Hi Pro 360 Timing Issues

[OutLawBiker]

Help...I have never been without a way to go till now. Let me explain.
I've owned my '73 ROAD RUNNER for 29 years and always in the past understood most everything that has happened and always found great solutions. The current problem is timing following new heads. Here's the low down.
'73 ROAD RUNNER
360 LA Engine 30 over
100 amp - one wire alternator
ERSON Cam E420421Hi Flo I H .472 Lift 296 Duration 106 L/C {Hot Street/ET Bracket}
340X HEADS 1969 - I just picked these up from the machine shop All new components.
MSD's ignition box, MSD Distributor, MSD Coil, MSD Plug Wires
I need to know how to time this 360 with the new HEADS-I can't eliminate severe backfires through the exhaust.
I am open to all knowledgeable solutions-

 

[Curiousyellow71]

Maybe timing is 180 off.

Is it running and backfiring...or just backfiring?

 

[beanhead]

Could be a few things happening, but assuming correct distributor position, carb's okay, etc. Not uncommon to need to re-time when adding performance parts. Get it started and and advance your distributor and see if it helps. If it does, find the 'happy place' for initial timing THEN put the light on it and see where you are. Don't try timing it to a set number (don't be surprised if it wants to idle around 20° or more)..you will want to re-curve you distributor from there to get your total back to where you want it, and re-adjust your carb settings. Again...this is strictly going after your timing concern and assuming everything else is still good. Late timing can definitely cause popping in the poop pipes!
That's a somewhat beefy cam grind, what is your compression and what was the timing curve before?

 

[multimopes]

In the days of yesteryear, way back in the 70's, I owned a 66 Dodge Charger with a 318 small block. I drove it for a year or two until I bought a 70 Challenger RT with a 383. Well, the guy I sold the Charger to was not a motor head and asked me to help him give it a tune up. Well, we did the usual plugs, points, cap, rotor, condenser, and wires. What we found out blew us away. The former owner had wired it backwards, the wrong direction but correct firing order and it ran pretty good. When we finished, it ran so smooth that it wouldn't cause a ripple in a glass of water resting on the engine. I didn't think it would run at all but it certainly did. I hope you find something equally easy to rectify your problem. Good luck!

 

[OutLawBiker]

Hey (good) Guys,
I appreciate everyone who pitched in during my crisis. What a trip around the cuckoo clock this journey has been! I got a refresher course in "things aren't always what they seem" lesson. At 65, one would think I would be teaching this instead of learning this-again, thinking schools out forever-WRONG
Important note:Following the 340 X heads install and the first re torque to 95' lbs I slowly developed a worsening backfire through the exhaust and did I ever panic. I mean to say, I flipped the hell out! If this ever happens to anyone else, yeah don't do that.
I finally discovered it was backfiring only on the left bank and ran a compression test. I thought perhaps the head gasket itself was damaged, it wasn't. However, this did take me straight to the solution-I needed to re-torque the left head a second time! This and placing the number one cylinder in the #8 location and move everyone else up one, on the distributor, in the normal firing order, worked perfectly!!!
I hope this helps someone else suffering from long timeouts...lol
Thanks again for all your input-surely I couldn't have reached my destination without all your leads. PEACE-out

 

[multimopes]

Glad to hear it all worked. I always like a happy ending; LOL.