How to set the timing on a 1989 Chevy 350?

Question

I have a 1991 Camaro RS. The person i bought it from did a engine swap with a 1989 chevy 350, bored .030 over Edel brock performer RPM dual plane intake 650 cfm carb, shorty headers( alot more done to it but thats the most i know that is done to the engine). I took it to a guy who claims he is a mechanic had a shop and cars in there i thought he knew what he was doing. I drove it down there fine the timing was off but not by much. I dont know what he did to it but now the timing is way off all it did was back fire at the shop then he adjusted the distruber and it back fired out of the carb. He said the car was broken. I know its not broken i had my grandpa look at it and he said he could fix it if he had the tools and was a little bit younger but he dosnt have the patince to work on cars anymore. I was just wondering how to set the timing if the car will not turn on? I do not have a timing light and i need it done before friday. Ive been doing some reserch and all the cars they show run... mine dosnt. Anything helps thanks.

? · Accepted Answer

Ok. This is gonna be a bit long. Follow it step by step.
Firstly, clean the harmonic balancer, so you can read the timing marks. It's the plate behind the crank pulley.
The marks should look like this (BTDC = Before Top Dead Center, ATDC = After):

BTDC 30 | | | |  20 | | | | 10 | | | | 0 | | | | 10 | | | | 20 | | | | 30 ATDC

Take the #1 spark plug out of the hole, and stick your finger in it ever so slightly, but make sure to seal the hole.
Have a buddy SLOWLY crank the engine BY HAND with a ratchet, clockwise only. NEVER counterclockwise.

BE SURE AND REMOVE THE SPARK WIRE FROM THE COIL, so the engine doesn't fire.

When your finger gets blown out of the spark plug hole, the balancer should be very close to lined up with 10 BTDC, according to the Timing Pointer. Use minor crank adjustments so that your pointer is EXACTLY lined up with 10 BTDC.

Now, remove the distributor cap. Pay close attention to the orientation of #1 Cylinder wire on the cap, and even make a mark on the base of the cap and base plate lining them up. Remove the bolt holding the distributor down to the block.

Pull the distributor out of the engine just enough so that you can spin the rotor freely. Re-aim the rotor, pointing it towards the location you noted as #1, but remember when you re-insert the distributor, the rotor will turn as it meshes with the cam. Adjust as necessary so that your rotor is pointing DIRECTLY at the position you marked as #1, when it is fully inserted and meshed with the cam.

Reinstall everything and hit the key.

Tomcat · Answer

Take the distributor cap off but leave the rotor on.Look for an etched line on the mounting face of the distributor plate where the bottom of the cap sits on the plate.That is where the rotor should be when the motor is at tdc .Now turn the motor over by hand until the balancer timing marks show 0 or tdc(same thing).Look at the rotor again and it should be at that position-if it is you can put the cap back on and the motor should start.If it is 180 degrees on the opposite side that means you are on the exhaust stroke.Turn it over one more time to tdc and now the marks should be line up and ready to re install the cap.Do not pull the distributor out as stated you won't have much luck putting it back right.I doubt that he pulled it out and turned it,he probably just tried to set it by ear and didn't do a good job.Now all you have to do is turn the whole distributor by hand in very small increments until you get the throttle response you like

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How to set the timing on a 1989 Chevy 350?

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