You advanced the timing more and it smells less rich. I think you're on the right track with the timing, but still not quite there. Retarded timing can cause a late combustion that continues into the exhaust....resulting in red hot headers. Try advancing the timing more yet. But I'm still trying to figure out how, if it's possible for the timing marks to still be lying to you.

 

Oh yeah, one more thing. You are removing the vacuum advance hose from the distributor and plugging it to the carb when setting base timing, right?

 

I don't know how the timing marks could be inaccurate at this point either Chuck. After confirming and re-confirming true TDC so many times before installing the timing tape I don't know how it couldn't be right. If the timing wasn't advanced enough, but still within a couple degrees, it could seriously make the headers glow red that quickly? I had the timing tape showing 15* btdc and the rotor precisely on #1 spark plug terminal (I pulled the cap and verified exactly) yesterday before trying to start it and it fired up instantly. It's obvious that something isn't right with the headers glowing like they were. But I just can't understand, if the timing marks aren't spot on, how it could be so far off as to be still retarded enough to make them glow yet run so well. I guess I'm asking if it's normal to do that by only being off by a little? Also, I would certainly have the vacuum advance plugged off if I was using the light but I'm going off where the tape was showing in relation to the rotor at #1. Appreciate the insight about the timing being retarded causing the glowing headers. I'll try advancing it more today and see what happens, past experience has shown it coming back through the carb if I go much more advanced from where it's at now.

 

And when you set the engine at true TDC, you lined up the TDC on the timing tab with 0 on the tape?

 

Red header tubes can be a few different things. None of them are caused by lack of fuel. Timing can cause all the tubes to be red, but since it's only a couple, then I'd be concerned about either valve adjustment, or valves sealing on the affected cylinders. It can also be caused by excess fuel burning in the primary tubes, but that still goes back to whether the fuel/air mix is firing completely in the cylinder.
Since you can pump the gas and it fires, I'd say the gas is getting to the carb. If it wont idle, then it can either be the idle circuit, timing, valve adjustment, or some other reason the valves aren't seating properly.

 

I took your advice Chuck and kept advancing the timing more today. No visibly red headers today and I am thoroughly excited to say that I got to take my foot off the accelerator pedal and the engine kept running! I had turned the idle screw in quite a bit and it was idling at 2000 rpm. Definitely runs better after the choke heats up and opens. I had a ton of water come spraying out of the radiator when I turned the engine off with the key, made a mess all over the top of the battery and down in the tray. Still don't think I'm quite there on the timing but it's closer than it was yesterday. Sometimes it would fire up at first turn of the key, other times it took a few tries to get it running. Every time it doesn't start right up it still hiccups out through the carb. After adjusting the idle screw out a bit it was wanting to idle right around 1500 rpm but seemed to still stall out if the choke wasn't opened up all the way yet. I put the radiator cap on and I'm assuming that's pressurizing the cooling system as I immediately noticed a small leak up on the water neck. I stopped for the night but had the engine running more times and for longer than any other day so I'm feeling better about the prospect of being close! Have no idea what the timing mark would show if I lined up the rotor with #1 but at this point I'm just going for running/idling so I can get out there with the light. I know, I could make things easier with a momentary switch, but hopefully it won't be a whole lot longer now before I can get out there with the engine idling and see what's up. I took several videos but I'm babbling in them so I'm not sure if I'll post 'em or not.

 

Sounds like you're really getting closer! It's nearly impossible to look at the marks and eyeball the distributor and say for sure how many degrees it's set at. It's just not that accurate, and the only real way to do it is the timing light, or by ear as you turn it. Sounds like you're getting to a point where you can start advancing it slightly until it doesn't pop back when you shut it off. Congratulations! Glad you finally got it!

 

Up until your second to last post, I wasn't aware you were "checking" your timing without a timing light. Now I can understand why it was running crappy.

 

Not sure I could've explained it more clearly that it's difficult to hold a timing light, sit in the car, turn the key, push the gas pedal and check the timing. It's moot, but why would it be so hard to tell when the rotor is directly inline with the #1 terminal and the pointer on the balancer is/was pointing at 15?


I spent some time today just trying to see if I could get the engine idling so I could get the light going. I had the engine running for close to 20 minutes (off and on) and after it was good and warmed up would idle at 1500 rpm for 1-2 minute intervals before abruptly stalling. Still coming back thru the carb but not every time. If I advance more from where I'm at it gets worse. Smell of fuel is still so bad that it was burning my eyes after running for so long. I was at the point where I was going to start the engine and quickly jump out to get the light on for a minute before it stalled. It was then when I noticed that the oil pan gasket has decided to start leaking pretty good. Can't even believe that's happening right now. I'm praying that I can just tighten the bolt where the leak is coming from and seal it up. I know it's not major surgery if I have to drop the pan but far more involved than I want to get when I'm so close to getting the engine running well.

 

Think I got lucky with the leaking oil pan. Doesn't appear to be the gasket but rather one of the bolts somehow was loose? I don't know if it's this cheap chrome oil pan or what but some of the bolt heads are so close to the side of the pan that I can't get a socket over them. I used a wrench and tightened it down (not crazy) and started the engine and ran it (hard to believe I'm saying that) for a few minutes and didn't see any more leaks. Engine fired right up first try this evening but again will not stay running on it's own for very long. I'm trying to get the idle set down a little closer to 1000 rpm but not sure what I should try and shoot for idle-wise? I'm going to try and advance the distributor a slight bit more tomorrow and see if that helps with sustained idling after it's warmed up. I keep waiting for the smell of fuel to ease up with each advancement on the timing but it's relentless still. I now have designated clothes to wear out just to start the engine as they reek so badly of fuel.