Sup folks,
not sure if post worthy but dang I’m feeling stumped like a newb. Been dragging butt due to health issues on this repair and finally got it cranking over last night. Started the job to fix a front rail oil seep and driver rear coolant leak on a 69 ‘S’ 350, Edel intake swap, metal no baffle fel-pro gaskets.

K so on removal I noticed the dist hitting the rear of the intake so I couldn’t get it out, so there it stayed. Apparently through the cleaning process I rotated the base around so with the intake on couldn’t rotate it back in position to where the vacuum advance is on passenger side. Glad I was able to take that off to move it back else intake would have had to come off to pull the dizzy out.

anywho, got carb and wires on and after checking firing order thrice and moving wires around I try to fire it up. It’s spitting back through the carb as if it’s off a gear or two but the dizzy never came out because it never was able to.

I did check the rotor position at #1 tdc and it’s somewhere between #1/3, close enough eh?

so I must have wires crossed somewhere or timing way off, idk.

didn’t have time to further troubleshoot last night and won’t until later today or tomorrow.

so ranting and asking for any pointer til then.

TIA

 

The rotor on Oldsmobiles spins CCW. Double check your firing order wiring.

 

wait, whut?!? So being a sbc guy I used that firing order and went clockwise with that order.

super weird that it even ran that way and ran “ok” albeit with an off idle bog that I’m hoping this fixes also. Now I’m super confused on how it even ran before

 

It couldn't run that way, so clearly that's not how you ordered them.

 

I’m not trying to argue that at all but when I first swapped the intake I promise you that’s how I wired it. I also remember thinking wondering the previous owner did having to re-seat a bunch of wires. What a goof I am. Didn’t dawn on me either when the Edel instructions gives mention to which way to advance timing either.

can’t wait to rewire and fire it up.

 

And I promise you that the engine won't run if the firing order is backwards, period. There's no fuzz on that at all. It may pop and backfire, but that's it.

 

and the initial ignition timing will be retarded a LOT. It could go from 12 degrees BTDC (advanced) to 12 degrees ATDC (retarded). Chebbies (big and small) and small Chrysler rotors rotate CW. The "rest of the world' (Chrysler RB's, big Hemi, Ford, Buick, Olds, Pontiac, Cadillac, etc. rotors rotate CCW.

 

This thread has pics for hei or points distributors same firing order, the wires are just placed different on the dist cap i assume to accommodate the vac advance.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-start-110256/

 

Thx for the info & not making me feel like a bigger doofus. I’d like to argue my special engine running on a backwards firing order but I’ll carry in.

olds does fire like a cheby, right, 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2?

 

Yes, just going in the opposite direction.

 

ty

 

rewired, cold start, about 8-10* base timing.

Finished the plumbing and let it run for a few mins and gave it a few more degrees of timing. Still had a bad bog but may be that it’s still cold. Was hoping the new gasket would fix that, we’ll see, else new thread will be posted.

thx all

 

Is that an Edelbrock carb? What model?

 

Glad you got it started. With that distributor, set the timing at 16-18* BTDC, you'll also need to limit your vac advance to 10*.

 

When I swapped the intake on my car with a Performer RPM, I had to re-adjust the carburetor idle speed, AF, and secondary air door spring tension due to a difference in air flow. After doing that, the engine ran a lot better than before the intake swap.

 

yep. I forget the # buts it’s the 600cfm variety. On their 3711 intake,iirc.

 

oh that’s plenty, I’ll try that. So like way before the limit of the balancer market.

so by limiting vacuum advance you mean 28* total timing? This I’m not sure how to do. I actually have a spring kit that I was gonna try. Is that how I do that, swap springs?

 

yup, did the idle speed first time around(on initial swap) then tuned the idle screws with a vacuum gage. Pre-gasket swap it ran “ok” but always had an off-idle bog that got better when warm but never really goes away. Re-jetted also prior to intake swap because previous dude had it burn your eyes rich.

tell me more about secondary air spring tension, pls. As noted, after it warmed, the idle blips still showed a nasty bog.

thx y’all

 

No, like 36* total timing without vacuum advance, 50 or less with. The springs are for mechanical advance, you probably should use 1 light and 1 medium.

 

What year motor is this? Cam and compression ratio? Is it a stock GM HEI or aftermarket? There are multiple possible timing curves, an advance timing light is a good idea to see what it has. If it is a lower compression motor, 50+ total timing with vacuum advance won't be an issue. The aftermarket adjustable vacuum advance have 20 degrees and can be adjusted down from there. Good luck.

 

ok cool. I’ll try that

 

ah ok. AFAIK, stock 69 350 with 120K on clock and Edel intake/carb.

good idea on adv timing light and thx for the timing tips. I’ll give it more next go and she how it responds.

 

I have a QJet so what I did isn't gonna help with your Edelbrock carb.

As for the vacuum advance, I made an adjustable stop for my original 24* canister and have it set for 10*:

 

Nice creativity.