I just bought a 77 4 wheel drive pickup with a 327 in it, sounds like the timing is off, but no matter where the distributor is it dont get any better!

I know there are alot of possabilities as what could be wrong, but I want to look at easy stuff first!!

so my question is could the timing chain be off by a tooth or two and still run, but act like there is a couple dead cylinders? that you cant fix by new plugs wires and timing it!

I really dont want the rings to be bad or the valves thats why I am asking so maybe I can shoot at the others first before tearing it down to nothing

also it runs, and I drove it 150 miles and its still alive, its just jittery and guttless! like the timing is off

it also has a edlebrock 650 electric choke not hooked up, running really rich rough running
any ideas? Im lost

thank you

 

it's kind of hard long distance ,but you have to start some wear ,pull a#1 plug,put thumb over the plug hole , have some body bump the key over easy until you push compression out the hole ,then take a look at the timing mark's are .see how far you are off from wear you are supposed to be on the distributor #1 on the cap .if its close you might have to roll the engine over to line up the timing mark's on the balancer ,either the dist is out a tooth or two ,or the timing chain may have jumped or been put on wrong .

 

thanks, Im starting to think that is the carb way too rich! but still not sure

I have it timed at 10 degrees before tdc, and still runs like crap, I was messing with the idle screws and got it alittle better but still crapy!

looks to be a new edlebrock 650 with electric choke which is not hooked up, I also tried to turn the choke to the leanest it will go

 

ok new discovery, I sprayed starting fluid along the bottom of the carb and discovered vacume leack somewhere, I put a new gasket on it and still does it, also there is puddled gas in the Secondaries!

 

do you have a carburator adaptor on it ,they can cause a lot of problem's .

 

no adapter, I think I found the problem!

the rods going cross wise in the carb for the butterflies are loose! I can move them back and forth

I think the guy who had it before rtook it apart and forgot to put the orings in, I will tackle that tomorrow

also would that make the vehicle run jittery and gutless? I checked for blow by and the rings seem to be good, and not blowing oil smoke

Thank you

 

well the carb wasnt the problem

tomorrow I am taking the timing chain cover off and see if its a tooth of or something

thats the only thing left I can think of

 

i have a 1965 327 that was the doing the same thing before i rebuilt it and it turned out to be that the vavles just neede to be adjusted alittle bit. i had four or five that were way to tight and caused the whole thing to run like crap

 

valves also ran through my mind, but I ruled that out due to the fact that it does not backfire, or pop

if therey were too tight the valve wouldnt be closing all the way allowing for the compression, or exhaust to excape throught the valve

 

well just to make sure I took the valve covers off and re ajusted the valves, and come to find out the the 6 and 8 valves were way too tight it runs like a raped ape now!

I am real supprised that it didnt backfire though being as tight as they were

thanks for all your help