chevy 350 problems

[Violentv8toy]

Alright. I'll start by saying that i don't know a whole lot about the 350.

My truck is all ready to go but i'm having problems with the engine that is really killing me.

Alright, the engine i bought is a carbed 350 and it purr'd like a kitty in the car i got it out of.

Well we got my truck rolling and drove it a few miles, but we (friend and I) are having problems with timing and the idle.

Its got a edelbrock carb/performer intake and we THINK a cam. (not sure)

Its all hooked together, getting good fire and enough gas, but the damn thing wont idle well. We cleaned out the carb and the idle jets and such and they're fine and its got new gas.

Alright. We don't know exactly how many degrees we set it at because theres no markings on the timing cover to compare it to. We can retard and advance the timing every which way and throttle response will be good and peppy, but as soon as it goes back down to about 800rpms, it will chug chug and die. We got it half ass running right to where it was responsive and idled good at about 900rpms...but when i shift it into gear (auto) and keep the brake on and try to hold it, it will die because of the weak idle (I think). It will run and drive like a raped gorilla but it just wont idle strong.

We're starting to think that maybe its not getting enough torque because i'm running it open header. We also can't listen to it well because of open header.

Also, that vacuum thing on the auto, we dont have it hooked up.

Anyone have any suggestions?

I'm also getting exhaust done to it tomorrow (monday) morning and have someone look at the engine. I'm gonna take it to some shop my friend told me about just off Texas ave. and University. Anyone have any suggestions on who can do a 1/2 decent exhaust setup for cheap. I woulda done it myself, but i didnt have the time.

So, can anyone suggest a good cheap shop to go to around here or can someone who can tune this engine help us out? Its on a trailer and we can take it anywhere....i'll pay too...and i'd be forever grateful.

Its a hella cool ride though. I can turn my 38s with my pinky lock to lock. Its got a wicked ugly drag link, but since my steering arm wont be in by saturday, i'll have to use the inverted y-draglink. I nearly rolled it fishtailing it around a turn about 10 minutes after getting it running.

EDIT: I'm posting this at 2:00AM...and i'm taking it to get exhaust at 9:00AM. and hopefully have them look at the engine...if anyone wants to look at it tomorrow or tuesday, call me at:
845-1375
or
220-7058

:cheers:

[BigRedFord04]

bryan muffler at the end of college, dont go to mcallisters, ask flem...they dont use stainless, and although his exhaust was purdy, it rusted in like 3 hrs.

[Violentv8toy]

which is cheaper?
:D

[StevenAg03]

check for vacume leaks on the engine. i had the same problem on my 258. thought it was the carb, replaced it. Thought it wasnt getting a hot enough spark, so replaced that with a ford 300I6 setup. ended up being bad intake manifold gaskets. it was doing the same exact thing your talking about. ran good at high RPM's and had good throttle response but wouldnt run worht a crap at idle. If it was idled down enough so that the breaks could hold it in 4 low, then it wouldnt stay running.


get a can of carb cleaner. make sure it has the red tube that connects to the nozzle. spray around the engine and listen for it to idle up. if/when it does there is your problem. but i suspect a vacume leak.

[fbronco86]

1. timing is a must
2. check for cap and rotor for cracks
3. plug wires and are they one the engine right.
4. vacuum leaks the tranny no being hooked up? also that is not good for the transmisson.

on my truck my timing was messed up so i made a tool to put in the cylinder to make sure the number 1# was all at TDC and then i bent the marker to point at the mark on the flywheel.

[Violentv8toy]

Originally posted by fbronco86
1. timing is a must
2. check for cap and rotor for cracks
3. plug wires and are they one the engine right.
4. vacuum leaks the tranny no being hooked up? also that is not good for the transmisson.

on my truck my timing was messed up so i made a tool to put in the cylinder to make sure the number 1# was all at TDC and then i bent the marker to point at the mark on the flywheel.

1. No clue what the timing is or should be...dont know if its got a cam or not.

2. cap and rotor are good.

3. new plugs/wires and are hooked up right....they'll fire on all 8 like raped gorrilla...just doesnt have a strong idle....gapped correctly too.

4. gonna hook up the tranny today and look for vacuum leaks.
They say its ok not to hook it up on a th350. You have to have it on for a 700r4.

Gonna get exhaust done today about 4:30. If anyone wants to take a shot at it, let me know...

