Any And EVERYONE Who Knows Anything About Cars Starting. Speak Your Minds... Out of Ideas. 1972 Chevelle 350?

Question

This car is driving me insane getting it started. Granted, I have knowledge of motors and cars but I can't seem to figure out what my friends and I are doing wrong. Ok with this car, we have been replacing parts left and right. It has sat for over 10 years but a couple months ago, we started replacing a lot. Here is the list: Starter, battery, alternator, distributor, spark plugs, spark plug wires, head gaskets, thermostat, intake manifold gaskets, hoses, belts, cables, water pump, air filter, fuel filter, fuel lines, fuel pump, installed new fresh fuel draining all the old fuel out. Adjusted the valves four times (we know they are good), checked timing way too many times and that is good and probably some other parts I am forgetting. Anyway, I bought a rebuilt Rochester 2GV carb from a guy with the same exact car as mine (1972 chevelle 350 A/T 2 barrel carb.) He said he ran it on his car and it worked fine. Installed it on mine and the car improved. When I go to start it, it turns over extremely well and gets really really REALLY close to starting but won't go over the hill to say the least. Itll go vr-vr-vr-vr-vr-vr-vr-vr-VR-VR-VR-(and just about ready to vroooooooooooom) but it won't do that. Just turns over really fast but won't go fully and start and idle. With these cars, it should "mumble" or hear the muscle car sound when idling or turning over for that matter. But when we turn it over, sometimes you can hear the muscle car sound but others, all you hear is just regular turning over like a regular toyota or other import car. Not picking on them, but you cant hear the muscle car sound when my car is turning over. Sometimes you can, others, nothing. About 50/50. So anyway, I look down inside the carb. If you move the throttle cable back and fourth, you can see the accelerator pump pumping. See the fuel squirting. Sprayed starting fluid in there, and nothing happened. Just turning over regularly. I know sometimes before, you can actually hear it take affect when sprayed in there. It'll actually start and then stall right away. But today, it wouldn't take no affect. Checked timing light, and the timing is correct. So then, we took the fuel line off at the carb and turned it over, and there was only a lil' bit of fuel coming out. It has gas but not a lot of fuel was spitting out. Hmm....? Like I said, when I hold the gas pedal down, it'll get really close but just won't go over the hill and won't even start with starting fluid dirctly in there.

I have no idea what else to do. If I hold it turning over, it feels like it'll blow up. Not really, but it won't go vrooooooom, just keeping turning over faster and faster and faster.

What the h**l? Anything you can think of? No vacuum leaks, everything is where it is supposed to go and it is torqued correctly. Everything. I imagine the fuel pump might be an issue. But let me know. I have no idea what else to check. Only 47K original miles on motor - the cam lobes are fine. Anything you can provide will be awesome? And what makes an engine go vrooooom (over the hill) and idle? Because mine isn't. Thanks

Answer 1

FIRST BECAUSE YOU SUSPECT THE FUEL PUMP GET A PRESURE TEST AFTER IT IT'S OK THEN TRY PUT #1 PISTON TO  THE  TOP THEN CHECK YOUR  ROTOR IT SHOULD BE POINTING EXACTLY TO THE SPARK PLUG WIRE

# 1 IF IT'S NOT THEN YOUR DISTRIBUTOR IS OF YOU NEED TO REMOVE IT AND TURN TO  THE POINT OF OF THE ROTOR BUY THE MANUAL IT HELPS but i thi;nk.it's your wires are connected wrong check for clockwise and counterclockwise .also check your coil and two small wires in the starter.

Answer 2

The beauty of an old Chevy 350 is that if it has fuel, spark, compression and is timed the d**n thing WILL run. Check the compression on every cylinder, make sure it is timed correctly, pour a small amount of fuel directly into the carb while cranking the engine (have someone standing by with a fire extinguisher). If you ever get it to 'run', even for a few seconds, then you can track down the culprit.  

Answer 3

it sounds like your distributor is 180 degrees out. ot will fit but not start.  

Answer 4

could be low float level in carb or blocked idle circut.try getting some 1 to put hand over carb while cranking and pumping throttle

Answer 5

pull plug #1 put finger over the hole and rotate motor. when you feel compression pull the distributor and look to see where the rotor is pointing my best guess is that its 180 degrees off  

Answer 6

Distributor is off. Adjust timing while cranking to get it to fire, then set timing.

I am going to venture a guess and say, distributor is a tooth off, or just out of time.

It will run even if fuel pressure is sporadic, just run like c**p.

Most all engines redone need distributor turn to fire and run, then set timing to 10 btdc.

If it were 180 or more than a tooth, it would misfire and pop and c**p.

Answer 7

Are you absolutely sure the timing is correct and the plug wires are in the correct firing order on the cap (1,8,4,3,6,5,7,2) #1 on drivers front cylinder.  

Answer 8

I agree with the one that said your plugs could be fuel fouled. Especially the way you explain it cranking over fast like it's going to start. I've seen that alot after someone has done carb. work too. What kind of plugs did you put in it?

If your sure the timing and everything else is right which should be obvious as long as it's not popping and backfiring from being out of time, check a plug and see if it's wet. Even after a fouled plug has dried out it still won't fire so...

Been there done that on a 400 sb Chevy that drove me fruit.

Also, I doubt it's a fuel delivery problem if you can see fuel squirting in the carb AND sprayed starting fluid in too. It should have done something for sure good or bad with the starting fluid.

Is the gas fresh? If the gas is bad it won't burn. Then it could have fouled the plugs and thats why the starting fluid did nothing.

Either way pull a plug.

Answer 9

Your plugs are fuel fouled.

Put 8 NEW plugs in it and NOT Bosch platinum junk.

Pull one out and if it's wet it's junk.

Also NEVER use starting fluid.