1970 Lemans transplant issues

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1970 blues

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Ok, so I just replaced the heads on my 350 for a set of 4x off of a 400. I had them professionally cleaned and shaved. replaced the points dist with an accel system so no more coil either. upgraded to an edelbrock performer manifold and a 1406 edelbrock carb. trying to crank it and its trying to turn over but its not catching. i installed a clear fuel filter right before the fuel in line on the carb and it's getting fuel, so I know its not the fuel pump. i pulled a plug and wire off and observed a spark so I know its getting fire. any suggestions? the only thing i think it could be is the distributor. I just installed the distributor down into the engine and turned it so the vac adv canister would fit, does the new dist have to be exact? is there a #1 on the dist like the dist cap. rotor spins counterclockwise and my plug wires are right and plugs are new. car ran before I did all the work. I think its something easy im just overlooking.
 
You were supposed to mark both the old distributors relation to the intake manifold and the position that the rotor was pointing with respect to the distributor housing. Then drop the new one in the same way. Remove the distributor and since you appear to have lost that relationship you have to remove the drivers side valve cover and turn the engine over by hand to align the timing mark on the damper with the zero mark on the timing tab. At this point you will either be at #1 TDC or #6 TDC. Look at the the #1 valves and they should be fully closed. If not continue turning the engine over 1 revolution to the zero mark on the timing tab. Now insert the distributor with the rotor pointing exactly to the location of the #1 cylinder wire in the distributor cap. Try starting the engine and once started set the timing. Didnt the new distributor come with detailed installation instructions?
 
I bought a used distributor, so it didnt come with instructions. but i already had the #1 at tdc. when i reinstalled the new ignition rotor, i did make sure it was installed still pointing at no 1.
 
did you install an HEI type distributor since you say you have no coil? If so are you supplying 12+ volts while cranking? what gap did you use on the plugs? did you go back and double check to make sure when #1 at TDC the rotor is pointing to #1? did you observe fuel squirting into the carburetor on the primary side when you manually open the throttle? how did you install the rocker arms, just torque them down, as opposed to adjusting them? you can obtain the manual for the distributor as a download on the Accel site.
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yes it is an hei dist coil on cap. plugs are properly gapped. how do i make sure that it is actually geting 12 v while cranking. I am 100% sure the plugs are firing, i pulled a wire and put a plug on it and abserved a spark. now when i manually open the throttle, i am supposed to visiblly see fuel squirt into the carb? I'll have to double check that. I do know 100% that fuel IS going to the carb (clear fuel filter housing). I am running roller rocker arms. When I installed them i used a feeler gauge and ran the bolts down till there was a pull at .003 and very little wiggle on the arm, then tightened it another 1/8 turn, then tightened down the set screw. and i made sure to set each one on compression so both valves were closed.
 
disconnect the hot wire going to the distributor and attach a volt meter. Watch the meter as you crank the engine over. Yes, you should see gas squirt in on the primary side, you may have to hold the choke blade open. If you can get your hands on a compression tester try a few cylinders to make sure you dont have any valves hung open.
 
Tried cranking it while spraying carb cleaner directly down into carb and it fired right up. Took off my edelbrock 600cfm, removed the top cover, and found about an inch of rust down by the floats. Lesson learned, always disassemble and THOROUGHLY inspect a carb.
 
so this was a used carburetor?
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transplant patient

My son just had the same issues on a 1972 Powerwagon he is restoring for his grandmother as a surprise. Lots of little details. Hope it works out.
 
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1970 transplant issues update

Ok, so time for a ton of updates. The Catz roller rocker arms came off. I installed them to factory torques specs (25 ft/lbs) and the valves were bottoming out on the pistons. I was only able to torque the No 1 and No 8 cylinders, after that I was unabl to rotate the engine! So I took the old rocker arms off my 350 heads and used those. Also, just installed a holley 80457s 600 cfm electric choke vac secondarie carb. Decided not to cheap out this time, and it came with instructions, and all that new out of the box kool stuff. After I got it timed, I drove it up and down the street. And yes, the speedometer does work now!!!!! The new throttle cablt that I installed seems to be sticking a little, needs to be adjusted a little bit more. I also didnt feel any down shifting from 3rd to 2nd when I stepped on it, so i think i need to adjust the detent cable also. But it chirped the hell out of the tires when i hit 2nd. carb sounded great too when it opened up. Still have some minor issues, but I should have it back on the road in a day or 2.
 
you cannt install aftermarket rockers the same way as stock. The stock ones bottom out on the stud, aftermarket you have to set for zero lash when the piston is on the top of the compression stroke plus about 1/2 turn.
 
alright, time for another update. I have fixed a coolant leak at the thermostat housing, fixed a badleak at the detent cable at the transmission, and ust found out that the vacuum line going to the modulating valve on the transmission was disconnected and thats one of the reasons it would shift into second. Would timing the engine with that vacuum line off cause it to stall out when put in gear? What else could cause the enine to stall out when it is put in gear?
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Setting the timing has no relation to the transmission vacuum line but you do know you are suppoed to disconnect the vacuum line going to the distributor. Stalling out when put into gear could be the idle speed and mixture screws are not set correctly. What is the idle speed in park/neutral?
 
Yes, i did disconnect the vac line from the dist to the carb and capped the port at the carb. timing is set at 10 degrees. the problem with the stalling was because the electric choke was all screwed up. all I had to do was adjust it aft, and my issues went away. I reinstalled the original modulator valve on the transmission, but it is still shifting way too soft. but I did dive it to work today!
 
glad to hear you got that issue resolved
 
Glad you got it running. Just a thought, if you shaved the heads, did you use the same pushrods?
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Zimgxp said:
Glad you got it running. Just a thought, if you shaved the heads, did you use the same pushrods?
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Yes, I did use the same pushrods. didn't even think it would be a problem. we'll see what happens hahaha. they were shaved .050 and the 25 ft lb of torque on the rocker arms should in theory make up for difference...
 
in theory then you should have shimmed the rocker arm studs to retain the stock geometry
 
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