Doing it right

Have a 1974 with 460, 4300 carb, stock engine. 70k miles, heads have been changed or rebuilt. Owned by a Doctor, well cared for, nothing mickey-moused under the hood. Difficult to start, cranks but won't fire up unless I squirt a little starting fluid in there, which I don't like to do. If I go out to eat, park for an hour and a half, it will start but upon acceleration tends to stall some unless I jazz the gas. Accelerator pump is working, choke seems to be working. I put new coil, wires, plugs and fixed a couple small vacuum leaks. How do I check timing on this? There is only a metal pointer and a groove across the balancer but no scale to read. Sticker on valve cover says 14BTDC, how to know where it is? Also, if I find any slop at all in the timing chain, how much is acceptable? One video says 7 degrees or less, I say none at all, or is a little slop normal? This motor has super torque and I want it to run perfectly in stock trim.

Sounds like carb needs attention(read rebuild), I had similar issues with a Motorcraft 4350 years ago on a 460 I rebuilt, ran OK but never did want to start when warm. Removed the stock carb and installed a Holley #9834-600cfm electric choke and it started every time and ran much better(motor really wanted a 750cfm vac sec though). Take a real close look at the balancer, it should have timing marks on it, not printed but embossed when it was cast/forged(usually very faint though). Make sure the elastomeric ring that holds the outer ring to the balancer's body is in good shape. Hope this helps and welcome to the forum.

I 2nd the slight timing marks on the balancer. If they are covered with paint or grease, you will never see them!
Get under there and thoroughly clean off the balancer all the way around and you will see the marks.

take a white rubber mallet ,with the motor running , put against the damper , cleans the dirt and grease off and fills the timing mark with white rubber !! works perfect !! wore of 3 mallets working on the bench for 20 years !!30 years ago!! oldest trick in the book!!
Frank

PS go the the Dollar store foe the white rubber mallet!
Frank

aquartlow wrote:Sounds like carb needs attention(read rebuild), I had similar issues with a Motorcraft 4350 years ago on a 460 I rebuilt, ran OK but never did want to start when warm. Removed the stock carb and installed a Holley #9834-600cfm electric choke and it started every time and ran much better(motor really wanted a 750cfm vac sec though). Take a real close look at the balancer, it should have timing marks on it, not printed but embossed when it was cast/forged(usually very faint though). Make sure the elastomeric ring that holds the outer ring to the balancer's body is in good shape. Hope this helps and welcome to the forum.

I second that Holley List Number 9834, ran one for years and it worked great. You can pick them up for around 50 bucks and rebuild them and be good to go. They come with 64 primary jets, you might want to try some 66-68's as they are jetted on the lean side somewhat stock.