I'm having trouble with what i believe is a vacuum advance issue....if i'm understanding correctly my stock 305 HEI distributor from a Camaro has a computer controlled advance?

 

engine swap from camaro to firebird of the same year....i dont understand my problems based on the symptoms. Car runs fine starts up when cold runs well....can drive 60miles non stop but the min i pull off and get to a stop and try to take off the engine stalls and becomes difficult to restart as the engine heats up or the outside temp heats up car stalls when trying to accelerate. I installed a Edelbrock intake and noticed i failed to notice the main larger vacuum tree line behind the carb dont know where this vacuum line would go other then to a vacuum advance canister

 

Computer control means there is no vacuum advance.

If possible, post pictures of what you're talking about.

 

Sorry no current pics...just completed a road trip out west 65miles as soon as i got off highway waited at light idled fine, but then tried to take off & engine stalled, takes several attempts to get it restarted i have to hold gas to the floor and rev high just to start back up....this never fails and i think as the weather gets hotter this problem we be worse. Some mechanic's think it fumes or something from a vacuum that builds up. We spent past 2months tweaking carb fuel air mixture which improved idle but problem continues. Same goes when i attempt to spin the tires....engine bogs down and chokes itself. Your thoughts and insight are much appricated....Thanks again for responding i'll work on loading some pics

 

mayb the fuel pump relay is the problem....what are symptoms of a failing relay? i dont know the current status of this or what it does but sounds similar to others with my same problem....Firebird was once a weak V6 now has the 305...relay or pump now being over worked....still sounds strange to me.

 

Need to understand more of your set-up. Carb type, fuel pump ('83 V6 didn't have an electric pump, therefore no pump relay), etc.

 

305 from a Berlinetta....Edelbrock intake, holley 4bbl carb, stock manifolds....all else is stock with exception of accessories alt, etc. This stalling has always been an issue some times fuel filter bowel is empty....guess it could be a vast veriety of issues...i do have to resolve some vacuum lines that i have just plugged up...so maybe thats the issue. Maybe some ideas as to where i can start? Not much of a machanic myself had help with complete engine swap....chk back w/u later...thanks

 

Morning,
Over the weekend discussed with my mechanic about the fuel canister that we bypassed and plug up...could this be causing the engine to stall once driven and fumes build up. What is the purpose of this canister anyways....I'll research under the fuel form.....thanks again for your time.

 

Well for starters that large vacuum port on the back of your carb is probably for power brake vacuum booster. Second it sounds like your problem is your running rich. This explains why you have to hold the pedal down when you go to start it and the car is warm to clear the flooding condition. When you set the idle air mixture did you do it with the motor hot or cold? If you did it when the motor is cold the motor requires a rich mixture for when its first started. If you set the idle mixture with the car cold and the choke open then you porbably set it to run rich which is ok when the cars cold because it needs to be alittle rich but when the car warms up its overly rich. Pull out a spark plug or two and tell us what color it is im confident it will be black. Do you know the part number of the holley you used?

 

if you bypassed the canister put a vented gas cap on it

also check that your fuel line is not too close to the motor

your fuel may be heating up too quickly

 

I'm running a Holly carb 4160 700cfm carb has been rebuilt since then, no clue what jet sizes were used. So if running too rich why cant i just add more air? Anyways i guess i need to realize this is a continuous process with endless possibilities, and must exercise some patience due to lack of funds. Thanks all for your feedback, fuel line has been repositioned, next purchase will be a dress up kit with braided fuel lines currently running rubber fuel hose plus need to replace valve cover gaskets anyways to say the least still in need of minor repairs...with all that said really surprised at the gas mileage 12-13 mpg highway. So overall I'm happy with my current setup, and excited bout the endless possibilities. Just wanted to express some gratitude to you folks. I tell my friends bout you guys, keep up the good work.
Peace

 

If you have a Holley 4160 on there, the stock '83 HEI is the wrong distributor to be using. It needs the input from the stock carb that the Holley does not have in order to control timing properly. Either put a stock q-jet on there (which means you need a stock computer, harness, and all sensors), or put in a distributor with vacuum and mechanical advance capability. The symptoms of the wrong distributor will be poor gas mileage and running rich.

You don't add more air to make the mixture less rich. The way a carburetor works, the more air you flow through it, the more fuel is drawn into the air stream. Creating a leak under the carb to add more air will not properly adjust air/fuel under all operating conditions, will not be distributed equally to all cylinders, and will allow unfiltered air into the engine. The proper way to adjust air/fuel mixture (after getting the ignition operating correctly - see first paragraph) is to rejet the carburetor.

The vapor canister should be kept in the system. It's better than a vented fuel cap. You may have to get one that doesn't need the complex controls that the factory used, but it's best to keep it.

 

Will a 4pin module HEI distributor 65,000 volt coil in cap work for my firebird?

 

Should.

 

Can't see why not...

 

Thanks guys