OK so I've spent all my extra money and time on my 1983 camaro with a t5 Trans it had a lg4 in the beginning this winter I got a old 350 block and vortec heads it is standard stroke it has flat top pistons 4 valve relief .039 in the hole it has a .040 head gasket standard 906 heads re worked but still 64cc+ I live on canAda I only run supreme gas it's 91 octane here I belive and it has a comp cams XE-262 the motor pings in take off it has a rebuilt stock hei can any one help I can't really tune the hei it has play in it and Ithe leaks a bit of oil up through it and now to top it all off for some reason my carb goes dry if my car sits for more then a day

 

It is bored .040 over as well and a Weiand stealth intake and a edelbrock 1406 carb this motor will wind up no problem just this ticking sound on take off or light load at part throttle please tell me I can fix it semi cheaply

 

Also I'm a long time lurker of these forms you guys have helped me do everything to my car I thank you very much

 

Assuming all the valves are opening correctly, pretty much has to be something about the dist.

Wouldn't be surprised if the whole advance mechanism of the dist is stuck.

Try replacing it. Something about like this. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-850001r/overview/

 

Is the compression somthing I can work with and only burn 91 octane I've try ed everything the distributer has a summit rebuild kit in it but it has 26 degrees of vacation advance it's just really wore out I need to know that it will work

 

Ok, take a deep breath it sounds like you are in panic mod which thats not going to help.

Give us more info on your timing?

What is the timing at idle w/o vac advance line hooked up?
What is your timing curve? You need to map this out
Say idle, 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500 rpm, 2700, 2800, 2900, 3000, 3100, 3200, 3300, 3400, 3500, 3600, 3700, 4000, 4500 RPM with out vac advance hooked up

What is your timing at idle with vac advance hooked up?

What port on carb do you have the vac advance hooked up too?

Your compression shouldn't be that high or much of an issue. It is around 9.3 to 9.5:1 so right about stock third gen V8 compression range with a bigger cam and much better heads.

I think your prob is timing and/or the distributor. Nothing major but you need to get it fixed ASAP as that ping can lead to major failures if left.

Post back with the above info and we will get it straightened out.

 

I'll get all that for you tomorrow tonight I had to work and then had to fight fires I'll get back adapter and thank you it means a lot your willing to help

 

OK there is a msd tape on the ballancer I set the zero mark to 12 for initial but where the tab is supposed to be zero reads 20 so when I have the initial set to 12 without using the msd tape then when you look at the tape it says 20 unless the tube isn't tdc0 but acording to the tape here it is 750 rpm 12°
1000 rpm 15°
1500 rpm 22°
2000 rpm 27°
2500 rpm 29°
3000 rpm 32
and it's stays at 32° after that
Today when I did this I took it up the road and it's way worse now I changed the timing and was playing with idea screws I found that my pump outlet had a Leak so I fixed it it starts now other then that I'm soo fustrated with this sound it's really bothering me that I can't drive my baby

 

Ok, those #'s look pretty good. Advances a good bit, pretty quick on, but over all a mild timing curve and mild total timing. I would not think that is your cause.

We now know it is NOT your mech. advance.

What about your vac advance? How much timing does it add to those above figures?

 

It does it without it and with it hooked up but if I use manifold Vac it gives me 26° on top of my inital

 

Do you have the right reach of spark plug??? I cannot tell you how many people try to just get the pugs for their year of car when running vortec heads. The vortec plugs are longer than the earlier small blocks. The wrong plugs can cause it to run all kind of weird.

 

What!?!?!? I have accel shorty plugs for my car lol what should I go buy

 

OK I just got 8 acdelco plugs for 97 350 vortec so I'll put them in when I get home

 

What gap should I use

 

So I got proper plugs which are 1/4" longer lol inside the head and my pinging got worse I don't have a lot of money but should I change the cam?

 

Hmmm, that does not sound right at all.

