Stalling problem

[Dirka]

I have not set valves before, though this is the 3rd time I've tried on this truck, first two times I did it wrong. I adjusted exhaust valve with intake open instead of closed. I did the zero lash at the first sign of slight resistance between forefinger and thumb. It's very possible that I'm just getting them to zero lash like one is suppose to.

454man, in regards of finding #1 on the dizzy after all that, if it's not pointing at the "true" number firing position should I just put the number one plug where it's pointing and then follow the firing order from there? Currently the dizzy is at the "true" #1 firing spot with the balancer at 0 mark. I haven't been able to try to 10* advance on the balancer like fairlane suggests, I'll be trying all these things tomorrow on my day off. 

[Dirka]

Going to go slightly off topic here, if everything is done right and it still doesn't run good because maybe the valves are bad, need redone.  I found a complete SBC 400 that ran good before they took it out of their 77 4x4 (same year as mine) for $425. For that price would it be a good buy instead of getting the 305 heads redone? Local machine shop charges start at $250 and could be as high as $400 depending on what is needed. Probably a no brainer by most people.  This truck is my winter driver, eventual workhorse for towing and other things you need a truck for, it will never see the drag strip.

[Fairlane514]

Ok, sounds like you may have the valves adjusted properly. Now lets concentrate on the distributor.

 Remove cylinder number one spark plug. Place your finger in the park plug hole and turn the motor over until you feel compressed air escaping around your finger. You should also be watching the balancer and see the timing mark coming up to the timing pointer on the front timing chain cover.  Stop turning the motor over when the mark on the balancer lines up with the 10 degree mark (advanced) on the timing pointer. 

 Now check the distributor rotor and see where it is pointing.  This is where you want the rotor pointing directly at the number terminal in the distributor cap.  You can use a sharpie to place a mark on the distributor body to indicate where your number one terminal is. This way when you remove the cap you know where the number one terminal is located.

It if does not line up, remove the distributor and re-stab it until it does. Sometimes the distributor will not go all the way down, in this case rotate the motor until it drops down fully seated. You can then rotate the motor until you come back the the compression stroke on number one cylinder and check your rotor alignment. Hopefully is will be lined up 10 degrees advanced and pointing directly at number terminal on the distributor cap.

If the distributor does not drop down when you first re-satb it, its because the oil pump shaft and the distributor shaft and not clocked right, but all you have to do is rotate the motor like I stated and it will drop into place.

10 degrees advanced should give you a good start up and then you can time it where you like, I think 12 advanced is nice. If you have 20 degrees advance in your distributor (mechanical) that would give you a total of 32, which should be safe.

 The other critical factor is whether or not you have a 305 balancer or a 350. The 305 mark is at 12 O'clock and the 350 is at 2 O'clock. If you timing pointer on the timing cover is at 2 O'clock position and you have a 305 balancer the whole process I described above will be off and the motor will probably not run (maybe but it will be way retarded in timing)

 I had a 305 balancer on my Goodwrench 350 and I couldn't find the timing mark while using my timing light because the timing pointer was a 2 O'clock. I then replaced the balancer with a 350 and all was good.  There is a way to remark the 305 balancer but I don't' know how.

My 305 balancer was very thick looking compared to my new 350 balancer. 

One other thing.......when you adjusted the valves, it should be when the exhaust valve BEGINS to open you can adjust the intake on the same cylinder, and then when the intake BEGINS to close you can adjust the exhaust.  So when you see the beginning of the closing or opening is when you adjust.

Ok, one more thing    10 degrees advanced on the timing pointer is to the left of 0, each mark is 2 degrees.....of course if its a stock pointer.

[Dirka]

One other thing.......when you adjusted the valves, it should be when the exhaust valve BEGINS to open you can adjust the intake on the same cylinder, and then when the intake BEGINS to close you can adjust the exhaust.  So when you see the beginning of the closing or opening is when you adjust.

I did the intake valve the way you described, but the print out I followed had me adjust the exhaust valve just before the intake is fully closed.

[Dirka]

So going back to the beginning of this post a bit and talking about vacuums lines. I was on edelbrock.com watching troubleshooting videos on the carb that I have. I have an automatic trans and noticed that where they say to plug the vacuum line for an automatic transmission, is not where the previous owner has it going.  Mine attaches to a line from the manifold which splits off, one goes to brakes, the other goes behind engine to where I can't see (guessing it goes to the transmission) Would that be a potential reason as to why the engine wanted to stall out once put into gear?

[Fairlane514]

The manifold vacuum is good so thats not the problem.   

 Sometimes when putting the transmission in gear and it stalls, it is because you have a large cam and you need a higher stall torque convertor. I don't think this is your problem.Another could be you have the idle set too low.

 It may still be you have vacuum leak somewhere, causing poor idle and then killing the motor once in gear. I would plug all vacuum ports for now and try to get the motor to run. Then add each vacuum line one at a time until you find a problem. 

Using a vacuum gauge connected to a full manifold vacuum source can help.