[StevenAg03]

if you dont have the vacume lines hooked up to the transmission, then there will be a vacume leak, unless you have capped them off. you cant just leave a wire unhooked and it run fine. also you dont really need a timing light, just do it by ear.

[Violentv8toy]

Well its got a 2 line spicket type thing coming outta the manifold behind the carb...one goes to the valve cover....the other is capped off but will go to the tranny...

[lissa]

Originally posted by StevenAg03
also you dont really need a timing light, just do it by ear.

****ing redneck, :D use a light...

the vaccum thing is the modulator, doesn't affect the idle as long as it is plugged at the manifold, but will need to be hooked up to shift right. I would say it is something in the carb, check the choke, is it electric? If so it needs to be hooked up to switched 12v. The idle mixture could also be jacked. It is hard to tell for sure without the timing being on, 8 deg before TDC is a good place to start with a SBC. It is a good idea to get it set right, but if you have tried different settings and it still doesn't work I would think carb. Steve's idea of checking for leaks with a can of carb cleaner is another good idea.

almost forgot, Grabber green is cool, or something...

[BigRedFord04]

hi jimmy :flipoff2:

[fbronco86]

back in the days on my carb fun i got a small piece of dirt in my jet and it really pissed things off. it ran ok but would not idle worth a flip and i had no power. I am kinda thinking you have carb issue. take the carb off and clean the thing out with a air hose.

[uglyota]

might just be the open headers (no backpressure) throwing it off;
it doesn't idle out, right? Just idles chitty? Get the exhaust on and see if it changes.
PS why did you dump a 22r-e for a carbed 350?

[stx4wheeler]

i am sure he dumped the engine in a search for more power. And i think it could be the idle mixture like someone said earlier. When i rebuilt the 460 with a good size cam, we had to mess with it to get it to idle right. Chekc this sounds almost exactly like my problem i had, cause it would run great at higher rpms, but crud out at idle good luck.

[Violentv8toy]

I got her idling right....we played with the timing and then just set the idle....but shes running pretty good right now and its idling pretty good...even under load when in gear.... I went to bryan muffler....gonna pick it up tomorrow.

The guy at the shop said i needed backpressure before i start fruckin' with it anyway...but its already running better. I plan on driving it to San Antonio this weekend....so if yall see a black 10 foot toyota on the side of the road.....stop :).

Also, i dumped that gawd damn 22re for a real motor....but so far the 350 hasn't impressed me TOO much. I dont have the patience and money to put in dual cases and gears and all that. I want a small truck that will run down the road so i can take it to colorado and not have to go 45 on the mountain passes....

I was climing a tank dump at my friends ranch this weekend with it....one that typically gives me hell with my 4banger cause i run out of power cresting these hills....with the 350, its just a blip and you're over....no question that the 350 setup is already better than the 22re. I aint runnin moab so i dont need 155:1 gearing.

[lissa]

Originally posted by Violentv8toy
I aint runnin moab so i dont need 155:1 gearing.

not yet anyway, hang out with us very long and you will be. gald to hear you got it fixed...

[Violentv8toy]

Originally posted by lissa
not yet anyway, hang out with us very long and you will be. gald to hear you got it fixed...

Nah, I'm pretty poor and can only afford to wheel around Grand Junction. :) Well...more like i'm cheap...i take after my dad.

The only reason that i did the v8 swap was because i was envious of that smallblock rumble and couldn't stand being left in the dust by fords on 38s and hated it when it would sputter and kill out in a water crossing....and then i wanted to go to a tire above 35s....and the 4 banger just wont turn that big of a tire plain and simple.


Who knows where a junkyard is around here? i need some hood hinges..(dont ask)

:cheers:

[uglyota]

but try and register it anywhere but here and...they won't. Putting an older engine in a newer truck is like the first thing outlawed at inspections.

[J Cooper]

thats why you register it as the year that the engine is... easy for me since Im mr. grand theft auto... a little vin swap and a new title will fix it...

[stx4wheeler]

that really doesnt matter. i think every town has some place that will inspect just about anything. Heck i use to know a guy back home that would just write the thing out without seeing the truck for and extra five bucks.

[robertf03]

Originally posted by stx4wheeler
that really doesnt matter. i think every town has some place that will inspect just about anything. Heck i use to know a guy back home that would just write the thing out without seeing the truck for and extra five bucks.

Here in Dallas they won't , Houston, Plano and some other place I can't remember are the same way, and more counties are talking about going to the new standards all the time. Do yourself a favor now if your engine swapping, theres no grandfather clause until its 25 years old.