Hi, guys, i just registered on this board today. My names Ken, I'm a student at Universal Technical Institute, and I have a couple buddies that post on this board, 1 from school, and a couple from the net.

Now, I don't own a 3rd gen camaro/firebird, I own a 1985 chevy C-10, but, you guys here seem to REALLY know your stuff, and I need some help on a few things. Plus, I haven't found one decent truck forum yet.

So, on to my questions. I bought my truck not to long ago. Supposidly, it has 2.73's in the rear, and it has the 4 speed trans, with non-synchronized low gear, L-1-2-3-R. It has the GM Goodwrench crate motor from jeggs, less than 1 year old. According to Jeggs, with headers and a 4 barrel carb, it should have 260 hp, and 350 ft/lbs torque. Now, it really doesn't seem like it has anywhere near the power it should, even with the 2.73's. First, I have my timing set pretty good, but, I cannot get the mark on the damper to line up anywhere near my timing tab. My mark, when the distributer is set so it idles and runs quite well, is literally straight up and down. I have not been able to get the truck to run with teh distributer in any other position, so, I really have no way of knowing where my timing is set at, unfortunately.

I cannot seem to get the secondaries to open, either. I should be able to open them with my finger, or a screwdriver, if I try to push down that butterfly, right? Because, I cannot. I've got the idle screw turned down enough so it idles at about 650. But, I can smell gas, especially when I'm just puttin around a lil bit, and I'm only getting about 10-12 mpg, which, I really think is quite poor.

Basically, I'm saying I have no clue how to tune a quadrajet, this is the first tiem I've owned a carb'd vehicle, adn I was hoping somebody here would be able to help me out. Thank you very much.

Ken.

 

BTW, it has 8.5:1 compression, headers, HEI distributer, and a holley street dominator intake. How does that intake work for a low compression, low-revving small block, btw? I've been told by a few people that, with 87 octane, I would possibly get better power and mileage with a stock manifold, something about the air/fuel mixture moving too slow with a q-jet, that intake, and the low compression? Is any of this nonsence true?

 

Where did the timing cover and timing tab come from? Also, have you removed the distributor? Sometimes when I have something that I cant figure out I like to start over. Take the engine to top dead center on comp stroke and restab the distributor with rotor pointing at #1, make sure all the wires are straight, and try again. This usually helps get it all right. Anyway, you say that you go to UTI? Do you know a kid named Adam Wall, from
Mt. Olive, IL?

 

No, I dont' know adam. Is he in the morning calsses, like me? If not, I'll probably never meet him, lol. Actually, thast what I did, I took the distributer out, and did everything from scratch. for some reason, my timing marks are still dead on 12:00 when running, with the vacuum line plugged. Dunno where the timing cover came from, I'm assuming it was on the engine when the kid bought it, I bought the truck with the motor already in it. He had the receipt, it was less than a year old

 

Does anybody know where a beginner can find info on how to tune this thing? Or, am I going to have to take it to somebody who hopefully knows what they are doing?

 

The Haynes "Rochester Carburetor Manual" or HP Books "Rochester Carburetors" by Doug Roe are both very good books covering operation, tuning, repair, and improvement of the q-jet.

The Goodwrench crate motor has the timing tab at the 1:30 o'clock position. The original engine most likely had it at the 12 o'clock position. If the damper from the original engine was put on the Goodwrench engine, it'll never work right. You need to determine which damper you have, or determine TDC and re-mark your damper.

BTW, when the engine is running, you shouldn't be able to push on and open the secondary air valve - it should be held closed by the choke pull-off diaphragm.