SBC Woes ~!

[Transamman25]

Ok never dealt with anything this damn difficult before ...
This what we have
Chevy 388
World Product Torquer SR heads (65cc 2.02/1.60)
Comp Cams 308 cam (.575 lift both sides on a 110 centerline)
Comp chrome-moly pushrods (stock length)
Scorpion 1.5 7/16th Roller rockers
Edelbrock 2107 (performer intake)
Mighty Demon 750 cfm carb
DUI Distributor
TR55 plugs


The problem we keep having is the engine requires over 40 degrees of timing to start and when it does it will hold a steady idle but the whole time spitting fuel out the top so i dial back the fuel 1/2 turn .. engine dies will not start back at this setting turn the fuel back up and it starts no problem (tried using a smaller 600 cfm carb and it wont even start it.) Once i start it i try to back down timing ... the engine dies ... Ive tried moving the firing order down one cap Clockwise and counter-clockwise it wont start --- ive pulled everything back down twice and the crank dot is at 12 and the cam dot is at 12 -- ive also tried crank dot 12 cam dot 6 ......... someone shine some light here !!

[Chris 96 WS6]

The crank and cam dots should be next to each other (Crank at 12, cam at 6).

How's the valve adjustment? Could some valves be hanging open?

[five7kid]

The crank and cam dots should be next to each other (Crank at 12, cam at 6).
And that is the #6 firing position.

What damper are you using? Where is the timing tab?

[Transamman25]

Im working on the valve adjustment as we speak ... seems like they are a bit tight but once we run the engine a few minutes and re-check the poly's arent doing there job and start backing out this time im thread locking the boogers ...

[Transamman25]

And that is the #6 firing position.

What damper are you using? Where is the timing tab?


are you saying in this position we should point the rotor to #6 cylinder for correct timing ? or still point at #1 ??

[five7kid]

I'm saying when the crank & cam gears are dot-to-dot, that's the #6 firing position, and the rotor should be pointed to the #6 terminal on the distributor cap.

[Transamman25]

we have compression when the crank is at 12 and the cam is at 12 on #1 .. therefore the rotor should point to #1 correct ?

[03slowZ06]

12 and 12 should be the end of the compression stroke. At that point yes it should be at #1 for fire.

[Transamman25]

please explain to me why it wont then ! This thing is driving me crazy ive swapped distributor's with working vehicles ive tried 3 seperate carbs ... wtf :devil: :lol:

[03slowZ06]

Are you advancing the timing or retarding it? People often get them confused.

[Transamman25]

anyone reading please head to chat.. advancing via turning ccw

[03slowZ06]

I think that ccw is correct. The rotor turns clockwise so moving the cap the other way should advance the timing. You have a timing light on it? Have you adjusted your floats? You might be drownding it. The only other thing I can think of is to make sure your fireing order is right.