[cdminter59]

IDK. Hook up the timing light to see where you are at. Does this engine have a performance camshaft? You may have too much initial and mechanical advance that 's why you need to check the initial timing with the light. You may have to used ported vacuum ( the left side port). Too much to speculation without knowing the timing curve.

[70nova327]

when i first got the car it ran with the vacuum cone on the dist pointing at say 8 'oclock standing at the front of the car but recently the only way it runs well is at 4'oclock, but when i disconnected that vacuum line last night it ran at 8 again. not sure if that tells you anything.

[cdminter59]

The position of the vacuum advance can doesn't mean anything. Just set it up so it won't hit anything when adjusting the distributor timing. Have you looked at the timing with the light yet? Get it where it runs the best. I hope it will be at about 12-16* BTDC.

[70nova327]

i will tonight, after it popped gas back up thru the carb i couldnt get it started again, it does this and then in the morning it fires right up. i think this is what you were referring to about the fuel getting to hot. is that vapor lock?

[cdminter59]

Vapor lock is when the fuel in the lines in the engine compartment get to hot (can hear it boil) or the fuel in the carburetor get too hot. You won't get fuel to the squirtters in the carburetor. The popping is a lean condition. Is the starter motor turning fast and free?

[70nova327]

now that you mention that no its not, it was at first but when the engine started acting up it was cranking over really slow and struggling, it doesnt normally do that at all.

[cdminter59]

Originally Posted by 70nova327

now that you mention that no its not, it was at first but when the engine started acting up it was cranking over really slow and struggling, it doesnt normally do that at all.

This is what it does when the initial timing is too far advanced. Tonight when you check the timing be sure to always unplug the vacuum line to the distributor. It will probably be advanced off the scale. If it is set it back to 10-12*. That and the mechanical the distributor adds will give you 35-36* total.

[70nova327]

ok, remember when i had it at TDC when i checked it with the dowel it read that TDC was at 8* BTDC, should i take that 8* into consideration? like if its showing at 8* consider that at 0*?

[cdminter59]

Originally Posted by 70nova327

ok, remember when i had it at TDC when i checked it with the dowel it read that TDC was at 8* BTDC, should i take that 8* into consideration? like if its showing at 8* consider that at 0*?

No, The dowel was stopping the piston 1/2 from TDC. Just start it up, disconnect vacuum line to the distributor and plug, hook up the timing light and shine it at the scale. Check where the balancer line is. Loosen distributor and set to 10-12*. Tighten distributor clamp. If something else is happening it is not timing related. BTW you never gave me an answer on how old is this motor. How many miles on it?

[70nova327]

i have no clue how old it is or the milage, the kid i bought it from didnt know much about it and only had for 6 months, i do know that its been converted from the 250 6 cyl and the column shift to the 327 and 350 trans, along with all new suspension and the disc brake conversion, so it seems at one point somebody loved it and put some time and money in it.

[thinwhiteduke]

Originally Posted by 70nova327

checked vacuum its great, between 10 and 16 at idle, checked fuel pressure and it was at 8.5 so im off to get a regulator, started to advance the time and the engine the engine sounded beautiful but then started to rock, i noticed that my glass fuel filter was only a 1/4 of the way full, vapor lock because of the intake air bypass? but then i randomely unplugged the dist advance at the carb and the rpms shot up and it leveled out the rock and ran amazing! why would this occur? did i just find the problem?

Hey Bruce, sounds like ur getting there, the engine started to rock once you went too far with the initial timing...when u randomly unplugged the dist advance, the revs shot up because you created a vacuum leak at the carb where the hose came off and then the 'rock' leveled out because the engine revs went up enough to deal with the excessive advance that caused the 'rock' in the first place.

When you disconnect the vac advance to set ur initial timing, be certain to plug the carby so it don't suck air. Easiest to take the hose off at the advance canister end and shove a screw or whatever in the hose to stop the suction.

Another way to check total advance with your timing light is to wrap some masking tape around your balancer, to measure the circumference, then take it off, measure it, and divide the figure by ten, this will be 36deg (360 divided by 10) make a mark on the tape at that measurement then put it back on and transfer the mark clockwise from the TDC notch on ur balancer. Next time u can check ur total by referring the timing light flash to that new mark when you raise ur revs to 3000-3500rpm

Hope this helps

Duke

[70nova327]

so plug off the canister and the carb as well when timing?

[70nova327]

and what affect would my fuel pump have had on it when it was pushing 8.5 PSI out?

[cdminter59]

Originally Posted by 70nova327

so, plug off the canister and the carb as well when timing?

No just plug the end of the vacuum hose that you take off the distributor can. The can does not pull vacuum. Edelbrock carburetors recommend 5-5.5 lbs. of fuel pressure. Eventually it will blow the needle and seat inside the carburetor and damage the float. Maybe that's why your plugs were wet with gas. Carb leaking down after you turn it off.

[cdminter59]

Here is the Edelbrock carburetor manual. It has tuning for your carb too. http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_...404_manual.pdf