ok, so i really dont know much about cars but i am trying to learn. i have an 85 camaro with a 383 stroker that was not running when i bought it. All i really know about the motor is that there is an edelbrock intake and holley 600 carb. In order to get it running i have put in new plugs/wires, new timing chain (after figuring out that it was 180 degrees out of time), new tranny, valve cover gaskets, carb/intake gasket.

The problem i am having now is idle. when i can get the car running, it idles terribly. If i advance the timing using the distributor, it will idle very high (not sure exactly how high due to a broken tach) If i retard the timing It runs very rough and hardly stays idling.

I have used an old style timing gun on it and now have it timed, but it still runs bad. With the way it is running now, in time i think..... when i hit the throttle it does not seem to be getting enough fuel, or possibly too much..

does anyone know what could be wrong? please help! if you need more info i will try and help

 

well, just to get things running quickly, ditch the timing light. Advance it to where is idles high, and better i assume, then turn the idle down to a more normal speed, then play with the dizzy again and see what happens, adjusting idle as needed. then see how it runs. Are you sure the timing chain was replaced correctly?

the idle screw should be on the driverside facing up and a little to the rear, and close to the carb body.

if you have the vacuum advance hooked up and you time it with the light, the setting will be way off.

 

ok so i got it to idle high and the turned down the idle with the screw... i then moved the dizzy and it was just as bad. so i turned it up to where it was idling high again and tried to go for a drive. it was wierd b/c it felt like i was running a v2 insead of a v8. there was no power at all. idk wat to do

 

what i was trying to get you to do was to set the dizzy to where it was idling high, set the engine speed to a normal sounding speed. How does it run at that point? do you have the vacuum advance hooked up?

it sounds like you have the engine retarded too much.

 

make sure you are tightening the clamp on the distributor, as it can turn or lift the distributor up, altering the timing.

Your cam timing was 180° off? I'd say your firing order was 180° off.