1972 350 no power after rebuild

[ferrarif18]

Hi I'm new to this form and to Buick's. I'm helping a my best friends dad with his 1972 Skylark 350. He had the engine rebuilt and the pain begins. This engine has no power beyond 3300-3500 rpm has no HP at all! I have idling good seems to run fine but gives you nothing when you get on it here is a list of stuff that has been done to this engine.

1. Heads where mild .0010? not sure but they where done
2. Bored 0030 over
3. line honed
4. reconditioned crank
5. TA C110 cam
6. TA stage1 intake
7. TA stage valve springs
8. New fat pistons
9. 600 Edelbrock
10. the engine is bolted to a 200r4 and has 4.11 rear end

Help this thing really blows

[rcull]

Assuming that the engine was done right and you are doing the re and re, check for a plugged or restricted exhaust system.

[Hectic]

Just a couple of things to ponder.Was the cam degreed and installed as per TA's instructions?The Buick's valvetrain is non adjustable,was preload checked?A 600 cfm carb is,by general opinion,way undercarbed for the 350, the factory installed 750cfm units as stock.I'm no expert but I have too suffered the 350 pain first hand,hope that you figure out the problems.Good luck.

[ferrarif18]

I do not know if it was degreed I'm think it was not! Tuesday I'm taking the valve covers of and checking the timing everthing with my own eyes.
By the way how do you check preload?

Thank you for the tips

[Hectic]

You can check the preload with an adjustable pushrod.Really what you are looking is for the correct lenght of pushrod to give you the preload needed on the lifter at the lobe's base circle.Contact the cam manufacturer(TA) for the details,they have always been very helpful to me.Also make sure that the ignition is up to par,verify your firing order and the conditions of the points and other components,if using an HEI make sure that it is getting the full 12volts.Good luck.

[exfarmer]

Check the ignition timing and make sure the mechanical advance is working properly. Also check that the secondarys are opening.

[Troys69GS]

I also agree with timing concerns. What compression and fuel are you using? What is the stall speed of the converter? Just a few questions to ask yourself. I personally do not like our buick 350s but Ive been spoiled with a neutered 350 in high school, bumped to 400 then Gforced in the 455. Never go back.

[Nightwrencher]

I would like to see how this comes out. I rebuilt my 350 in the skylark about 2 years ago, and it never had ANY power! certainly no 350 ft/lbs. spent months trying to tune, I don't want to hijack this post anymore, but I always wondered how to adjust lifters, would you have to do that with a bone stocker when reusing all the orig parts?

[Ted Nagel]

Wow, I would not dismiss this engine just by this 1 experience!
I have had great luck with mine! My first 2 cars were equipped with the Buick 350; Grandma's 68 LeSabre ran really well all stock, 68 Skylark convert I changed only the 2bbl to 4bbl and it was great.
Now last year I built a 350 for a 65 Skylark and that one is great fun to drive- will burn rubber instantly! I have a mild cam, degreed it in 4 degrees advanced and it is sweet.

[bobc455]

Just saw this thread.

From the first post, all I could think was "cam timing". If the cam wasn't degreed, that would be the first place I'd check.

The 350 should be a fun motor (although more expensive than a SBC).

-Bob C.