Your Squarebird came with either a MEL 430 or an FE engine. These are easy to distinguish by looking at the heads. On an FE engine, the intake manifold goes into the heads by about 1/3. In fact, the lifters are directly below pushrod holes in the intake manifold, not in the heads. Of course, you cannot see this without removing the valve cover.
From the outside, you can see where the FE intake manifold meets the head, and how the valve cover extends into the intake manifold. You could say they 'overlap'.
430s and FEs (352) have the same firing order: (1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8). <--This is not a 351 firing order.
I would like to know more history of your engine but I really don't need it. Go through this procedure:
Remove the driver's side (LH) valve cover.
Rotate the engine until you see #6 exhaust valve close and the intake valve just start to open. Right then, when the two rocker arms are dead level, look at your timing marks. You should see TDC. If you do not see TDC, your cam is mistimed from the crankshaft.
If you do see TDC, at this point #1 is on its power stroke. Remove the distributor cap.
The rotor should be pointed directly at #1 tower when the points just open. #1 spark plug tower should be in front of #6 cylinder. If this is not true, reposition your distributer by lifting it up and moving the gear.
Pay attention to when the points open. That is when you get spark. If the rotor is between towers, the spark may go to the wrong spark plug.
All the above information needs to be followed to the letter. If the distributer does not easily drop into position, hand crank it while pushing down on the distributor. When the oil pump driveshaft aligns with the distributor hex, the distributor will drop right in place. Bolt it down.
If you have troubles with spark, pull the coil wire off, pull another spark plug wire off, put them together with a spare spark plug on the end, laying on metal. When you crank the engine, you should see a pretty blue spark jumping across the spark plug. If it's orange and weak, get a new coil, and make sure the - lead on your coil goes to the points. - Dave
BTW, I have removed your other copy of the identical post in Anything Goes.
From the outside, you can see where the FE intake manifold meets the head, and how the valve cover extends into the intake manifold. You could say they 'overlap'.
430s and FEs (352) have the same firing order: (1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8). <--This is not a 351 firing order.
I would like to know more history of your engine but I really don't need it. Go through this procedure:
Remove the driver's side (LH) valve cover.
Rotate the engine until you see #6 exhaust valve close and the intake valve just start to open. Right then, when the two rocker arms are dead level, look at your timing marks. You should see TDC. If you do not see TDC, your cam is mistimed from the crankshaft.
If you do see TDC, at this point #1 is on its power stroke. Remove the distributor cap.
The rotor should be pointed directly at #1 tower when the points just open. #1 spark plug tower should be in front of #6 cylinder. If this is not true, reposition your distributer by lifting it up and moving the gear.
Pay attention to when the points open. That is when you get spark. If the rotor is between towers, the spark may go to the wrong spark plug.
All the above information needs to be followed to the letter. If the distributer does not easily drop into position, hand crank it while pushing down on the distributor. When the oil pump driveshaft aligns with the distributor hex, the distributor will drop right in place. Bolt it down.
If you have troubles with spark, pull the coil wire off, pull another spark plug wire off, put them together with a spare spark plug on the end, laying on metal. When you crank the engine, you should see a pretty blue spark jumping across the spark plug. If it's orange and weak, get a new coil, and make sure the - lead on your coil goes to the points. - Dave
BTW, I have removed your other copy of the identical post in Anything Goes.
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