Im having trouble starting my nailhead. I think im getting too much gas. I have a edelbrock 750 performer and it has 3/8" line. Is this line too big? Do i need a regulator? It keeps poping out of the carb could the timing be off? Any help is appreciated
Ok... I'll take a whack at this... By "poping"... do you mean backfiring through the carb? First I would double check your firing order and your plugs wires are in the right sequence. Then yes, also check your timing. If you have a lot of slop in your timing chain can sometimes cause this. Another good test would be to check your valves are seating- in this case, particularly the intakes. Do you have a compression tester? You dont need a regulator if you are using the factory mechanical fuel pump, and 3/8" line is fine. As long as you set and adjusted your float levels correctly, they will do the metering for you. Also make sure the choke is not stuck on you either if it is electric. Erik
Yes it is back firing through the carb. I do believe the timing is right, the timing chain is new, the carb is new. I guess i could check the float levels but figured they should be right because it is new. I had the motor kind of running with the old carb. It was an old carter that i thought needed a rebuild. I thought i was getting too much fuel then too, so i disconnected the line and started it to run the gas out of the carb and it actually ran for about 30 seconds. So i dont know what the differnce is now. I just ordered a pressure regulator so we will see how that goes.
You wont need a regulator if your running a factory mechanical fuel pump. And 750cfm isn't even close to being to big. Definitely check the firing order first. I'd also check for a vacuum leak. Did you install a new base gasket along with the carb?
If the engine is popping back thru the intake, the spark aint getting to the plugs at the right time.... most likely 180 dg. out at the distributer.... move no1 across the cap from where it is and wire around the firing order and see it it starts....if not bring the timing mark up to tdc when the compression blows back from the spark plug hole and then wire to the rotor pointer....
did you rebuilt this engine or take anything apart to due with timing? did you ever take the dist out? do you run a choke? you said had a hard time starting, did it run? bring up to tdc #1 check the rotor as doc said. i ran a 750cfm and a 800cfm on my 401, loved the 800cfm..you sound like you are just 180 out.
I changed the timing set......but after that it did run for about 30 seconds with the old carter carb, so thats what has me confused on the timing. I was trying to start it and the carb was actually leaking. I figured the floats were stuck, i could get it to pop of for like 5 seconds and it would die. So then i took of the fuel line and i just figured i would run the gas out of the carb, but it ran for 30 seconds that way. So i figured things cant be that far off because i havent changed anything since then. o No:
I changed the timing and now it Runs! It smokes white but i figure it will have to clean up. Has not ran in i dont know how long.:grin:
Glad you got it!:TU: The white smoke is from oil. Grey smoke would be from running too rich. I would still check your compression to give you an idea how your rings and valves are sealing and seating. Hopefully you dont have a dead one (or really low one). Other than that, and depending how bad it is, and it doesnt clear up it could be what is typical as the guides wear. Just keep an eye on your oil consumption! One of the many things that are overlooked and "assumed" is that the timing curve in the distributor is right. Over time the springs will loose their springey. You can realize a BIG perfomance gain by including a "recurving" in your refresh plan. (#6 of Docs list of Cheap Tricks). Erik
You might run the thing for a while before doing anything more.... probably you have some oil/fuel down in the exhaust system that is smoking as it burns off,,, that and rat nests, bats, snakes, ect....:laugh: :laugh:
I ran it again today. Run better, i figure i just got to keep changing the oil and get all the crap out. I drove the car also. And when i hit second get i gave it 3/4 gas and it back fired again out the carb....so i figure the timing still isnt right? Now i can get a light on it though
Before you do to much changing check you Dist cap for carbon traces inside or gray lines of "ozone". Check plug wires and fireing order. If you had the dist. out make sure it is in correctly number one cylinder TDC and rotor pointing to no.1 If this dosen't do it my guess is the timming chain is ONE TOOTH off. This actually sounds like the culpurt. Easy to do as I well know. Been there done that. I always crank an engine over several times after installing a timming chain and double check it. Hopefully you have done this. As for the smoke anytime an engine is flooded with gas it goes one of two places in the oil pan or in the exhaust system. I once had a tri-power GTO and flooded it, let it set a little while gave it a very small shot of either and hit the key BAM blew the backs off both muffers, sounded like a stick of dynmite.
