Ok lots to think about. But this was the longest it's run in awhile I'm sure, the replaced items are new and much better than the old original.

I have a white mark also so first step is taking photos of it, there's a guy who said he'll look at it and help out since he works on these

 

Kelly hotrod - Ford Engines Page 1 This might help figure out the year, etc . chuck

 

Ok guys - If engine has lots of miles on it and with all the backfiring could the timing chain possibly have skipped? Just a tidbit - I skipped the timing chain on a 67-289 years ago. A friend told me to move the wires one hole around the cap in the direction of rotation and retime it. By golly it worked, drove the car like that for over a year before I replaced the chain. He claimed you could only do that on small block Fords.

 

it doesnt say you pulled the dis so why are you working on that make sure you have the right fireing order then make sure your coil wires good and your coil make sure you dont have any cracks in the cap.
put a plug on a wire ground it ck and make sure you have spark

 

I played with it because it was backfiring when I would rev it up. When I'd rev it up the engine would act like it going to stall and as soon as I released the gas it was fine.

I understand my fuel components from the sending unit to the pump may be bad but it Ll ran before fine with the occasional stalling. Since parts were replaced it ran soooo good! I thought I fixed it but it's never that easy.

Now I need to get the timing right and will do that this week, I'll buy a new dist cap and rotor, along with spark plugs, and of course get the timing right, should help out a lot in theory.

What do y'all think?

 

I think if you go to "shotgun" replacing parts your asking for more trouble than you have now.
Find out he trouble and fix that before you go to replacing random parts with new parts that may or may not be any good.
If it was running and nothing broke then the dist. is still close enough in time to run.
Turn the engine over with #1 plug out and your finger over the plug until you feel compression on your finger. Then slowly turn the engine with a straw in the plug hole until the piston is at the top. Check your points and they should just be opening, if not turn the dist. until they are. You will be close enough to start.
Then you can look at the cap and the #1 wire should be where the rotor is pointing. If not rewire where it is.
If it was backfiring and running very rich you might have fouled your plugs enough to not start. You might pull a couple and look at them.
Just my 2 cents I always feel you need to trouble shoot the issue before just throwing parts as something in the hopes you find the trouble. Many times that just adds to the issue.
Usually if something is working and it stopped, the last thing you did or worked on is whats changed, and you need to look there first for the trouble.
Good luck
Larry

 

That seems unlikely. The timing chain handles the timing for the cam to crank as well as the distributor. If the distributor was off one tooth on the end of the cam then you could rotate the wires but, if the timing chain jumped it would put the valves out of time with the pistons and could possibly destroy the motor by putting a valve into the top of a piston or five.

As for backfiring through the carb it definitely sounds like a timing issue. I would venture to say you have the wrong tdc. They are 180° out from each other. One fires after tdc for the compression stroke and if it backfires then it is firing after tdc on the intake stroke hence backfire through the carb. The surest way to tell is remove the valve cover on the bank with number one in it and watch the valves as they open and close. When the intake valve closes the next tdc is for compression. You can tell which is which, intake or exhaust because they line up with the ports in the manifolds. You can turn the motor with a breaker bar on the crank bolt. Be sure the ignition is off or better sitll disconnect the battery first.

 

I agree with timing issue, also could be a bad condensor if you are still running points.
Check your TDC as stated above.

Good Luck,
Paul

 

When I'd rev it up the engine would act like it going to stall and as soon as I released the gas it was fine.

that sounds to me a fuel problem didnt you say this was a used carb and dint i read that it might be to many cfms for a 302 if your dumping to much gas into it its gonna bog then the unburned fuel has to do something

 

check the timing order
302 has 2 orders
302HO 351 1,3,7,2,6,5,4,8
302 1,5,4,2,6,3,7,8
I found out the hard way
would run but would backfire
because only 4 wires match up
Joe

 

another 'rare' situation....once you confirm TDC #1, check that the pointer and balancer line up.
Balancers have been known to wander form true

 

I will admit to this...but only once!

