Chevy 350 Won't start

[D'Animal]

I picked up a 1972 Chevy 1-ton pickup. The PO said it blew a head gasket in 1998. He just parked it and has been driving his 1988 Toyota 1-ton since.

I finally had a chance the tear into it. I found that the factory cast iron exhaust manifold was broke in two. No blown head gasket after all. I replaced the exhaust mainfold and put it all back together. I drained the 1998 fuel out of the tank and put in fresh. The thing started right up. It ran fine for the 5 minutes or so that I ran it. I topped of the radiator and added some power steering fluid.

I shut the thing off and the quadrajet carburetor flooded the engine. I cleand and rebuild the carburetor and replaced the fuel pump.

Now it will not start. i cleaned the points and reset them. It has great spark and very good compression. I had my buddy loook at it and he is stumped. He is a dye hard chevy guy who can rebuid these things without looking at a manual. He is now stumped.

He got it started once after he moved all the spark plug wires around one hole over. He said I may have a broken timing chain or gears. it will not start again.

Is there anyway to check this other than tearing the engine down?

 

[Mace]

1. is it trying to start at all?

Is it getting fuel?

put it on TDC, is the dizzy lined up on # 1 cylinder?


Pull a valve cover, are the rocker arms moving>?

 

[FJBen]

X2 on the getting fuel, or correct amount. Just went through this, last weekend with my 40 (350) Would start, only run at idle, then when you took off you could make it around 50-100 yards before she died. I picked up some crappy gas or something stirred up broke loose in the tank Well instead of keeping it simple, i replaced the fuel pump...same issues, pulled carb (was a rebuilt unit) and noticed wasn't getting any fuel...

pulled the fuel line, and hooked up the air hose, blew some air and "POP" something came out and was blocking a lot fuel flow. Has run great ever since.

 

[D'Animal]

1. is it trying to start at all?

Is it getting fuel?

put it on TDC, is the dizzy lined up on # 1 cylinder?


Pull a valve cover, are the rocker arms moving>?

It tries so hard to start. I didn't think it was getting fuel so I installed a new mechanical fuel pump. The new one shot fuel over the cab of the truck into the bed.

I have done the dizzy and spark plug #1 several times.

I don't know why I did not pull the valve cover other than I didn't even think of it.

 

[Mace]

Pump the carb. is fuel spraying down the throat of hte carbs when you open the butterflies?

 

[Nagalfar]

Moving the plug wires and having it start when you did that is a good clue.. sounds like it jumped time on the chain..

You can put a degree wheel on the crank, the using a dial indicator to see when the valves on #1 start to open will tell you for sure..

Good Luck..