Well this is my first post. I have a 89 Camaro rs with 305 tbi. The car was running perfect with the exception of some smoking. So I took it apon myself to change the valve stem seals and o-rings. After completing the job without taking the heads out using the string technique.

Put it all back together and now I have a rough idle. After multiple valve adjustments I have gotten the car to idle pretty good and respond decent to pressing the gas pedal. But when I turn my ac on now it bogs down almost to where it sounds like its going to die and response is slow and sluggish like its missing. I swear to myself its a vacuum leak. But WHERE!! Everything thing seems fine.

Im going to get some starter fluid tomorrow to see if I can find any leaks.

Is there something I am missing that I should have done? Any help would be much appreciated.

 

First question: Did you install the O-ring seals BEFORE or AFTER you installed the spring retainer?

The common failure is to put the o-ring in the valve groove, then install the retainer and keepers. This is not correct. The retainer must be installed, then the O-ring put on the valve stem, then the keepers.

HOW are you adjusting the valves? I'd expect that--barring a vacuum leak or broken valve spring or other reassembly mistake--the valve adjustment is too tight, so some valves aren't properly closing.