Harmonic balancer question on sbc

[Super Coupe]

This is a dirt track engine. Put a new motor in my street stock and first night out the headers were glowing orange, wasnt making the power it should, and it was shooting flames while on the gas. It also was trying to overheat. My question is, on an old school small block Chevy, where should zero degrees be on the balancer in relation to the key hole. My guess is it spun the balancer and the timing is so retarded its causing my problems.

[jw33]

Index the TDC mark on the balancer. Google the procedure, it is super easy. All you need is a piston stop. (3-inch long 3/8 extenstion), some string, a tape measure, a marker, and something to turn the motor over by hand are about all you need to do this.

[greenbullitt]

sbc had different timing tabs based on generation and balancer. use jw's method

[Super Coupe]

Ok will do. I have 3 balancers I could use. 2 point to what looks like -10 on the balancer and the other points to tdc.

[racrguy]

Glowing headers and shooting flame? You'd better make sure it's not running lean before you melt a valve/piston.

[Super Coupe]

After the heat race we added some timing and took some jet out and it ran better but still was shooting flames out the exhaust and tried to get hot.

[Super Coupe]

Glowing headers and shooting flame? You'd better make sure it's not running lean before you melt a valve/piston.

It's not running lean.

[racrguy]

It's not running lean.

You absolutely sure? Glowing headers usually means one of three things. 1) too much timing. 2) too lean. 3) header gasket that's allowing air in/out.

[Super Coupe]

I think its timing related. The car ran a lot better when we added timing. With the jets that were in it, it shouldn't run lean.

[Super Coupe]

The last motor ran great. We went up in jet 7 jet sizes with this motor. Nothing has changed as far as fuel delivery besides the jet change.

[racrguy]

If that's what you think, go for it.

I'd put it on a dyno, personally.

[Super Coupe]

That would be nice but won't have time. The David pope memorial race is Saturday and I plan on being in that.

[greenbullitt]

it does sound like it needs more advance

[Super Coupe]

I doubt you can tell by it running but here it is idling.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v==em[/ame]

[broke again]

You absolutely sure? Glowing headers usually means one of three things. 1) too much timing. 2) too lean. 3) header gasket that's allowing air in/out.

never seen glowing manifolds/headers caused by too much timing. usually the exact opposite. excessively retarded timing. but anything is possible i guess.