I purchased a used 1977 sbc(350) and installed an edelbrock RV camshaft to install in my early truck.I also purchased a new harmonic balancer and matched it with the old balancer prior to installation. While I'm attempting to set the timing I'm experiencing a problem with the timing marks. Since I don't know the history of the motor I assumed that the timing chain cover and the harmonic balancer are original. The timing marks are located on the cover towards the drivers side but when I start the motor the mark on the balancer is up towards the bottom of the water pump. If I attempt to bring the mark down towards the cover timing mark the motor will not run. If I use my timing light with the advance feature I can dial the mark down and I've set it at 36 degreesBTDC(at idle) taking into account the 22 degrees advance in my accel dist and 14 degrees initial advance. Before I go and possibly hurt the motor is there a way to accuratly time the motor. Any help would be great.
jw4413nv
You need to find TDC on your balancer and mark that position on the "0" of your timing tab. Use a piston stop, you can make one by welding a bolt into an old broken spark plug. Hand turn the engine up to the stop. Make a mark at the "0" of the timing tab on the balancer. Turn the engine the other way until it touches the stop again. Make another mark. Half way between these marks is TDC when you line that up with the "0" on the timing tab..............
i looked at my old chevy parts interchange manual and it shows all the balancers and also what looks like the one you decribed and it is a 305 balancer.the only one out of the bunch with the timing mark under the water pump as does the timing cover in this case.the author of the book says its abad balancer even for a 305.the outer ring evidently walks back and around the hub.til you can change it again just useyour dial back gun,they're better anyway.for balancers,i don't know what you got but i recently got one from profession-products for a good price although i don't recall what it was at the moment but it has the timing marks as well as the 90* marks around it for setting the valves.does your balncer have the mark on top and a large dimple on the face of it at about 7:30 o'clock while the key way in the crank is at about 1 o'clock and the mark is nearly in the center of the timing cover and its also the fattest one of the whole bunch.
You might want to check the casting numbers and make sure you have a 350 block and the right balancer. My truck used to have a '73 vintage 307 in it, and it had the timing mark pointing straight up under the water pump. My current engine, a crate 350, has the timing mark at about 2:00 o'clock (toward the driver's side). I bought the balancer for my 350 from Pace Performance, based on the list of recommended parts numbers that were provided with the crate engine.
Bruce
Bruce
What you have is a timing cover/tab location for a 2 o'clock TDC and a balancer with a 12 o'clock TDC mark.
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