Dizzy Making Me Dizzy

SVTMaximos · Nov 3, 2014

Hey all, it's good to be back after a few years off of here. I hope you can help me out.

I have a '65 mustang with a '72 302 in it. This past weekend I did a HCI swap and everything buttoned up nicely - really took my time to make sure. I finally finished piecing everything together yesterday and tried to start it up - turning over but won't fire. Logic told me since it was receiving air, fuel, and had compression it was a timing issue. Since that time, I have found top dead center a number of different ways. Each time I've found TDC it is showing up different on my harmonic balancer as far as markings go. I even had a reputable tech come out to my home for a couple hours and he was stumped. We tried multiple firing orders and we tried all the marks I had made on the harmonic balancer - still nothing. Any ideas what it could be?

Two notable events: 1) we got it to fire up and it appears to be idling at around 3k RPM. Turned the key to shut it off and the car wouldn't turn off. 2) got it to fire up a second time and the engine was running like a dog, not smooth at all and again the key wouldn't turn the car off. Neither of these two marks on the harmonic balancer have worked since.

Thanks in advance.

Falcon79 · Nov 4, 2014

I bet your timing chain has stretched and is causing your timing to be off each time you start it. Set the timing as much as you want, it will just get off again. It happened to me once. A new timing set and you are back in business.

SVTMaximos · Nov 4, 2014

Falcon79 said:
I bet your timing chain has stretched and is causing your timing to be off each time you start it. Set the timing as much as you want, it will just get off again. It happened to me once. A new timing set and you are back in business.

A new timing chain was included in the Edelbrock kit and was installed. I believe the chains they make been designed to virtually eliminate any stretch - this is aside from the fact that the engine had never fired to cause any stretching.

Falcon79 · Nov 5, 2014

Well, thats all i got. Maybe some of the other guys can help. Good luck.

rbohm · Nov 6, 2014

as i recall there were three different timing mark locations for the small block ford. the early one used drivers side marks, the later ones used passenger side marks, an they are not interchangeable. make sure you have the right dampner for the engine, AND the timing marks you use.

horse sence · Nov 6, 2014

Find top dead center on the piston ,pull the number one plug so you can be sure the piston is up.
Make sure the valves are closed on number one cylinder .Check the balancer ,it should be pointed at top dead center .If not mark it ,it will be close enough to get it running .
Are you sure you wired the dist. correctly ? What dist. exactly are you using ,any pics?

horse sence · Nov 6, 2014

If you can't get the marks to line up using the method above ,check the balancer key ,it may be sheared . Something else i just thought of is the pin in the cam that holds the cam gear ,you may have used the wrong one and the cam gear spun.

SVTMaximos · Nov 8, 2014

Thank you for all the replies. I ended up replacing the balancer and was able to get some more consistency on the timing and I got it to fire twice now. The issue now is that it is running REALLY rough. A lot of noise coming from the passenger side in particular. Also, when I turn the key to the off position the car continues to run.

Attached you will find an audio clip of the car running. Let me know if you can help!

horse sence said:
If you can't get the marks to line up using the method above ,check the balancer key ,it may be sheared . Something else i just thought of is the pin in the cam that holds the cam gear ,you may have used the wrong one and the cam gear spun.

We replaced everything for the balancer and it appears to be working much better all around. As for the cam gear pin, only one would fit in the space we used so I think we can rule it out. I took everything a apart again yesterday to be sure while installing the new balancer.

horse sence said:
Are you sure you wired the dist. correctly ? What dist. exactly are you using ,any pics?

It's a MSD dizzy. Everything was wired the same as it always has been - I didn't make any changes. Do you have anything in mind to watch out for?

Falcon79 · Nov 8, 2014

I had an I6 that would run after i cut the ignition. It was because the timing chain needed replacing. I know you said the chain is new but are you 100% you put the gears on right?

SVTMaximos · Nov 9, 2014

Double checked the timing gears when I had everything apart. It was correct.

woodsnake · Nov 10, 2014

How much camshaft did you install? Did you measure for push rods? Did you use roller rockers, or did you use the stock, non adjustable rocker arms?

SVTMaximos · Nov 10, 2014

woodsnake said:
How much camshaft did you install? Did you measure for push rods? Did you use roller rockers, or did you use the stock, non adjustable rocker arms?

I used cam that Edelbrock included with the kit: 270°/280° Adv. Duration, .448"/.472" Lift, Idle-5500 RPM range.

I used some Comp Cams roller rocker arms that I adjusted to zero lash, several times to be sure. I reused the pushrods already in the engine. Could a different length pushrod be needed for the new heads, etc?

woodsnake · Nov 10, 2014

Was it it this kit?
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-2027

If you didn't measure for push rods, that absolutely can be a problem. Also, keep in mind that you now have guide plates, and that requires a hardened push rod.

Dizzy Making Me Dizzy

SVTMaximos

New Member

Falcon79

Active Member

SVTMaximos

New Member

Falcon79

Active Member

rbohm

horse sence

horse sence

SVTMaximos

New Member

Attachments

Falcon79

Active Member

SVTMaximos

New Member

woodsnake

SVTMaximos

New Member

woodsnake

Similar threads

Dizzy Making Me Dizzy

New Member

Active Member

New Member

Active Member

New Member

Attachments

Active Member

New Member

New Member

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency