I bought an olds 350 quadrajet 4bbl with a turbo 400 attached and when I got it dropped into my car it started and ran for about 20/30 seconds and then died and hasn't started since. It fouled the plugs after trying to get it restarted so then I swapped them and also changed the starter and replaced the leaking water pump with still no luck on a restart. I have tried to time it by raising piston 1 to TDC and pulling the distributor out. It wants to run with the starter but still won't run on its own. It sucks gas from a gas can but won't run and back fires like hell when I adjust the time either way any thoughts?

 

Make sure the distributor rotor is pointing to #1 at tdc. Make sure your firing order is correct and wired for the distributor that turns CCW. Make sure you have 12v to the coil+ in both start and run positions of the ignition switch.

 

It has an hei distributor I think from the factory and it is wired correctly I have made sure it is pointing at 1 TDC

 

Do you have voltage to the distributor in both START and RUN?

Welcome to ClassicOlds.

- Eric

 

Yes I do for sure

 

Then it should run. Apparently your missing something. The only other thing I can suggest is your 180 out and perhaps you need to pull the distributor and have the rotor point to #6.

 

I was wondering if that could be the problem. So let me ask a question when I have the dizzy cap off the rotor has a black end which end should point to the cylinder I want to start with

 

The end with the metal tab is where the spark jumps across.

 

I think my buddy has that pointing towards passengers rear the car has the symptoms of being 180 out but my harmonic balancer doesn't line up at all and I tried to break the center bolt loose and after 2 days and every size socket wrench I own it wouldn't come off. It wants to rotate with the wrench or breaker bar

 

The harmonic balancer has a line running across it that should line up with the scale when you are at TDC using the #1 cylinder. At that point you have a 50/50 chance the engine will fire and run with your rotor pointing where the #1 spark plug wire is in the cap. If for some reason it is back firing and kicking back then it is 180 out and the distributor needs to be pulled and turn the rotor 180 degrees from where it is at that moment and reinstall.

There is no need to pull the harmonic balancer unless it is bad and has slipped.

 

I've had it out a couple times now and it back fires and shoots fire ***** 2 feet high from the carb and manifolds until I go max adjustment one way on the dizzy and that makes it putter and want to run without back fires but it won't stay running

 

It does not line up with TDC #1 it's about a quarter or less before TDC

 

So loosen the hold down bolt on the distributor, lift the distributor until the gear disengages, rotate the rotor and stab it where the rotor is 180 degrees from where you started. Sounds 180 out to me.

 

I have done that and got it to stop back firing I think I am a notch or two off still but am about to try again and see what happens

 

Good to hear you almost have the problem fixed. I would have thought the timing chain would have been the culprit, happy I didn't post and throw you off with a diagnosis.
These guys are awesome here !!
I would like to see some pics of your 77 .

Eric

 

I thought I was close but it still wouldn't fire off. I have #1 TDC on compression for sure I pulled the cap and the black part with the metal tab is pointing at #1 this time it back fired from the manifolds and carb?

 

Have you pulled the #1 spark plug out to see if the piston is at the top then verifying rotor is facing #1 ? It sounds like you have, and all plug wires are proper. You timing may be way out.

Eric

 

Here's where I'm at now
I have the #1 up all the way I made a mark on the H.B. Where 0 is on the tab the rotor is facing #1 when I try and start it I can get it to be sluggish and back fire and then as I turn the dizzy it starts to want to run and then just starts turning over and over with the starter until I get my buddy to turn the Ign. Off

 

Get it to where its running on its own by turning the distributor as you have been, allow it to run for a good 5 min giving little throttle blips. If it continues to backfire with little blips tell us if the sound is like a popping sound coming up from the carb. Are sure the plug wires are in the proper position on the distributor. Open up the butterfly and keep it open at the carb while feathering the throttle as well until it warms up a bit.

 

So you know that the harmonic balancer mark is within 20-40° of TDC, but do you know that you are on the compression stroke?

And why not confirm TDC properly, with a premade TDC-finder or homemade bolt-through-sparkplug-base version?

