The carb was too big in CFM's? Good to hear it running well. I feel like gamester. I had a few issues with my float sticking and resolved that, took her out for a run. Ran great and my alternator stopped charging again. I took it apart and it looks like they sold me a defective voltage regulator (GM one wire alternator). I wouldn't care, but in So. California, it is 100+ degrees. Maybe the heat fried my alternator?

I don't know where Santa Clarita is, but it has been real hot here also. Lakeside is a suburb of San Diego, in the east county.

The heat takes more of a toll on the batteries than it does on electronics.

I have recently seen 2 Optima batteries fail, in cars with huge stereo systems, and take out the alternator too.

Where did you purchase the alternator from?

It was pretty obvious when my alternator gave out yesterday, lol. 1: It makes a dreadful squealing sound now and 2: is gets so hot it can burn your hand in a split second when touching it. My alternator is one of the few things under the hood that I haven't replaced.

I have literally replaced everything under the hood except the block, the heads, the intake, and the power steering pump. Sad, yes, but true.

Later,
Jason

I'm actually in Valencia, CA which is about five minutes from Six Flags Magic Mountain. My batteries have been OK so far but the alternator is another issue. I guess it was my fault for ordering it on ebay and thinking I was getting a deal. The alternator didn't last 10K miles.

Six Flags has never been considered to go to in my list of 'destinations' to go.

Now, Castaic Lake has been #8 on my list of all time destinations.

'Cabo San Lucas' is 1st on my list. Like they say, "there are always bigger fish to fry".

I think you were lucky to get 10K miles from that alternator. One from Autozone only lasted 4 hours, for one of my customers.

Well, I just bought another alternator, same type etc from OReilly's Auto. I took my chrome one off and placed the new one on. I started it, and no charge at all. I did notice some smoke coming from the alternator when I shut it off? I used a trip wire from #2 post to the alternator output, which I had with my old alternator. Perhaps I should have left the trip wire off? This alternator is a 67 ohm alternator. 1 wire, same as my other one? I noticed the casing on the new one didn't have numbers such as 1, 2. I put it on the same post as the other. I'm going to take it back tomorrow and get another. Any suggestions on what is going on? Did I fry the voltage regulator? I tried revving the engine and no charge at all. Volt gauge stayed at 12 Volts.

Gamestar - any updates?

Is that an XE274 cam? If so, your vacuum sounds about right. I can pull 13.5" of vacuum with mine.

Are you SURE that this is not a lean miss? My car idles fine, and runs great at WOT, but as you tip-in off of cruise speeds, it misses (lean miss). I had to significantly enlarge the idle transition circuit on my old qjet to eliminate my problems with lean misses, but I DID fix it. This confirmed to me that my intake is fine (no leaks) and that this is not a rich bog. Now that my qjet warped, and I recently began working with a Holley, I'm having the same problem again.

Here is another guy who went down the path of chasing the lean miss on his similar combo. Although he left us hanging at the end - he got 90% of the way there. His answer apparently was in getting the correct accelerator pump curve (cam) and squirter size. I would contend that the primaries would then have to be large enough to take it from there. This is the path I'm currently pursing. http://www.camaros.net/forums/archi...hp/t-95407.html

Please report back!

Hey guys,

As an update to my situation, I may have actually figured out my problem. I started thinking more about my altitude and carb size. I figured if my carb size is a bit too large, and since I am at 5000ft above sea level, which makes it even richer, that I just may still be too rich with jetting. So, as a test I put on the smallest jets I have in my Holley kit,which is a 64, coming down from 68, and to my surprise it ran a heck of a lot better. There is still a mild stumble, but I ordered some smaller jets, a set of 62, 60, and 58, to see if I can work out the stumble completely. I would have never of guessed I would have to go this lean to get a carb to run right up here in the higher elevations. Seems kind of crazy to me, but I am from Kansas

You guys have really helped me by putting me in the right mind set for this problem. I am closer to resolving this issue now than I have been in the 2 years of owning the car.

I will let you know if I get the stumble worked all the way out. The car is already a lot funner to drive

By the way Big Mouse, this is the cam set I bought...
http://www.jegs.com/i/Comp%20Cams/2...-242-2/10002/-1

Thanks,
Jason

Congratulations on the progress! Please keep us posted.

Would you mind posting up your final timing and carb setup when you're done? I know I'm curious and it may help future people searching on this as well.

Well, my stumble issue is now fully resolved!

I had to go down to a jet size of 62 for the primaries and 64 for the secondaries, but now I have no stumble and scary power, lol. I also keep the 1" HVH Super Sucker carb spacer on as well. BTW, I have my initial timing set at about 11 degrees.

Holly cow what a different car! I can barely keep the tires from smoking now, lol. This thing has to be putting down somewhere around 350HP-400HP. Now all I have to do is get my half burnt up 200R4 transmission built up and get a higher stall torque converter then I should be all set for drivetrain, finally.

After I get my new alternator on next week, I will take some pics of my engine and car if anyone wants to see.

Thank a bunch for all of your help guys. You helped save my car!

Thanks again,
Jason

Look like it confirm what I wrote about high alt. It was running rich. I'm glad you fix that stumbling problem, congrats on your effort and good luck

I believe being too rich was first mentioned at post 13 (and again at #19, and yet again at #23) by T-bucket23.

The OP could've saved himself a little over THREE WEEKS had he heeded the advise then and there. But who's counting.

When it comes to the world of engines, there are a million different problems that could be caused by a million different things. Like I said, coming from Kansas, a jetting of 62 seemed like an extremity to me. It was kind of a shock for me to actually have to use jets smaller than my Holley kit had, lol.

Anyways, at least now I truly know the difference between a rich stumble and a lean stumble. Not to mention, I have a mostly new engine now

Later,
Jason

Absolutely! That was the gist of my post, actually- there are dozens of things that come to mind.

Hindsight is fine, if it was foresight it'd be great!!

Amen to that