When we finalized the build on my 289, it did the same thing you are talking about. Carb backfires, no revs, fell on its face, cept I couldnt get mine running for 5 minutes. Come to find out I got one wire crossed. Hmm...

After that it would not run right so we re-timed it. Finding #1 TDC can be a pain. The kicker is if he has already undone everything he did...and it is still not running, something broke.

It sounds like you may have a bad condensor? I would start by pulling your wires off the dizzy, find TDC, plug it up and let er rip. If you get the same results, try again.

Would this idea work for finding TDC...pull all plugs but #1 and hit it with a starter. Listen for the pattern of when #1 hits (cause it will cause WAY more strain on the starter since it is actually compressing), and stop it on or near that stroke. THEN try the straw, screwdriver, flashlight tricks. I puller my valve cover...when both valves are shut and the piston is up high you should be sparkin!

 

Now that you say it back fires when you give it some gas it gives us some more ideas. I assume you checked the point gap in the distributor. Also if the fuel filter is plugged you may be getting a lean misfire. How old is the fuel? Do you get good fuel flow from the tank to the pump? Is there a mechanical or electric pump in the system? Is there anything in the tank? ( I found a whole ad section of the paper in a 49 Marmon Herrington with a snow blower on it. (The truck may still be there - Capitol Drive Airport, Brookfield, Wisconsin)
The symptoms are much like an out of time condition. The engine will seem to run ok at idle but will fall flat on it's face under load. this is an interesting problem and it's too cold to assemble an engine in an unheated garage.

 

This is the first time in a long time it's really been run, it ran 5 minutes but wouldn't pull full load, now it won't start. It sounds like so many other posts that ultimately come down to a bunch of crap in the fuel system, which may or may not also take out the fuel pump and plug the carb. Now the timing/F.O. has been messed with so you've got to fix that, too.

Step-by-step diagnosis will save you time in the long run. Find out if you have spark. Find out if you have fuel, and in good quantity. Tackle one thing at a time.

 

First off because you don't know what you have and it has been messed with you need to start at home plate then got to first, then second etc.. You can't run around the infield looking like an idiot. The piston is at the top of the bore for two of the four strokes. It is at the top of the cylinder on the compression stroke and again at the exhaust stroke (not the intake stroke, the intake stroke sucks in air/fuel through the intake on a downward stroke). As it sounds like you are not to familar with engines (kudos to you for trying) lets start at the beginning. You need to make sure the distributor is in the proper location in relation the crank/cam/piston. The best way to tell without alot of experience is to pull the valve cover from over the #1 cylinder and rotate the engine with a socket and ratchet until both of the valves are in a closed position, as Ford had different timing covers and balancers with different timing location marks don't trust that yours is a matched set, you need to check it. Use just about any of the suggestions already listed to make sure the piston is at TDC. If both valves are closed and the piston is at TDC you will be on the compression stroke which is where the engine is timed too. If your components are right your timing pointer should be near zero on the balancer. If it is not recheck your work and if you did it right and it still is off you will have to install the correct parts to correct the problem or you can make a new mark on the balancer to signify TDC. One good thing about the SBF (small block ford) is it really doesn't matter where #1 is placed on the cap as long as where the rotor points in the cap after doing the TDC check is where you place the #1 wire and follow the rotation from there. I suggest marking the cap with a sharpie if #1 does not fall into the textbook location as you should start with the early firing order and if that still cause backfire issues then you would have to rearrange the cap wires to the late model firing order. Once this is correct you can work on checking other components if there is still a problem. You have to have solid base otherwise you'r chasing your tail.

Sorry about the length but you have been given so much information, some great some not, that you need to start at the beginning and go forward from there.

You should also let us know where you are at so that if you are close to someone they might be able to come by and help you.

If you need you can PM me your number and I can call you and help you through this.

Best of luck and again kudos for at least trying to fix your problem.