I have a 1984 Monte Carlo. It had a 305 Engine in it. I replaced the 305 Engine with a 350 Small Block that I got from one of my wife’s co-workers. This 350 that I put into the Monte has been sitting outside of a vehicle for about three years. The guy said he “greased” and “turned” it regularly.
Along with putting the new motor in, I have also replaced the carburetor and the fuel pump. They are both Edelbrock.
But I have got problems! I finished the car Sunday night, tried to fire it and it wouldn’t even turn over. Fixed that problem. It will turn over now. I can smell the gas. The carburetor shoots flames. The car will back fire. But I can’t get the d@mn thing started! I have checked the timing and it is good! I have tried changing the firing order to a different way that was suggested to me. That didn’t work either!
Does anyone have any suggestions? Can anyone help me out? I have GOT to get this car up and running!

 

1. check the dist. make sure it is not 180 out.
2. make sure your timming order is right agian.I know this sounds crazy but check it both at the cap and at the block.
3. what kind of carb?

4. Also if you have the HEI. dist. with the coil in the cap make sure that the damed controll modual is still good they will go like this also for no reason at all.
way to check this is pretty easy. take a plug wire off and make sure you get spark threw it IF ya do and it is not a real brite color blue but not yellow or not at all your good. (yellow is a bad coil or modual or going bad)

the thing you might have to do defently worth it if it is a holley carb REBULID IT!! those valves inside of them like to go bad after it pops threw the carb and then if you get it to run it will cause a fire or can.

to check the dist. for timming pull the cap make sure the rotor is pointing at the #1 plug and put it back togeather.

ake sure ya have a good charge in teh bat. and go for it.

this is not going to be perfect timming but will get it close enough for you to have it hopefully start then you will need to get it in time after you start it.

but if it is turnning over and poping and actign liek it wants to start you might just be just out 180.

good luck and hope it helps some

 

The carb is a 650 Edelbrock.
I have checked the TDC, if I turned it 180 it would be on 5 or 6 on the back, I have checked the timing. I have spark. It still won't fire.
I can get it to shoot flames out the carb and it will back fire, but won't start!
Any other suggestions?

 

have you tried to crank it while looking at the dist?

still sounds to me like it is ou of timming. could be a timming chain sliped a tooth or somthing but if it is cranking and it has fule and air itshould fire. so it is a matter of finding out what one is missing or out of wack causeing it to not fire.

dose it sound like it will attempt to start better if you are not fludded? like after it was sitting for a bit?

If so it could be putting to much fule in it and cuseing it to become flooded and then it would be not enough air to allow it to fire.

In 84 i do not belive that the computer controlled all of the suctions yet. but if it did it could be a pad pcm or even a bad connection some place that is not allowing it to get power.

Wish i could help more but with out being there to look at it or hear it it is kind of shooting in the dark for me.

 

Go right back to basics on the timing.
Pull the Distributor.
Park Number One at TDC and put the Distributor shaft in.

Do it until you get the rotor pointing at the Number 1

 

I tried turning the distributor 180. It is still not starting. Next suggestion?

 

Do you know how to put no. 1 at TDC?

 

I have to say you can't "change the firing order". I can't remember off the top of my head but your'e stock intake should have the order printed on it. make sure the wires go in the right direction on your cap from no. 1. clockwise I think.sounds like a few wires might be crossed up.good luck.

 

the only time i have ever seen a backfire through the carb is when the timing was 180* out! hate to say it but it almost has to be a timing issue.

 

also this is a crazy thing and it happens to like one out of a million Dist.
Check the bushing and the gear at the bottom of the shaft and make sure it dose not turn with out turnign the whole thing. and see if you can get it to trun seperately.

i have seen it where that pin will shear off just enough to cause it to turn the gear till it has a load on it then the shaft will stop spining and the gear will turn causeing it to be out of time all the time.

other thne that the only other hting i could say is to make sur etha tit is on time at the cam. If the cam is 180 and the dist is not then it will act the same way as if the dist was out 180. but it is not always somethign that you can correct at the top side.

But i would love to know what of if you have found anythign on it.