AMC 360 timing set with other camshaft. HELP

[Chriss]

Hi Jeepers

I have an 360 in my CJ. Now there is another camshaft inside. It comes from
Edelbrock with the performer intake. Now I have problems to set the timing. Iv I do the standard timing with 5-8 degree btc the engine runs rough and at high rotation it fires out at both exhaust. When I stopped on the street the engine goes off.
I think the problem is the camshaft and with this another timing. But which is the right?
Could somebody help me who had the same problems?
It is a 79 AMC360 came out from a J10 now with a T-176 gearbox.
Thanks
Chriss

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Your over cam'd.
LG

 

[Hedgehog]

Did you pull and block the vacuum advance before timing? What happens when you back off the advance or advance it for that matter?

 

[Chriss]

Yes I pull and blocked the vacuum lines before timing.

 

[Hedgehog]

You wouldn't have been the first to make that mistake. What about the other questions. You've been around hereand should know that we start slowly with the obvious and work toward the more complicated posibilities.

If you have an Edelbrock cam you might try calling their help department and ask them for some advice.

 

[Chriss]

Yes the first owner of the engine told me that is a Edelbrock cam.And yes we put all the vacuum lines back together. We have rotated the distributor back. Only by hearing that the engine runs good. Then it was better. But the ignition timing is now at 10 degrees after TDC.
I think there is also something to do with the Holley carb.

 

[Hedgehog]

Try not to get stuck on the numbers. SOP for the high performance guys is to run up the advance until the engine starts to ping or detonate under acceleration then back off until it stops and lock it down.

Carbonator trouble is no fun and I'm useless when it comes to that.

 

[Chriss]

Ahhhh...I think I found the mistake. My distributor isn't at zyl.1 if the 1st zylinder in the engine is at the top. I think i have to pull the distributor out and rotate right to zyl.1.
Than I must look at the pulley it is 5 degrease BTC. If not I must drill the engine by hand to make it to the right position. Than make finish with the light.
Now I hope nothing is damaged while I run the engine with the wrong timing.

 

[gutthans]

Ahhhh...I think I found the mistake. My distributor isn't at zyl.1 if the 1st zylinder in the engine is at the top. I think i have to pull the distributor out and rotate right to zyl.1.
Than I must look at the pulley it is 5 degrease BTC. If not I must drill the engine by hand to make it to the right position. Than make finish with the light.
Now I hope nothing is damaged while I run the engine with the wrong timing.

It is very likely that your distributor is set one tooth or more off. Remove it from the motor. Rotate the crank, by wrench on the harmonic damper bolt, so that the timing mark is at or just before TDC on the timing cover. Make certain this is the compression stroke (and not the intake stroke). You should remove the #1 plug while doing this and you can feel the air pulse (or suction) with your finger in the hole. BTW please don't stick a rubber plug into the hole...if you happen to be on the intake stroke, the motor will suck it into the cylinder.

You should have the #1 firing point marked on the outside of the distributor...just rotate the rotor counter clockwise about 1/2" - 3/4" from that mark and drop the distributor in. If it hangs up...raise it up and move the rotor back a tiny bit more, and drop it in again. That should be close...If it's still off too much you'll need to determine if you are ahead or behind on timing and raise the distributor up, rotate the rotor in the needed direction about 3/4" or so and drop back in...

 

[DHugg]

Ahhhh...I think I found the mistake. My distributor isn't at zyl.1 if the 1st zylinder in the engine is at the top. I think i have to pull the distributor out and rotate right to zyl.1.
Than I must look at the pulley it is 5 degrease BTC. If not I must drill the engine by hand to make it to the right position. Than make finish with the light.
Now I hope nothing is damaged while I run the engine with the wrong timing.

Chriss, I recently rebuilt the distributor in the AMC 304 engine I have, I used a socket and 1/2 inch ratchet, long handle, to rotate until the timing marks lined up on the engine front, then dropped the distributor back in being sure the rotor pointed at spark post one.

I am due to replace spark plugs soon, so I will realign the distributor. [I didn't have to loosen the plugs to turn the engine, but next time it would be easier] The one caution note I did NOT observe until too late was to not turn the engine backward if I overshoot the timing marks alignment. Probably relates to wear and slack in the timing chain and gears.

 

[Hedgehog]

Ah haaaa, no wonder you have CRAZY advance. You are not the first one to make this mistake. What surprises me is that sometimes the Dist. is 180* out and the engine will run, it will run horribly, but some will run.

You could pull the dist. or you could just move the wires one post back...... I'd move the wires.

 

[Chriss]

It's done. Thanks a lot for your help. Now the problems was a broken spark plug at cyl.8 and the vacuum box at the Holley doesn't work. This is the problem with no power at high rpm.
Now I must look for a new carb. Cause my old Holley 600 is bad at all things.
Looking for a truck avenger or better for a TBI. But hard bucks....

 

[Chriss]

Another question. I found a Holley EFI jection 2. I think it's a good option for trail driving.
Did I need a special distributor for this or could I use the stock Motorcraft distributor.