Before I get started. It may sound like I don't know what I'm talking about for good reason...I don't :oops:

My friend helped me drop in the new MSD HEI I bought. TDC was located and firing order was established and, well that's where it all goes down hill.
First he couldn't get it started cause he had the timing retarded too much. Then we got it started and it wouldn't stay started.
He brought his timing light along and it seemed to be a big help. He set the timing at 12 degrees initial advance w/o vac advance. I guess with the vac hooked up it was about 22 degree. Had to mess with the idle screw a bit, seemed to be idling okay. High, but for now acceptable.
Put on the a/c & it dies immediately. Put it in gear and it eventually dies w/brake on & in gear.
Another friend chimed in on eht phone and said sbc's like more advance, about 16 or so initial. Fine we did that and it seemed to run the same or a bit worse.

HISTORY:
The car came to me with the stock computer controlled HEI stuck per the mechanic that sold it at about 14 degrees advance.
There is a mild cam (specs unknown) which is why the second friend suggested 16 degrees or so initial.
The 350 is topped with a Holley 600.
The second friend said the vac advance SHOULDN'T be plugged into a constant vacuum, that it should be connected to an intermittent vacuum.
Right now the vac adv is plugged into a vac nipple pass upper fron part of the Holley.
There's another vac line plugged into the pass side of the Holley directly below the upper vac nipple.
The first friend said I need to get the carb calibrated, jetted, something, but by one of my carb friends.
I wanted to know if it'll make any difference that the drivers side of the holley where the fuel bowls are fed...there's only one bowl directly fed unlike the dual lines I've seen on some set-ups.
Carb issues?????????
What could it be or what does this sound like.
I could drive it fine with the crappy HEI, but now...stall stall stall :evil:

are the wires are all hooked up corectly and there is no vacume plugs un plugged.?

Most people i know run vacuum advance to a ported source. Others will run it on manifold vacuum. Try both and see which works best for you. Did you have this carb on before you swapped ignitions? If so I would set initial timing at around 12*BTDC with the vacuum unhooked. Hook the vacuum up to a ported source and see what it does. If the car didn't stall before you swaped ignitions I dont think its carb related.

Most people i know run vacuum advance to a ported source. Others will run it on manifold vacuum. Try both and see which works best for you. Did you have this carb on before you swapped ignitions? If so I would set initial timing at around 12*BTDC with the vacuum unhooked. Hook the vacuum up to a ported source and see what it does. If the car didn't stall before you swaped ignitions I dont think its carb related.
:x :oops: :?
Yes, I had this carb on before. I could drive it all I wanted to. Sit in traffic w/the ac on and not stall.
What's a ported source regarding where to plug the vac adv to?
So you're saying to set the timing at 12*. Is that with the vac unplugged and if so. Do I need to pinch the vac adv line or leave it open to the carb.
I know this is all probably really simple stuff and I have done this before, but only once or twice years ago. Lately it's been all FI, so sorry for the lame inquiries.
So the friend that had us bump the initial advance to 16*. Is that too much advance? Cause I guess with the vac line back on, it bumps the advance to about 25-26*.
Let me know more. I'm going down to see what else I can do, but it's at 16* initial timing for now and there's nothing I can do about it except manually retard the timing by sound.
I'll check out the vac lines to see if any vacs are open now that weren't before.
Aloha & Thanks,
Scott 8-)
The first friend mentioned that I need to get the carb adjusted due to the fact that whoever installed the cam left the stock HEI in and tuned the carb to work with that set-up

I would disconnect the vacuum supply line that goes to the distributer and plug it. Hook up the timing light and start the engine.
To start, the idle should be set at about 550rpm.
Ten to twelve degrees should be correct - I wouldn't run any more or less (to start) unless you know the background history of the cam.

Unless you have degreed the cam in, keep in mind that sometimes the welded timing tab indicator on the front cover can be off located by as much as 2 degrees so the initial setting of 12 may have actaully been 14 degrees.
After the advance is set, put the vaccum hose back on the dist. and then adjust the carb if necessary. I'm thinking that the vacuum should be hooked to the constant vacuum side. I hope this helps.

Ported vacuum source is above the throttle blades. Unported would be below, this is also full manifold vacuum. It sounds as if you have it hooked to full manifold if it jumps up that high by connecting the vacuum line. You dont need to plug the distributor side when you unhook the vacuum line, just the carb side. It would only be a small vacuum leak if you didn't plug it. The problem with 16* of initial advance is you still have mechanical and vacuum advance to add in. With out dialing in the timing curve you could have as much as 30+ more degrees of timing. This will probably cause a detonation problem. This is not good for anything inside the engine. Base timing around 10-12* with no other source hooked up will be a good starting point. You can always add in more later or take it out if needed.
Now, as already staded, the timimg tab could be wrong for the timing marks on the dampener. If this is the case, you'll have to find TDC and make a new mark on the dampener to line up with existing pointer. Double check the plug wires to make sure your not off a post and have the correct firing order. It has to be a problem with the new distributor instalation.

You have all been great help so far and I hope this is some help too.
I found TDC by simply getting the rotor to point at the #1 cylinder. Now the mark on the damper was also at 12 o'clock as it should be, but I never took the plug out and checked to make sure the piston was actually at TDC.
I was informed by the mechanic that had this Elk before me that he was going to put a new damper on just to be sure the old one hadn't spun on the old worn rubber. Yesterday when I was watching my friend shoot the timing light, I noticed but didn't think much of it, but the timing mark was flashing on the indicator tab @ the #8. My brother who finally chimed in said he should come over and that we should remove the #1 plug and find TDC w/o worrying about the timing light. He doesn't have much faith in those and has a good ear for tuning and it's always worked for him. A gift I suppose. He's a hotrod n muscle car fanatic n garage mechanic.
It's late...Too many Mothers day meals putting me to sleep.
I hope I could add more to the puzzle to help. Wish I could just get someone to come n help, but that would make it all too easy for me and I suppose this way, I'll be more educated n not have to bother you'all next time, but a big Thanks to everyone helping me through this!!!! :D

your vacuum for the dist should be ported and not manifold vacuum, then timing should be set around 8degrees on MOST chevy v8s. Play around with the idle to get the best vacuum and timing. Also kind sounds like you might be off by a tooth or two on your dist.

After carefully trying to install the MSD I thought would be the best option to improve performance, I ended up pulling the pricey MSD and putting the old computer controlled HEI that I tried replacing.
Found TDC on the compression, dropped in the old dist w/rotor aimed at #1, plugged everything back in including the vacuum adv and one turn of the key and she's purring again. Well, more like growling w/the flowmasters and headers and cam. Still would like to know what cam is in it, but at least for now, it's running and I can drive it...
Thanks for all your help and after this info, if anyone would like to chime in and share what you think is the reason for the new MSD not working...Please share!
Scott

Only thing I can think of is either the mechanical advance or vacuum advance was sticking. Pull the cap and rotor and see if you can see something that seems to be binding. If you can stab the old HEI and get it to fire and run. You should of had no trouble with the MSD. It is possible that its defective from the factory. Other then this, I'm at a loss.