what's wrong with my engine??? sbc

so i have a 327 sbc in my 71 nova. i rebuilt the engine and had it bored out. its been in there for over a year now and still won't run right. i am in the process of changing the heads. it may be a timing problem, that i just can't find. i am also running a HEI distribator. if anyone has any idea of whats wrong with this thing please let me know. thanks

 

If you want any kind of help you;ll need to give a lot more info.
What's it doing? Backfire throught the carb? just crank? do you have spark and fuel?
Need more info my brother.

 

Yeah, give a LOT more info on what it's doing.

 

It will run and it doesn't backfire. it has plenty of fuel and spark. it just sounds like its missing on one or two cylinders? it really has NO power at all.

 

Ok,
so it will run? what does it do when it tries to idle? what does it do when you hit the gas? what does it do when you put it in gear?
I have one question? Does it act like a car with a plugged cat?

Man you suck at this. asking for help and giving next to nothing to work with.

 

Forgot to mention that It does shoot flames out the carb once in a while. it doesn't idle at all, its either always too high or too low, i have adjusted the carb also and it doesn't like any spot. when you press the gas down it bogs out and doesn't want to run. its pretty much the same when you put it into first. it doesn't have cats, it is straight from the headers to the glasspacks. any more ?s

 

sounds like your timing is WAY retarded!

 

You're retarded!


Yeah prolly is way too retarded or swap carbs, could be a bum carb so put another one on and see if it helps, if so then there ya go, rebuild that bum carb.

 

i figured it has to do with the timing, but can't figure out what part it is. i already tried to fix it with the distributor but no luck?

 

Bring Cyl1 back up to top dead center and start over from scratch, it sucks but do it anyway. You might be way way off. Then get it started and put a light on it, get it dead on with no advance or retard at all, then go from there with tiny adjustments.

Or swap carbs cause it's faster and easier and throw a light on it to make sure the timing is good no matter what.

I'm betting on both man, honestly, I bet it's a mixture of both timing and carb issues.

 

Just another thing to mention.You said you added HEI.Did you change the wiring for the distributor?Points ignitions used a ballast resistor or a resistor wire to drop the voltage going in.It's a common error to hook these up to an electronic ignition.Only problem is,you don't get 12 volts!Other than that,the previous suggestions are definately things to check out.Good luck!

 

While you're at it pop each lifter and check both lifter and cam lobe for unusual wear, pop the timing cover and check the cam timing. Take a look at the distributor intermediate gear (wear, chips, slop).

 

"what's wrong with my engine" is too hard to answer here. you have been given some good advice, but without being there it is hard to diagnose

just trying a bunch of new parts may not fix it and just be a waste of money

my advice is to get someone LOCAL who really knows his stuff to come over and check it out..the right guy can get it sorted out fast

 

my dad is also trying to fix it, he's been a chevy gearhead for his whole life, so i hope we can fix it with the help you guys gave me. thanks for everything. also it has a brand new edlebrock carb, so its not that.

 

Good advice! If has been in there from when you rebuilt it and has the problem from day one then you need to get back to the basics. Verify TDC and make sure your timing mark is at TDC, then look at your distributor and make sure the rotor is pointing at number one plug wire. If not then you need to look at the timing chain and gears to make sure the dots on the cam gear and drive gear on the crank line up. The right firing order etc.

 

You might want to check your vale adjustment .You may have a few of them to tight.I would remove valve covers and readjust valves with engine running.If that is the problem you will know it when you start loosening the rocker arm nut on any tight valves. GREGG

 

thanks for all the help guys. i'll have to try all that out and see if it helps. thanks

 

Are you running a Holley Carb. if so, and it has backfired, you need to rebuild some of it. once they backfire you are screwed usually.

 

The timing might even be 180* out.

 

I thought of that and almost said it but I wasn't sure an sbc could run at all 180 out. I did it by accident with my inline and it drove around fine like that but that's just inlines for ya.

 

Actually, the newer Holley's have a ball and spring check valve to prevent blowing out the power valve. The easiest way to test if the power valve is blown is to run the idle screws all the way in. If it still runs, it's probably getting gas from the power circuit.

 

Thanks for the tip.
I'm gonna try that on my Holley.

Vance

 

no its an some kind of new edlebrock.