Thus far we have confirmation of exactly nothing being correct in your engine - we do not know whether you have a good spark, we do not know whether your carburetor is supplying gas properly, we do not know whether your valve timing is correct, and we do not know whether your spark timing is correct. Therefore, it is very difficult for us to give you effective advice.

- Eric

 

There is no such thing as being a few notches off unless the vacuum advance is hitting something preventing you from turning it enough for proper timing. You may have to rotate the distributor one way or another to get it to fire off. You also may have to turn your idle speed screw up for it to keep running on its own. Since its blowing fireballs, I'll assume you have fuel.

 

Just finished for the night after tearing all the work plug lines off for the 100th time and taking the distributor out for the 200th time I had it in time enough to make it run for long enough to get it in time. It won't idle on its own but it sounds good. the way it is idling I'm thinking it is cammed it rumbles at its idle speed my neighbors whose an old timer said it sounded like a flat tappet cam #6? That didn't make sense to me maybe someone else can figure it out. The problems I'm having now are where to connect vacuum lines on the quadrajet 4bbl and how to make it idle correctly. It will idle for about 2-4 seconds after releasing the throttle and then it dies slowly. It is not flooding as bad but still smokes white and smells like gas but no back fires and I have new plugs just didn't put them in yet

 

If you can't figure out the lines, at least cap all the ports so you don't have vacuum leaks. The engine will run fine until you figure them out. Glad you got it to run. Don't know about the flat lobe your neighbor is talking about because we can't see or hear it run from here. Get everything adjusted and all your lines right and go from there.

 

I've capped all the extra lines that I can't figure out and it's running rich still but haven't gotten around to adjusting the idling screws and the mixture screws. I'll give it a go in the morning and see if we can get it to idle and drive

 

The carb is leaking gas onto the top of the manifold on the passenger side anytime I put gas into the top. I think this could be one of my problems with the flooding issue but would that cause the car not to idle at all?

 

I don't understand your question of putting gas into the top?

 

Why are you putting gas into the top of the carburetor in a car that is run regularly?

And, since you are putting gas into the top of the carburetor, why are you surprised that it is running out?

- Eric

 

This is the first time it has been able to be started and ran since it was put into the car. It won't pull gas from the tank even with a new sending unit so it has been running out of a can and the return line to a separate can the car won't start unless it is primed with gas into the carb and after it starts sucking from the can and running for a few minutes it starts leaking gas onto the manifold around cylinder 4

 

Try tightening the 4 carb to manifold bolts, just don't go nuts. It may need a rebuild with all new gaskets.

 

Disconnect the rubber line at the tank and blow air through the steel lines back to the tank from the pump and see if you can clear them. Get that part sorted first. Then work your way to the carb.

 

I swear I just typed this somewhere:

Heavy float, incorrect float level, or needle and seat not sealing.
Also, remote possibility of fuel pump pressure too high.

Check your fuel pressure, then take your carburetor apart.

- Eric

 

It's not the F.P. Pressure for sure I think I'm just going to rebuild the carb I'm tired of fooling around with it. I know for sure it hasn't been rebuilt since the motor was new.

 

Hasn't been rebuilt since 1977?!?

I'd say it's time.

- Eric

 

Anyway to find out what cam and heads are on it?

 

If it's a stock '77 engine, it has #8 heads, and I believe there was only one camshaft for automotive applications that year, so it has that one.

- Eric

 

1973-1976 were "8" heads.

1977-1980 350 =

"3a"

1977-1979 403 =

"4a"

NOTE - the small letter "a"s above are ~ supposed ~ to be capital "A"s.

The forum keeps changing them back to small "a"s on me.

 

I'm pretty sure the guy who had the car before me put a bigger cam in it atleast that's what the guy who sold it to me said

 

Any updates ? I thought you were close with getting it to run on its own. Hope to hear some good news with your efforts.

Cheers
Eric

 

I finally was able to get the car to run on its own I'm going to get a timing light on it and a vacuum gauge on the carb and hopefully make it run a little better. Is it possible to have 4a heads on a 350?

 

I guess but probably is a 403. There is a casting number behind the water pump beside the oil fill tube. The 77 and up have displacement cast into the side of the block, should be a big 403.