350 head scratcher

OK here's a head scratcher and I'm loosing hair over, please help!! I recently swapped out a 76 year model 350 and dropped in an 86 350, the engine was recently rebuilt and when they did it they set all the ring gaps in a line and motor was smoking, the gentlemen I got the motor from said all he did was offset the gaps and freed up a sticky lifter, the motor was running (supposidly) I can't get motor to fire, it cranks and seems to have a timing problem but everything I do is a dead end, I've pulled the distributor and reset about 30 times to no evail, one time when I had the distributor way out it backfired but that was it. I'm sure it's something minor I'm over looking but to frustrated to see so would like the "fresh eye's approach" I bought the motor from a friend of a friend and didn't look into it, just wanted something in there for now so I can concentrate on original motor rebuild. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.


Register now (free) or login to remove ads

sounds like a timing issue to me. If he put new rings in an old block, its possible that its just not making enough compression to fire. Putting new rings in a really out-of-round bore is a recipe for just that, but its rare that it would make so little compression that it wouldn't run. Get a compression tester and see how its doing.

I would try the distributor again. Pull a valve cover and rotate it to the timing mark. As you approach the timing mark, if the exhaust is closing and the intake is opening on #1, go around again one more time. The intake and exhaust valves on #1 should be closed. Then install the distributor and point the rotor at the #1 terminal. Then double check your wiring and make sure you have the firing order correct and that you put them on in clockwise order.

If you are sure about the distributor and ignition, pull the water pump and timing cover and check the cam to crank timing.

Off the subject a bit, but does anyone believe ring gaps stay where they are originally positioned?

Nope, they rotate around the piston like the planets rotate around the sun, and each ring at its own speed, too. Take one apart for freshening and pay attention to where the gaps are then and you'll see.
The only ring that seals combustion pressure is the top ring(90%, anyway). Just see how long an engine will make any power or have any oil control with a broken top ring.
The second "compression" ring should actually be called the "final oil scraper".
Case in point: Most rings sets the second ring's type is frequently a Napier Scraper style ring.
That's another old myth that won't die-- "don't line up the ring gaps or it will smoke for sure" Hahahahahaa!!, makes me chuckle every time I hear it and shake my head at the same time that people actually believe it.

Just checking for any Flat Earth people out there Eric.