Guest Posted August 12, 2001 Share Posted August 12, 2001 I am having more engine woes with my 225. I have #1 at top dead center with both valves closed, I put the distributor in, all the spark plug wires and ignition are right, the notch on the distributor is lined up with the rotor and the car just won't fire. It is sputtering, shooting flames out of the exhaust manifolds and gas and smoke out of the carb. What can I do to get this timing right? I have a service manual from 1965 and it told me to find top dead center, rotate the harmonic balancer until the notch is on 0 and the valves on #1 are closed. I think I have all that right? What the hell am I doing wrong?????? I am losing my mind with this car?? Please help me!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve B Posted August 12, 2001 Share Posted August 12, 2001 Your crankshaft goes around twice to the distributor once. You may have the distributor 180* out, but I am not sure it would run at all there. Pull the valve cover over the #1 cylinder and rotate the crank clockwise by hand (tool). Turn the crank until you see the #1 cylinder intake valve closeing. After the intake closes, keep turning the crank unitl it comes to TDC. Now check the position of the distributor rotor. The timing is ok if the rotor is pointing to the #1 cylinder wire position in the distributor cap. It is timed to the exhaust stroke if the rotor is pointing 180* oposite the #1 cylinder wire position. If you find that you are timed to the exhaust stroke, keep the crank right where it is, remove the distributor and reinstall it with the rotor pointing to the #1 cylinder wire position in the distributor cap. I hope that helps you out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 12, 2001 Share Posted August 12, 2001 Nathan,<P> It sounds like Steve is on track. I have a 225, with a 425, and she was so hearty that I set her by hand and could take her almost 15 degrees off before she ever even sputtered. The one thing these big engines are is forgiving when it comes to setting timing. But you want to get right sooner or later, or it can lead to other problems. You might want to consider joining the BCA, and they have a Tech Group specific to your car and your year. They have helped me out many a times. Best of Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 12, 2001 Share Posted August 12, 2001 On ANY engine number 1 cyl, timing marks in timing location per specs and dist. rotor tower needs to be pointing at the #1 tower on the cap. If all checks out, dbl. ck. plug firing order on cap and for proper direction.<P> Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 I have a little trouble remembering,but as I recall,this is an odd-firing engine,and the lobes are not evenly spaced in the distributoor;so you could have three cylinders in time and three terribly off if you didnt have #1 wire in the right hole in the distributor cap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scott mich bca # 6619 Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 Nathan,<P>This may be too simply, but are you sure which cylinder is #1?<P>Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2001 Share Posted August 16, 2001 Thanks to everyone that has given me some pointers with this engine. It is my first time rebuilding an engine and my "buddy" that decided to help me really doesn't know as much as he thought he did. I know that the #1 cylinder is the front driver's side cylinder, so the distributor was set on that. I just got back from vacation, so I am going to start over with that tomorrow just to make sure that it is right. Thanks again to everyone that has been posting responses. I hope I can get this car running soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2001 Share Posted August 16, 2001 I would be willing to bet that Steve B. is right on with what is your problem. Growing up with my Dad running a garage amongst farming and other things, I lost count of the times I had to get involved after some of our "helpers" had pulled a distibutor out and put it back in 180 degrees off. It will do EXACTLY as you desribed, as it is firing the gas mixture with the exhaust valve open, thus the flames out the tail pipe. It may also pop back through the carburetor if the timing is grossly off enough that it fires with the intake still open as well, so the best advice is to take #1 plug out, rotate the engine in the normal direction it runs (slowly, with the ignition off). You will hear the air blowing out of the spark plug hole when the piston is coming up on compression stroke. Stop it on the timing mark, and as others have said, your rotor should be pointing at the post on the distributor cap that the #1 wire is on. If not, you need to take the distributor out and make it this way. If you do this, as Gene Wilder said in Young Frankenstein, IT...COULD...WORK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 17, 2001 Share Posted August 17, 2001 You are most likely 180 out all small Buick are on 6 when the chain is lined up. you must look at the cap and be sure it is an odd fire cap. remember its a V8 with 7 and 8 cut off there is an open space with no cap point where 7 and 8 should go. place dist to line this up.JIM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2001 Share Posted August 28, 2001 hey nathan every body has left you some of the best tech info. but if that timming dose not fix everything dont forget to make sure that the timming gears (timming chain)are or have been installed right or make sure that they have not jump teeth on the gears themself well good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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