there were A LOT of issues, but hopefully you're now into the final stretch on this one.

Add Disributor to that !
I don't know which ONE of the things/Parts that I replaced was the MAJOR culprit, but they all play a role in the overall BIG picture.

I went to Pep Boys this morning to by a new Edelbrock 1406. Since the one I bought 5 years ago (that never ran due to issues Unknown) I wasn't so sure I wanted another carb that didn't work out-of-the-box. So I got a Holley 600cfm w/E-choke. Got it home and (never owning a Holley) the linkage was way off (about and inch). I didn't want to have to Rig a throttle bracket so I took it back and bought a Edelbrock 1406 after all. Got hooked up, messed with timing and all and got it where it would idle. The timing still seemed way high.
*side note* The other night I put a new cap, rotor etc. on. The coil wires where criss-crossed-see earlier post) So I figured something wasn't right with this eBay distributor.
Ok, Got the engine to Idle and could get the timing set around 14. I hooked up the Vac Adv. and blipped the throttle and it died. Each time I tryed to restart it it would backfire (FLAMES) a couple time till I could get it going again. So I tryed hooking the adv. to manifold and everytime I died instantly. I tried having the timing light on it and sucked on the Advance hose and it died before I could see the mark move on the balancer.
Going back to criss-crossed coil wires, I tryed to located a frien with another HEI Dist I could try but he was unavailable. I located a Re-Man. Dist at a parts store Hub 1/2 way across town and went and Bought it. Got Home and, after a 1/2 hour HAIL storm, I swapped the coil wires back to the correct configuration, Played with the timing a bit,
Fired it up, set the initial at 14, hooked the Advance to ported and blipped the throttle,
EUREKA ! It runs.
I'm thinking with the wires in the Dist. crossed, it thought it was retarding instead of advancing so when the advance pulled CW the coil was reading the signal backwards OR something to that effect.
So which issue was it really? I think a little (and some more) ALL of the above.
Mow I need to work on tuning , but at least it runs and I was able to drive it, FINALLY !
Thanks to all you guys for the Ideas and suggestions. Most I knew but some ideas where things that I hadn't considered and it helped me make a check list of sorts.
Next I think I'll find a decent CAM and hope I don't kill the bottom end !
Andy