Cleaned up carb in place and the distributor as well.
For some reason there wasn’t the usual timing mark tab attached to the timing gear cover. Fortunately I have one from the GM crate 350 I picked up last fall expecting to use it for my C3, but it’s bearings were badly spun so it was too expensive to repair the block. Still it is supplying heads, valves, lifters, etc for when I rebuild the original C3 engine.
I over tightened the alternator belt and was then able to turn the engine with a ratchet on the alternator pulley nut. I then set the engine on TDC. I made sure I was on the compression stoke by using a compression tester on #1 cylinder. Even though I was turning the engine over slowly it still showed some compression as #1 TDC was approached.
Plugs were all firing good when the engine was stopped 20 years ago so I just cleaned up the threads before putting them back in the engine.
Plugs are typically hidden under the exhaust manifolds. I found a short piece of hose that fits tight over the plug end helps to get them into the hole and started.
I’m using a 4′ length of 3/8″ hose to connect the fuel pump to a jug of new gas. The stuff in the tank must be really ugly, if there is anything left after 20 years.
I connected my engine bump switch to the starter and the + side of the battery and used it to spin the engine over (before I put the plugs in) to check that the fuel pump was working. It was 🙂
Wires in place and in the correct sequence 18436572.
Here I installed a timing tab from the parts off the 350 crate engine that fellow club member Tim gave me. I thought that maybe the timing chain had be replaced and the timing tab didn’t get put back on. I tried to start the engine a number of times but no luck except for a few weak fires on what seemed like three cylinders. I tried advancing and retarding the spark, but no luck. I then thought that maybe the compression is so low that there isn’t enough to ignite the fuel and maybe I should squirt some oil in each cylinder and try it again. Checking online for the proper timing of a ’83 305 I discovered that there actually is a timing tab on the original 305 cover only it is not in the usual place and is hidden.
The original tab is on the top and was virtually invisible with a thick coating of oily crud and it us under the water pump at the very top of the cover – the bottom tab is the one I was using. Retarding the spark is towards the bottom of the photo. So my setting was way too retarded. The fuel was being sparked as the piston was dropping down so very little in the way of punch, but not so much that it was popping through the exhaust. To set the timing I needed to peer down behind the water pump to see the timing marks.
Once I got the timing reset the car started although it still had a hard time. I had been adding fuel to the carb as the engine was dry and normally it takes a lot of fuel to get them started – like when a newly rebuilt engine is started. It took a number of tries where the engine would slowly fire then quit. After about five tries – all with the pedal to the floor – she caught. I ran it for about 20 minutes mostly at a nice idle and then for a few minutes at 2000 rpm. Running well and I don’t see why it won’t be a good temporary engine for the my Chevy. I’ll now start getting ready to remove the engine and all the other parts that may be of use.
Don, the friend who brought the Caprice home, will then take it to his place where he may remove the rear end.
Next: engine removal prep.