Hi everyone. Well, Pop's Truck was a little contrary this afternoon when I tried to fire it up for the first time. Of course I had the HEI distributor 180 degrees out of time to begin with. It was backfiring through the carb pretty badly. I have now gotten it (with correct distributor placement) to stop backfiring, but it still will not crank. It is very sluggish. Fuel pressure is around 6 psi into the carb and I have spark, hence the shotgun firing out of the carb. Any ideas? This is where I have absolutely NO experience. Ten pages of responses are welcome. I need ideas and I will systematically work through them all if need be. I would prefer however to not wipe out my cam before it gets broken in if I can help it though. Thanks in advance. I hope all is well.

 

Just to be clear...

It will turn over, but not fire?

Or

It will not turn over at all?

 

That is key! you did break in the cam correctly, right? if you haven't already done so prime the motor with a drill.

It sounds to me you're doing everything right, but you may be too far advanced, try backing off a bit.

 

I agree with Montana Highboy, back off and take your time. I just went through all this a week ago. Double check timing, get it as close as possible before start up. I also have another starter on it's way. Mine turned over pretty slow, probably due to slightly higher compression and being new. Went with a high torque starter from Powermaster. You'll figure it out, it WILL come together.

 

I primed the engine prior to attempting the start. I hope that will help along with an ample amount of assembly lube and cam lube. It turns over and is getting spark, it just will not fire and seems sluggish. If I can help with anything else as far as info goes, let me know. Thanks.

 

It's hard to give advice over the interwebs, but try backing off the timing some more, it should start....

May be sluggish but it should still fire.

 

Maybe drop a small amount of gas in the carb unless you can see it squirting in from above. My 390 fired right up after that and it helps to have someone else handy to move the distibutor while you crank.

 

Well, good news and bad news. The good news is the truck fired right up after I got the timing right. The bad news is the Dakota Digital gauges read 0 oil pressure. It ran for a few seconds before my helper killed the switch. I took the valve cover off and took a few pictures. There was oil in the bottom of the valve cover and the bottom of the distributor, but I don't know how much I should expect. Let me know what you think. Also, I am going to reprime the oil pump just to make sure. More ideas please...

 

Until you get things sorted out, I would use a mechanical oil pressure gauge. Even a "cheapie" would work, one less thing to sort out at the start.
Once you've got her running and have good oil pressure, then you can trouble shoot the digital gauges (unless they are accurate and you actually don't have any oil pressure).
Good luck Maul Maul, we're all "rootin' " for you.

 

That doesn't look like much oil. Leave the valve covers off when you prime it, that way you can see if there is adequate oil flow.

 

That looks pretty dry, did you put restrictors in the heads?

 

When you had the machine work done on the engine, did the shop clean the block? and if they did, did they remove the oil galley plugs?
It's pretty easy to mess up and miss reinstalling one. That would kill any oil pressure and flow.

 

Also, any engine I have seen without oil pressure gets some insane rattling from the lifters, and them not pumping up but just clattering up and down. Remove the oil filter (or loosen it) and see how much comes out. I know on my 545 I just did, it wouldn't pick up prime, spun it forever and no deal. I finally loosened the filter and it primed immediately and squirted oil everywhere.

 

So you primed it but didnt get oil pressure? If you are using the tool to turn the pump then you should have seen oil pressure.

Or did I misread that? Did you put a drill on the pump to prime it?

 

Yea, you should have had pressure just priming it!!!