Hey I got the new 350/325 engine installed, man that engine area is so tight no room for movement. I had the engine running over the weekend, but my only problem is when I attempt to time the engine I can't find the marker and the engine was set at tdc. I have reset it again and still the same. Can anyone inform my of what the problem may be? Thanks.

First, congrats on getting it running!

Now...you need to verify that the TDC mark on the balancer is correct, when #1 is up on compression. Just because you set it on TDC doesn't always mean it really is. The balancer may be wrong, as far as where it is marked. Get the #1 piston up on TDC on the compression stroke, and mark the balancer to verify that first. If you are just lining the mark up on the balancer, but the piston is on the exhaust stroke, you'll never find the mark with a timing light!

Also, if you haven't seen them before, there are two really good threads here on setting the timing. You may want to check them out, to see if they help any.

Thread 1

Thread 2

Mine was out as it had been replaced on my old engine.  I just made sure when I had the heads off that at TDC on No 1 piston (when both cam lobes for that piston were pointing away from the top (i.e. at the compression stroke), I used some white paint to mark the balancer where the zero mark on the timing quadrant attached to the timing cover was.  I then moved the balancer counter clockwise to the 8 degree mark and painted a mark with flourescent green at the zero pointer.  That way, if I can't see the 8 degree mark due to other things in the way I can use the green mark to line up on zero and know I have the timing set at 8 degrees BTDC.

Did the motor come with one?  I just dropped a new crate in last weekend an it did not come with one.  I eventually found one and am bolting on prior to initial crank this am.  Cause if your motor came minus one, they can be bought locally or through JE#'s or SU&&it.  Under $10.

Ya've still got to make sure the marker is in the right place.  If the balancer is a recon unit, the marker cut into the outer ring will definitely be in the wrong place.  The only way to really check and mark is to fit it to your own engine and get No 1 piston at TDC on the compression stroke and mark it.  You may also have a timing cover with an adjustable timing mark quadrant on it.  So the only way to ensure it is correct is once again follow the procedure above.

Thanks to all of you, I will try those procedures and let you guys know how it turned out.

 I havn't figured out how You are Finding TDC. The best way would be to Screw a Extended Bolt into the # 1 Spark Plug Hole and Turn the Engine till the Piston Stops on it. Then mark the Balancer. Then Turn the Engine in the opposite direction untill it Hits again and Mark the Balancer again. TDC will be in the Middle of both Marks. Of coarse You still need to make sure Your on the Compression Stroke (both Valves Closed on #1). Unless Your doing a restoration I'd consider putting a Timing Degre Tape on the Balancer it will make Life easyer in the Future  as it will tell You when the other Seven Cylinders are at TDC when You do Valve Ajustments etc.

The valve adjustments are easy once you have No 1 TDC marked.  It's in most of the books.  You can adjust 8 of the valves while at No 1 TDC and the other 8 with one turn clockwise to take you to No 6 TDC.  I don't have my book in front of me right now or I would list which valves are done at which points.

Hey, I wanted to thank all of you guys in this forum for the help, advice and info. The problem is solved; when I primed the engine after installing it, the gears inside of the dist assembly were off a bit. After adjusting it, everything lines right up and boy, the Vette runs itsoff. Took it for a run today and what a difference.

So glad it was something small.