The cam and compression should be fine really. I have built many vortec headed engines using close to that same combo with no detonation probs.

In fact in my S10 I have a 355, vortec heads, 10.24:1 compression, 214/224@.050" cam, .484"/.512" lift, and runs fine on 89 octane, I run 93 most times in it though, have not tried 87. IIRC I'm running 16* timing at idle, 33* total all in my 3000 rpm

Ping is caused by lack of octane, too much compression, cam too small, timing to advanced, too much load on engine (converter stall speed too low/tight), plug heat range too hot, air/fuel ratio too lean. Then of course carbon build up and what not but thats not the case here.

We can rule out...
Timing
Converter being yours is a T5
Cam
Compression
Carbon build up.

What carb do you have on it?

 

Edelbrock 1406 and 8 was talking to comp cams and they said the cam is the smallest they would recommend is there a possibility my compression is a bit higher? And causing these issues or is there anything else all valves are opening the same it idles smooth but it sounds different then right after the break in what other tests can I do or what can I change without tearing it apart I need to get some driving in this year

 

You can do a cranking compression test to see what cylinder pressure you have. My guess would be in the 150-160 psi range max.

Cylinder pressure is your real "compression" You will not have detonation probs from compression/cam for the most part until you get into the 180+ psi range and often not until 190+ psi.

When I 1st read your post I ran a compression cal. on your listed specs and no I do not think your compression is high based on the fact you have such a wide quench (.039" in hole and .040" gaskets)

I'm .025" in hole and .015" gaskets on my S10's engine.

It is gonna sound diff after break in. The break in wears away just a slight bit of metal so as the cam 'breaks in' you will get the true sound after 50 miles or so on it.

The 1406 carb is jetted/rodded lean from the factory, so they may be something to look into.. Do you know how to read spark plugs for jetting? If so you need to check that out cause if you are lean it will ping on you... Most of the time with a lean cond, you will notice the ping at the top of each gear as you run car through it's RPM range

 

What if the valve timing was off? Intake valve closing too early.
Wouldn't this show up in a compression test?

 

First pump averaged 30 psi all maxed at 140-155 psi for compression test I have full specs if needed

 

First pump averaged 30 psi all maxed at 140-155 psi for compression test I have full specs if needed

 

OK so could the cam be too small and what should I be looking for on spark plugs

 

No, if cam was too small it would give the engine more cylinder pressure. That's why you match cam and compression so the large cam/large overlap does not bleed off too much cylinder pressure.

IMHO if anything your cam is slightly to big, but that is not the cause of your ping so don't worry about that.

Spark plugs.. To read plugs, you need to make a W.O.T pass/run for a 1/4 mile or so, then shut engine off and coast to side of road or back to pits if at track.. Pull the plug and look for coloring on the ground strap, base ring/thread (1st thread)

I will post more detailed info on reading plugs in a little bit when I have more time

 

Here you go. I remembered I posted plug reading info up before so I found it and copied/pasted

The ground strap of plug can be used to read heat range and timing.

The base ring of plug (part that ground strap is welded to) can be used to read jetting.

Look for color change on the ground strap, if the color changes closer to the welded on place, plug is too hot.

If color changes closer to the open end of strap, plug is too cold

Color should change at the half point


Look at the base ring of plug for blackness. You want 1 full turn of light colored soot for perfect jetting.

Max power would be alittle leaner than that.. Like 3/4 to 7/8 of a fuel turn of light soot, but run risk of running too lean.

If there is spots of heavy build up of soot, or dry soot on the top ring, jetting is too rich.

Do not look at the porcelain to read jetting!

The porcelin only will tell you of preignition/detonation which will show up as tiny black or silver specs/flakes on the porcelain


For timing look at the ground strap, at the base ring for a carbon mark. The carbon mark should be flush with the threads. If further down on the threads you have too much timing.

If higher up on the strap the timing is too retarded.

about 1/16" movement of carbon mark = 1 degree of timing.