[sooper]

About 500 miles on this. Some WOT's, last 5 minutes at idle. Its in the 383 stroker
[IMG][/IMG]

[oldbogie]

Originally Posted by sooper

About 500 miles on this. Some WOT's, last 5 minutes at idle. Its in the 383 stroker
[IMG][/IMG]

Looks good from here.

Bogie

[kyle86]

Seriously, I wish my plugs would color like that.

[sooper]

Originally Posted by kyle86

Seriously, I wish my plugs would color like that.

Then maybe this either is or is not a good time to mention 38-40 degrees,NO VAC and throttle response out the wazoo

[cool rockin daddy]

I really think your last post is out of line and is only going to confuse any newbie that comes on here looking for answers on engine timing.

I totally agree with F-Bird88 on your engine. Perhaps you should find out why you're engine supposedly runs great on 40 degrees total timing with no vacuum advance vs. the ten million (at least) that won't run well. In fact, I even question that timing number as I remember a post where you indicated you don't even know for sure what compression ratio your engine is. Do us all a favor and post the list of parts that your builder used so we might be able to figure your engine out.

[BBCMudbogger]

A picture of a plug after 5 minutes of idle isn't telling you squat except for what a plug looks like after 5 minutes of idle.

[CanuckBird]

If you really want to know what is going on in each cylinder by way of reading plugs the proper way is to make a wide open pass through the quarter mile on fresh plugs and then immediately shut down the engine.Then you need to either hack saw or grind off the metal jacket thread so you can read the plug properly for fuel ring mark ect.

[oldbogie]

Originally Posted by sooper

Then maybe this either is or is not a good time to mention 38-40 degrees,NO VAC and throttle response out the wazoo

Plug color is not the end-all-be-all indicator of correct timing, nor of mixture.

While sensitive to these things it is also sensitive to engine operating temperature, and sparkplug heat range as well as a host of other operating conditions.

All of these items can and do create conditions that mimic each other if one or more are off the norm. For instance a plug with too hot a heat range will look like the mixture is too lean, the engine is operated too hot, or the timing is excessively advanced; the plug will be white and fried looking.

At the other extreme a plug that is too cold will look like the fuel mixture is too rich, the engine operated too cold or too little, the timing is not sufficiently advanced, a cam lobe is wiped out, a valve is leaking, a plug wire broken, too much gap and on and on the list can go. The plug will be black and perhaps wet thoug wet can just be that cylinder had just intaked but the ignition was cut before the plug fired.

When you look at a plug as a means to get maximum performance you have to be able to figure out if everything is working properly or whether a failure in one place is off set by an opposing failure someplace else that could result in a perfectly normal looking plug. Of if the plug indicates a failure, then you need to track back to the Root Cause or causes.

Bogie

[a1supersport]

Originally Posted by sooper

Then maybe this either is or is not a good time to mention 38-40 degrees,NO VAC and throttle response out the wazoo

I'd say you're doing everything right. There's people on here that follow the hotrodders-bible, and the gods that enfoce it...and still can't get it right. After reading your other thread...I'd just do what you're doing. Never mind the critics. For future reference...I'm writing down your combo/specs/etc. Would come in handy for sure when it's time to do a 383.

[sooper]

Originally Posted by cool rockin daddy

I really think your last post is out of line

I would beg to differ Sir. You see if you read the post entirely(all one sentence of it) its not merely a few minutes of idle. I dont expect just a few minutes of idle to indicate squat either. If you look around the internet (objectively) You will find many engines operating quite well,quite strong and quite long with no vac adavance, and actually will not run at all with vac. You will also find some of those people more than just a bit knowledgeable. This is in no way to confuse a newbie. It is merely with the intention to show that there is not one hard fast rule

[sooper]

Originally Posted by a1supersport

I'd say you're doing everything right. There's people on here that follow the hotrodders-bible, and the gods that enfoce it...and still can't get it right. After reading your other thread...I'd just do what you're doing. Never mind the critics. For future reference...I'm writing down your combo/specs/etc. Would come in handy for sure when it's time to do a 383.

I dont know that its right. But I can swear by all thats above its what that engine wants. I've had more gurus around here try to tune that car with vac attatched with zero results. In 2 minutes I can have it back to where you cant leave without turning the tires,as long as that vac aint attatched. So just what is hotrodding
definition 1) Do what works to snap your neck
definition 2) Do what the book says each time

I'm going with the first. The guy at edelbrock tech said and I quote "You should really have your vac line on the timed port. Personally I put them in the trash can"

[sooper]

Originally Posted by oldbogie

When you look at a plug as a means to get maximum performance you have to be able to figure out if everything is working properly or whether a failure in one place is off set by an opposing failure someplace else that could result in a perfectly normal looking plug. Of if the plug indicates a failure, then you need to track back to the Root Cause or causes.

Bogie

So all 8 plugs happen to look all the same. They all happen to be that way cause something is wrong,but the wrong on all 8 looks right because of another wrong and the car launches like its posessed,and wont move worth dirt if I put one thing right and tune like crazy. And all the times I put the one thing right and me others have tried tons of things and never even stumbled onto that mystery second thing

Read that 3 or 4 times before you repost

[cool rockin daddy]

Well, tell me this. If your car launches and runs so damn good, why are you here posting about plug colors? Is it just you want to FIGJAM yourself (F@*$ I'm Great Just Ask Me)? Help me understand.

[a1supersport]

Originally Posted by sooper

But I can swear by all thats above its what that engine wants...

And that's all that matters. Once you find your engines sweet-spot...there's nothing else to do but maintain. If I had built my previous engines according to a lot of what I read on this forum, it probably wouldn't run as good as it did. My main concerns were:

1. Starts-up trouble-free, hot or cold.
2. Idles the same, hot or cold.
3. No hesitation at any time...basically trouble-free/reliable.
4. Decent power for the parts installed.

Even if I sacrifice some power to attain all of the above, so be it. If I could "have my cake and eat it too", I would. But once I try taking an engine out of it's sweet-spot, one of those things above suffers.

edit: And just as a note, some engines I built were identical the previous engine I built. But no two were ever alike. Little bit different adjustments/settings here and there were required. But once the sweet-spot was found, I was done.

[sooper]

Originally Posted by cool rockin daddy

Well, tell me this. If your car launches and runs so damn good, why are you here posting about plug colors? Is it just you want to FIGJAM yourself (F@*$ I'm Great Just Ask Me)? Help me understand.

Read A1supersorts post,he sums it up