440 new build problems

The things you describe sound like wires wrong, timing off, fouled plugs, bad carb, or junk in your fuel lines / tank just sayin

i put new wires on yesterday. got carbs fixed floats were out of specs and got a/f set but i set timming old school way n the more i advance the idle comes up .i reduce but now enginge will die when i get back to tdc being i lower the idle when i advane being engine raises in ilde when i set timming this normal?

74roadrunner440 said:

i put new wires on yesterday. got carbs fixed floats were out of specs and got a/f set but i set timming old school way n the more i advance the idle comes up .i reduce but now engine will die when i get back to tdc being i lower the idle when i advance being engine raises in idle when i set timing this normal?

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Trying to wrap my brain around what you are describing, sounds like you are saying you adjust the timing advance and the idle goes up as normal but if you adjust it down to TDC the engine dies? Or are you saying you advance the timing but adjust the idle down using the A/F on the carbs to take it down and it stalls?

Do you have a vacuum advance distributor? If so are you trying to time the engine with the vacuum line on or off?

im trying to time it w vacume advance pluged . and idle goes up as i advance

74roadrunner440 said:

i put new wires on yesterday. got carbs fixed floats were out of specs and got a/f set but i set timming old school way n the more i advance the idle comes up .i reduce but now enginge will die when i get back to tdc being i lower the idle when i advane being engine raises in ilde when i set timming this normal?

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I have read this ten times and I am unable to understand all what your saying.

You put new wires on - good.

you set the fuel float levels - also good.

i set timming old school way n the more i advance the idle comes up - I don't know what the old school way is, but it's normal for the engine idle speed to increase with more advance.

i reduce - reduce what (timing or idle speed screws?)

but now enginge will die when i get back to tdc being i lower the idle when i advane being engine raises in ilde when i set timming this normal? - WTF?!

My advice - You should be able to set the timing at around 10 degrees before TDC at idle with vacuum advance disconnected, and if all is good with the distributor and ignition, leave it the hell alone until you have set the carb mixture screws and idle speed screws.

It sounds to me like your motor dies when the advance backs off, and I wonder if you have a distributor problem where your rotor and cap aren't aligned properly with the points or reluctor. Try swapping your dizzy....

I reread the whole thread (which nearly gave me a brain aneurysm) and I still wonder if your cam timing is off.....

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Correction - that is a big cam you have, and as IQ52 said, timing needs to start around 20 before TDC. What size carbs are you running? Are they stock? With that big cam, box stock carbs jetting and metering rod springs would need altering big time.

i just blew the head gaskets out omfg. does any thing work right? hope i didnt ruin a piston or a rod or valves. i started it up after i took for a ride and it got hot imediatly. less than a mile n blew antifree every where. but all i could find was a leak in radaitor, it wasnt leaking b4 and radiator was full n engine was running good. ive never had so much problems im building a engine in my life!!! im sure every one thinks im dumb. but not the case just bad carma im guessing. now engine wont stay running im sure somthing got ruined.

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i set idle screw to raise n lower the idle speed. running dual 1405 edelbrock carbs. i got it to quit running rich had to adjust floats.

Sounds like its time for a beer and a smoke. lol

amen

Sorry to hear you havin so many problems, my radiator used to throw up all over the place if I filled it to the top, I replaced the cap and it helped quite a bit. Hopfully it's not a head gasket.

We all have those days where we were better off doing nothing. I'll send some good karma your way, and I hope problem isn't too bad like a stuck thermostat, and no damage was done. Feel free to come here and vent!!

Did you say you had the heads or intake shaved? Make sure the Intake and heads were both milled so they will sit right and seal. If not they will cause major vacuum leaks. If that was done properly, Then I'd take my time set everything to ensure it's assembled right. For the cost of a few gaskets, if not degreeing the cam, at least pull the front and confirm the gear drive is set on the timing marks. Put the balancer back on and check the marks there. Then stab in the distributor and set up your wires. If you can get it to run, then set up the carb. Sounds like you are chasing more than 1 fault at a time. It makes it very difficult to diagnose accurately. Don't get frustrated and rush. If you need to, walk away from it for a few days. Clear your head and go back at it. Been there before as well.