[5.7jeep]

It is a 1974 nova engine. Holley 650 carb edelbrock performer intake. My idke is real high and there is a distinct smell of gas. What is the base timing for this engine,does anyone know or have a book for this engine.

[lluciano77]

You should be safe at 10o. I don't have a book to reference from. You should a few books and learn how to tune for performance. Write these things down and after learning how to tune these will make sense.

Check for a vacuum leak by placing your hand over the carb while the engine is running. If it keeps running with your hand over it, it is pulling air from somewhere else that it shouldn't be.

Set the distibutor with a curve kit at 18o distibutor advance (centrifugal advance), and 16o initial (at the crank). Have your timing come all in by 2,500 RPMs. If you are somewhere where there is SMOG laws then remeber your original timing so you can reset it at test time.

Get a vacuum guage and tune to the highest manifold vacuum.
Adjust your float levels.
Tune the different circuits in the carb.

[OddRodder]

Originally posted by lluciano77


Check for a vacuum leak by placing your hand over the carb while the engine is running. If it keeps running with your hand over it, it is pulling air from somewhere else that it shouldn't be.

MAN!! That would have to be one heck of a vacuum leak!!

[lluciano77]

Believe it or not it doesn't take much of a leak for that to happen. Think of you're choke when you first start you're car. The carb is almost completely choked off and it runs, and that is with no vacuum leaks.

[OddRodder]

Not to spend too much time off in left field here, but, it takes more than a small vacuum leak (vacuum advance line) for My engine to stay running with my hand over the carb. It will continue running with say, the brake booster line left open(A heck of a vacuum leak). I guess what I should have said is that This isn't a foolproof test for a leak!

[5.7jeep]

ok now we have a topic way off what i was askin?

[5.7jeep]

so what would be causing the gas smell? Blow-by or what.

[OddRodder]

The strong smell of gas probably means you are running too rich. Could be a stuck float or floats out of adjustment. Can you adjust the idle down and still get the engine to run?? Do you have a big cam? If you adjust the throttle blades too far open you wont be able to adjust your idle mixture. Sorry about the earlier drivel !!

[5.7jeep]

ok i cant get the idle to come down anywhere near 1000 it is up around 15-1800. I need some serious help. I lashed the valves and there is no leak that i can see, or hear. I am not sure ow to adjust the float level on this holley it is a 4160. any help would e awesome.

[5.7jeep]

anyone?

[LilSmoke]

>>>If the Pri bowl has a sight plugand a slotted jam nut on the top of the bowl with a nut,just open the sight plug and look in.
fuel should just trickle onto the threads.If not just loosen screw and use 5/8 wrench to either raise{counterclockwise}or lower{clockwise}till fuel is in proper position.

>>>while ur there take a flashlight and look down the pri bore and see how much the butterflies are open.'what u are looking for is to see if the front side of the butterfly is either below the fuel transferhole or above it. If its open too far and above it then the reason u smell gas is its in the main circuit and not on the idle circuit.U have to get more air introduced into the engine.

>>>close the idle down till the screw is loose and butterflies closed,then take screw to seated,then 1 to 1.5 turns.Butterflies should still be below hole.Im assuming it is a vac holley ie:1850 or such. there is a set screw on the bottom of the base plate on the right side that sets the opening of the sec butterflies at idle.
Take out the set screw and turn it around so that the slotted end is up instead of down.Add 1/2 turn and see if car will idle without having to excessivellyopen the pri butterflies. If it still doesnt respond but is closer simply drill 2 3/16 holes in pri butterflies [1 in each one in front of the shaft approx mid point. what u are looking for is mixture response and idle speed within parameters.You can also gain a little with advancing the timing a smidge.

[5.7jeep]

thanks smoke i'm headed out the door right now and see what i get.

[hlweyl]

you're probably idling too fast and/or too rich of a fuel-air mix.

check those first then adjust timing if you still have a prob. i was taught to set timing like this: chock the wheels, have a friend put it in drive and push the gas until you get to about 2000 rpm..... you advance the timing (by turning the distributor) until you hear knocking, then back it off slightly and tighten the distributor back down. Done!

[Wrencher]

Originally posted by hlweyl
you're probably idling too fast and/or too rich of a fuel-air mix. I'll say

check those first then adjust timing if you still have a prob. i was taught to set timing like this: chock the wheels, have a friend put it in drive and push the gas until you get to about 2000 rpm..... you advance the timing (by turning the distributor) until you hear knocking, then back it off slightly and tighten the distributor back down. Done!

[lluciano77]

Originally posted by hlweyl
you're probably idling too fast and/or too rich of a fuel-air mix.

check those first then adjust timing if you still have a prob. i was taught to set timing like this: chock the wheels, have a friend put it in drive and push the gas until you get to about 2000 rpm..... you advance the timing (by turning the distributor) until you hear knocking, then back it off slightly and tighten the distributor back down. Done!

Someone taught you that? Is the friend that puts it in drive a trained chimp, or is it the one turning the distributor? The knocking sound is your common sense trying to tell you what your doing is lame.

I hope nobodoy takes this advice.

I like the "Done!" part. You're engine sure would be "done" timing your distributor like that.