HEI Help ... on a '71 C-20 Burban

[Burb]

I am in no way any type of mechanic, I'm the tinkering type, but here is my problem... I have a 350cid/700R4 with a Holley 670 Street Avenger, HEI dist. with stock manifolds.

I have just had the heads redone and the MO that did the work has my timing so fubared that you have to have the timing light on the passengers side to see the mark. I am guessing I am going to have to pull the dist. to try and get it back in sync. Before the work was done, I always kept it at around 2-6 degrees. I really just need an idea on the direction to go to get back there, as I said before, not any type of mechanic, and I have yet to find a set of wires that are long enough to keep from getting burned, since '71 Suburban's didn't have HEIs in the first place. and like other people, $100.00 plus for wires is a bit steep.

Any ideas ????

[70rs/ss]

Some balancers have more than one mark, the outer ring can slip as well. There is no way the motor would run if the timing was off enough to put the mark on the other side (it would be 50 or more degrees off). Look at the balancer (with the motor not running) and see how many lines you can locate. The distributor position has nothing to do with the position of the line (if it is running). I'll bet there is more than one line and you must locate and mark them all with chalk and then start it up and use light to find the mark with your pointer on the right side. If you cannot find it, go back to the shop and address this issue with them. If they just did the heads they would not have touched the balancer, but if they did cam work then they would have removed the balancer. Anew one may be needed if the outer ring slipped. As for the wires, buy a set for a 350 on a 75 small block for under the exhaust manifolds and then run them underneath them. They will tuck up under the manifolds and not burn up and they will also be out of sight for a cleaner appearance.

[Burb]

So what your saying is, if I had marked it before it went in, and it is not in the same spot....we have experienced some outer ring slippage? And would that cause any other type of noticeable characteristics, such as vibrations, etc...?
Oh, by the way...thanks for your input.

[Superron21]

you can buy autolite lifetime wires for about $35.00, i always buy them for a corvette cuz they are extra long. If you can determine when #1 cylinder is on top dead center, keep picking the distributor up (cap off) and setting it down in each position (Counter clockwise)for a complete revolution. the rotor will change 1 wire position per revolution and the oil pump rod will follow it.keep doing it till the rotor points to the left of the front 2 wire positions on the cap, thats where the factory put them. and you dont need a timing light. with the vacuum line connected,( engine running) slowly turn the distributor each direction until the engine runs its smoothest. if it doesnt crank hard when starting, doesnt diesel when you shut it off and doesnt ping up hills, you've got it. good luck

[da-burb]

First things first. If you have experience balancer slippage it is no longer balancing the way it should, it could fly off while running, and the timing mark means nothing since it is no longer where it belongs.


2nd easy fix. Go to your favorite parts store and ask for 1976 Corvette wires. They are HEI and work with rams horns manifolds because that's what the vette used.

3rd step in my opinion is to pull your #1 plug and bump the engine over until you get to the compression stroke. Continue to bump it and watch your timing mark. It should be on 0 when it gets to TDC. I then back it up to 10 degrees BTDC (go beyond 10 and come back to it to remove any slack in your timing chain) Now check your distributer. It should be pointing at the #1 terminal in your cap.

If it isn't you will need to pull the distributer and re-install. This will be the hardest part of the entire process. In my early days it was so frustrating that I would give up after several hours of failing and try in again in a couple of hours, and then again the next day....... The trick now becomes rotating the oil pump drive just enough so it matches where your distributor needs to be. 99 out of 100 times you will be off just enough that the distributor doesn't seat.

I suggest you check where TDC is. Then consider your next step.

[Superron21]

if your timing mark worked before the heads were done, then we can deduce
that the mechanic didnt put the distributor back in with everything lined up on TDC.

[70rs/ss]

If it runs, then the number one wire is lined up with the rotor (if it wasn't then it wouldn't run) You can put the number one wire on the bcak of the distributor if you want (but top dead and point it at the number one cylinder is how I do it as well). If the balancer slipped, replace it. I think they are like $50 from summit and they are better than the 30+ year old one you have. I agree on the Vette wires, I just buy em for the 76 BBC and you end up with about the same set.