[BMM]

Hello all. Here's my dilemma. 1988 Cutlass Supreme Classic, new Hi-Po wonderful Bowtie Overdrives 200-4r, somewhere around 2.9-3.1 rear end. 350 Chevrolet, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, brand new 600cfm edelbrock carb, Equal length headers w/true dual exhaust, OEM ignition.

It has had the wires redone, but the plugs are needing to get changed here pretty quick.


Now, for the problem...It is quite slow. It'll spin the tires great if I floor it, but as soon as they hook up, the car just kind of bogs. Im lucky to be getting 16 seconds in the quarter mile, and the 50-70mph pull looses to an older cavalier.

All in all, I would expect that it should be doing better than that? Is it possilbe I have the worst era heads, or a flat cam or something? If my timing is out, will that have such a drastic effect?

I don't care for paying twice as much to fill up my tank, twice as often, and be twice as slow.

Im lost. Thank you.

[Deuce]

Bad combination of parts ... IMHO ... and possibly a bad tune ... and a lower gear would really HELP ... a 3.73 would be nice with the OD ...

[427v8]

Plugs, wrong heat range?

Sluggish do you know how to drive? Are you letting the engine rev, or shifting too soon.

Have you set your total timing? Or are you running stock timing?

[BMM]

Deuce, hwo do you mean bad combo of parts?

The tranny is an automatic, with a very firm shift. Under full throttle, 1-2 shift is about 4, 2-3 4500, and I havent had a full throttle shift into overdrive yet.

What should the heat range on the plugs be? As for timing, I have no idea what it is set at, and as soon as I get some money, that'll be checked and adjusted.

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by BMM

200-4r, somewhere around 2.9-3.1 rear end. 350 Chevrolet, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, brand new 600cfm edelbrock carb, Equal length headers w/true dual exhaust, OEM ignition.

Originally Posted by BMM

Under full throttle, 1-2 shift is about 4, 2-3 4500, and I havent had a full throttle shift into overdrive yet.

The RPM intake is more of a higher RPM manifold ... yet your engine is shifting @ 4,000 RPM. With a 2.9 pr so rear end ratio ... you need more torque and horsepower on the lower end of the RPM scale ... IMHO.

I suggest that get get someone to hold the accelator all the way down ( engine not running ) and you check @ the Edelbrock to see if the linkage is properly adjusted and opening the carburetor all the way open.

I also suggest BUYING a timing light ... and learning HOW to use it.
A vacuum gauge is also a very useful tuning tool.



The timing mis adjusted and a mis adjusted Edelbrock can greatly diminish your cars performance ...

[427v8]

You determine heat range by runing it and looking at the plugs, thats a whole science in itself.

Is the performer RPM or the airgap?
The airgap is a LOT of intake for a basicly stock 350, I run the RPM Airgap on my 434 smallblock the runs 11.90 at 118
the base RPM is still big, but better

You timing is wrong wrong wrong. I know this because you don't know what it is. You need to fix that.
See this thread;
Shade Tree Timing?

You need to shift at a LOT higher RPM, like 6000 rpm.Again, you figure it out at the track by see where the car is fastest....seems to be a theme ;-)
Basically manually shift the car at different rpms and see where it's fastest.
The RPM drop between gears is as important as the final RPM.

[poncho62]

I'm agreeing with the gears.........Might need a bit more timing too.

[427v8]

Originally Posted by poncho62

I'm agreeing with the gears.........Might need a bit more timing too.

I disagree with the gears. The 700 has a really low first gear, I think there are other issues to resolve first...

[BMM]

Intake is not an air gap. 6000rpm? How high should a stock SBC safely run? I ask because as my motor approaches 4500, it seems in itself to not want to pull very much.

Well, I guess I gotta pick up a timing light pretty quickly here and get that on the go.

The 700's first gear is 3.06, wheras my 2004r is 2.74 I beleive.

Thanks for the info guys.

[427v8]

Oh sorry I thought you had a 700. the 200 does have a much better ( well worse for you ) first gear...
I can't read sometimes.

At stock motor should do better than 4500 rpm, prolly not 6k, but 5000+ fer sure.

timing will help it's top end some.

[BMM]

So, rear end and timing. I should be able to do that....hopefully Thanks fellas

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by BMM

So, rear end and timing. I should be able to do that....hopefully Thanks fellas

Properly tuned ... your car should run a LOT better ...
More gear will not really help until your tuning issues are solved.

The 86 -87 Monte Carlo SS cars came with the 200R4 ... and MOST had a 3.42 or a 3.73 rear end.

[79C10]

When you say ' true duals' I assume you mean no crossover pipe. Installing an H pipe or an X pipe between your true duals will help your low end torque. Also , an Edelbrock 'performer' will be better suited to your RPM range than an RPM intake. Unless you Idle @ 1500 rpm's .
Hope this helps.

[TurboS10]

A couple things would help. 3.73 gearing and a little looser torque converter. The converter disadvantage is heating and mushiness at cruise in OD.