Hard starting backfires.

[rdc767]

Like the title. Hard starting and backfires durning the first few seconds of cranking then normal ops. The 351w has a mechanical distributors. I am guessing to much advance. If this is the case to retard the distributor I rotate the distributor counter clockwise? The engine has been running good except for the starting issue. No pinging, good idle etc...


It was backfiring so hard tonight I think it knocked a tooth off my starter? I can hear a click as the starter winds the motor over and stop once the engne starts running. I hope it the starter and not the flywheel.


Ron

[CHANMADD]

That definately sounds like timing! The best way that I have found to get the perfect timing is like this....at idle or fast idle adjust the distributor one way or the other.... The one direction will make the engine rev higher..the other will make it slower....slower=retard the ignition.........and faster is advance. If you advance too much it will start to stutter..then turn it back to get a nice smooth fast idle. Tighten the distributor and readjust the idle. Check with a timing light and it will be perfect.
John

[puppster]

Sounds technical. Keep in mind that if you change your timing dramatically, you may need to adjust your carb. I would suggest you put a light on it and check where it is currently set, and then try to get it back into spec.

[jhv48]

That's definitely too much timing.

Put a light on it and see where it is at idle and then back it off a couple of degrees.

[priobe]

Sounds like you might be off a tooth with the dist. install

[rdc767]

Retarding the timing did the trick. I turned the distributor untill the idle roughed up a bit and re-adjusted the idle and idle mixture. I put a timing light on it and couldn't it read very well . I need to put a paint mark on the 6-8 degree mark so it stands out. Total timing reads about 34-36 degree's.
Cranks up fine now. no backfiring!
Now I am wondering if I damage the pistons from having so much advance in the timing. Couldn't hear any pinging before but it did get a little flat in the upper RPM's.

Ron

[puppster]

Pull the plugs and look for grey coloration on the tips.

[Bobcat]

Just curious .... when I was racing and checked plugs for detonation , we always looked for flecks of aluminum ( silver specs ) on the insulator . Those specs were small bits of the piston(s) coming off and depositing on the insulator . I`m not familiar with the grey color you mention .... but I learn new things every day .

[jhv48]

Originally Posted by Bobcat

Just curious .... when I was racing and checked plugs for detonation , we always looked for flecks of aluminum ( silver specs ) on the insulator . Those specs were small bits of the piston(s) coming off and depositing on the insulator . I`m not familiar with the grey color you mention .... but I learn new things every day .

Grey/silver.

Both are pistons.

[puppster]

yep, pistons don't look good on the tips of your plugs.

[rdc767]

I took out four and eight. Just black soot. I need to re jet down a bit. No silver gray aluminium thank god. Took it out for a joust around the block. Idle just seems better and more loopy and deep. Runs very strong.

Ron

[UncleDenny]

MSD makes timing tape that sticks onto your damper. It is white with black lettering and makes it very easy to read the timing. It comes in a pack with several sizes for different diameter dampers but yours is probably 6" which most small blocks are.

[FWB]

i never liked the timing tape, seemed it was always off a little. i always used paint markers. i set my timing at total, i don't think i have ever checked initial on my current build. i put one color stripe at 34 deg and another color stripe at 36 deg i use them according to outside temperature and how the fuel is.