What the.....?

Ok I went out to try and start the 289 (not verified) and I have no fire to the plugs...the crazy thing is there are NO TIMING MARKS on the harmonic balancer.....I know, I looked and even wire brushed the whole thing and still can find none....What the he** can I do? I need to know the timing is set properly but without timing marks....that might be a little harder.
Has anyone ever had this problem? will chek coil voltage later when I can find my multimeter but I am pretty sure the timing is off.

 

you can try putting your car at tdc on number 1 cylinder and then mark the balancer, that atleast will get you close.

 

Check the other side. Some of the older cars have the timing marks on the opposite side of the balancer. What I did on one of mine was to make a pointer out of #6 ground wire and filed it to a point.

 

If the timing is off it will still get spark. Just not at the right time.

 

I remember years ago buying a self adhesive timing tape for my Cleveland balancer. I think Moroso sold them. You had to find absolute TDC and then apply the tape around the balancer in the correct direction. The tape then had all of the timing marks that you needed.

 

Ok set it as close to TDC as I could....got in turned the key and VROOOM....Skeered me lol, Now do you think a holly 750 carb would be too big for this engine? I found a new one for $75.00 but not sure if it would be too much....I don't know if this engine is "built" in any way so not sure of what I need as far as a carb goes but I can't run it until I get one.

 

I once found a web site that had a formula for figuring out how many cfm's an engine really needed. I would have to search around to find it again but you plugged all of your known info into it and it gave you an answer. My Cleveland was bone stock at the time and it suggested only 530 cfm's. I bought a 600 Holley and it worked well.

 

A 750cfm for 75.00 new, what a steal. I put a 650cfm on my 302 with a rpm high rise and it's a sweet combination I think too much is too much some times but that's only my opinion

 

600CFM tops for a motor not well built...

 

I remember a real old Mech. many years ago teaching me a trick to find TDC. Pull #1 plug, bring #1 cylinder all the way to the top (stick thumb over the hole and crank over till you get compression) insert a screw driver gently into cylinder, hand turn engine till screw driver is all the way to the top (remove screw driver). Remove Dis. cap and make sure rotor is pointing at #1 on cap. Replace cap, ground #1 plug wire (on plug side) loosen dis.hold down, turn key on, slowly turn dis. (may have to go back and forth) until the grounded wire arces. That should put you on true TDC. I think.

 

Use a straw in the cyln. I had a bad experience using a screwdriver once whereas i decided to bump it over with the key..ruined the piston... end of story.

 

that will get close but not garenteed to be on tdc. the only way i know of to find true tdc is to use a piston stop. thats a tool that goes into the spark plug that extends into the cylinder and keeps the the piston from going all the way to the top. you then rotate the motor one way till the piston hits the stop. mark on the balancer where the pointer is pointing. then rotate the motor the other way till it stops again. now mark the balancer where the pointer is pointing. now find the center distance between the two marks made. this point is true top dead center. now you can buy timing tape for the diameter of your balancer and locate the 0 at the tdc mark.

 

A new 750 for $75.00 is a steal but I wud'nt put it on the 289-302 unless it's a seriously modified engine. I wud sell the the 750 and go for something like 600 at most 650. JMO

 

Yep 600. My car has ran an 11.89 on the bottle with the previous owner and its a slightly modified 600. 650 works if the car needs it but not necessary for the street.

 

I don't know what this motor has as far as internals goes BUT......It runs and sounds great!
I am going to get the 750 holley and put it on for now just to see if it will be alright on it...hey I can always trade it out for a 600 if it seems to be too much...I think I will be ok if the way the engine runs right now is any indication, it sounds to have some internal beefing up .....at least a cam.
I was going to go with a stroked 302 but I have changed my mind on that for now....I like this 289 and the idea it could be an engine capable of higher RPM's is very tempting, I will let you know how the 750 holley does in a few days.
Now off to find a water pump pulley that fits properly...it seems the 289 and 302 pulleys are different in depth...or at least the 302 pulley I have is deeper and getting into the altenator bracket.