Please Help! Started truck for the first time and fire came out of the headers.

[Hazieview]

Hey guys I built my first engine ever and when I went to start it fire flew from the headers and it would not start.

The gears on the timing chain were lined up on the dots, distributor was put in at top dead center, carb was never adjusted from factory (edelbrock 650).

Any recommendations? Should I advance or retard my timing by turning the distributor? Cut my carb back on fuel?

Please help.
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[mopar346]

Rotate the distributor while starting it, sometimes I have to go both ways til I get it, usually doesn't take any thought I just do it. It is also possible that you have it 180* out. It is not uncommon for you to get a little fuel in the exhaust on start up and then when it fires the fuel will ignite. I personally like to have the exhaust buttoned up so I can hear the engine when I start it.

Firebirdjones (I think) has a trick with a timing light that sounded pretty trick to get the timing right before fire up, I cant completely remember it but maybe he will chime in. I think it was set the balancer to 10* advance with the timing light hooked up and the ignition on, then turn the distributor until the light triggers. It is on 10* advance.

Maybe PM a link to this thread to Firebird, I thnk he will elaborate.

[rs74]

I know you said you had the timing gears lined up but how are they lined up. Is the bottom gear mark up and the top gear mark down or are they both up? Another thing is could you have the distibutor down on TDC on the wrong stroke.