Hello everybody
Well, over the summer I took apart the 352 in my 65 F-350 and put new rings, bearings, gaskets, and replaced worn valve train parts and put the engine back in. I then got it running, but it was really rough. I had to hold the gas to the floor to get it to start and really play w/ the gas to keep it from stalling, and it often would anyway. I was pretty sure it was a timing problem, because w/ the same carb and all it ran alot smoother before I rebuilt it. Well, I had pulled the distributer a few times when timing it, and aparently when I put it in last it didnt engage the oil pump shaft correctly, because I cranked for a bit, walked in front and saw smoke comming from under the distributor cap. I pulled the distributer, and the shaft had gotten jammed in the distributer, and stripped the hex fitting at the bottom of the distributer. It also ate the cap, because distributer hadnt seated all the way down.
I then had to leave to college, but am going home this weekend. I have a different distributer, new cap and wires, and am going to give it another shot. I guess long story short: Is there any foolproof way of getting it timed? I have timed vehicles before, but i feel like I'm doing something wrong here. You guys have done it all with FE's, so I'm just seeing what you have to say.
Garrett

 

Pull the #1 plug, turn the engine until you get compression out of the spark plug hole. Look at the timing marks, set the engine at 10 degress BTC. Put the dist in, with the rotor pinting at #1 plug wire, If the dist. does not seat, turn the engine over until it does. Then bring the engine back up on #1 compression and check to see if you are still pointed at #1 on the dist cap. If you are on #1, look at the timing marks and set for 10 degress BTC, take off dist cap, turn on the key and SLOWLY turn the dist. until you see it fire in the points. Put the cap on snug the dist down, and see if it starts.

 

To double check this, should I turn the distributer until the points just begin to open, or at the point when they are fully open? I appreciate your help
Garrett

 

Oh boy, here are new problems.
My brother and my friend were working on the truck last night and called me. They installed the new cap and wires, and are getting spark. but they say that when they crank the engine, fuel sprays out of the carb. They had a few very small carb fires, but nothing actually large. I wasnt there when they were working on it, so this is as much info as I have. Is it possible that, say, the float needle is stuck open, and its dumping so much fuel in that its just blowing out? If anyone has had experiance with this type of problem, any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance, Garrett

 

Turn the dist. to the point that you see the points fire, just as they open.
You do sound like you are having a carb problem, or the timing may be causing the carb problem. Get the timing set and then see what the carb is doing.

 

Am going back friday, so I will be posting shortly after a little investagory work.
Thanks for your help
Garrett