HI. I just got my car fired up and running tonight. Engine has was built with all new parts except block. SO I got it started and it ran ruff for a few min's then smoothed out good. It warmed up fast!! I have a new stock radiator. So it heated up and ran around 190-205 degrees.. It statrted leaking oil around the distributor holdown. I had it snuged up then I tightened it more it still seeped. The intake is a ebay special! hurrican I know its junk but Its on. So its leaking oil around there and I noticed when I put the msd distributer in it was not pefectily tight in the hole in the intake.. you can move it around alittle bit but when the hold down is tight it seems to sit cenered. Is that a big prob?
I'm very confused about timing I was runing are 35degrees at 1500 rpm I cannot find any specks on how to get it timed Its a msd streetfire ignition with vacume advance. I have a 3300-3600 stall converter with 3:73 gears and 26" tires. What should my timing be at 1000 or 1500 rpm?
Also I have a holley 750vac any recomenadions on tuning my carb.. car is stripped hopping its around 3000lbs or less.
Thanks
Travis

THIS SPRING>>>NEXT TO *****S

 

To be honest there really is no spec when it comes to a hp engine. You need to figure out what it likes.

 

Thanks for the reply but Whats a ball park range?

 

well, I would say that if you are running reg iron heads or alum., you should start with around 32 total and have it in by 2k. If you are running vortec I would start a little lower and experiment. Maybe 28 total. as for initial, give it what it wants. Start at 10 degress with vac advance unhooked. Then hoook it up and start it. If it starts good, give it a little more, and keep going. Find out what it runs best at. This is the fun part of cars, figuring out what it likes.

 

I'd rev it up to 3000RPM to be sure it's all in, then set it to 34* or so. If it's 34* by 1500RPM chances are it's 45* by 3000RPM or so.

Did you put the little paper gasket under the distributor housing? Between intake and dist?

 

What cam is in this motor?

 

actually meant to type 3k, not 2k.

 

It has a summit cam with 244/254 duartion and 510/533 lift. Im runing paitirot 210 aluminum heads. True 3in dual exhaust through purple honies. so you guys are saying the timing should be about 34 degrees at 3000rpm. Yes I did put the paper gasket on I think I have that problem fixed.

 

With a cam that big you need a lot of initial base timing at idle to get it to idle right. If you don;t run a lot of spark lead at idle it will run hot, And seem over rich at idle. the throttle response will be poor.

But you can fix that:

You need at least 24+++deg timing at idle. You want the advance to peak out at 2800 to 3400rpm. Maximum advance should be 32 to 36 deg BTDC.

Some people (like me) when using a cam that big, that needs so much initial spark lead at idle, just simply "lock out" the mechanical advance and run 32 to 36 deg timing at idle full time.
As the motor wants and needs this much timing at idle because of the EGR effect at idle of the long camshaft overlap.
I think you'll find the "locked out" timing works best overall.
Its easy to do on a HEI distributor.

You can still use vacuum advance 12-15deg at high cruise for best fuel mileage.
That requires adjusting the rate and limit of the vacuum advance.

The engine will run cooler if you employ the special rear water ports on your hurricane manifold. Hook up the drivers side rear water port on the intake manifold with heater hose, to the water port outlet on the top of the water pump.
If your using a heater thats where it connects inline. this impoves the water circulation tot he cylinder heads especially while the thermostat is closed or cycling during warm up. The water temp and the thermostat operation (and cylinder head cooling) will be much more consistent and stable.
Because of the big camshaft overlap reduced intake manifold vacuum at idle you need to swap the carbs power valve for a 3.5" or 4.5" rate power valve. The power valve must be closed at idle (in gear) or the engine will tend to "load up" on you from excessive rich idle.

The stock # 72 primary jets are fine, but the sec #21 jetting plate(equvelent #76) can be upped a bit to a #80-83 jet with secondary jet extensions.
The vacu sec diaphram spring can be swapped for a faster yellow or white light tension spring for faster secondary throttle action.
The accelerator pump shooter and cam may need dialing in with the big hurricane intake manifold. Probaily need to to go to a .031 .037" accelorator shooter and play with the different coloured linkage cams.
Quick Fuel Technology and Proform both sell a cool replacement Billet fully adjustable sec vac diaphram top with a special opening rate adjustment screw.
this when combined with the various coloured diaphram springs allows you to dial in the vacuum secondary throttle opening rate to a fine fast edge.

 

Thanks for the info F-Bird 88.. If I run the water lines from the pump to the rear of the intake does that mean I conecto the 2 in the rear of the intake then run a T fitting in there to the water pump... And another Biggy What shoud my fuel pressure be I have a 130 gph summit pump and regulator with 1/2 in line all the way. I was runing it at 3.4lbs to start then turned it up to 4.4 LBS...

Thanks for the info guys I still have some work to do.

 

"Hook up the drivers side rear water port on the intake manifold to the top of the water pump"

Fuel pressure at the carb should be 7 to 9psi at idle for a Holley.
7 psi is good.
Must maintain 4psi flowing at WOT high rpm to keep the fuel bowls full enough at max power or the motor will be starved for fuel. Get some high flow .110" holley needle and seats. Get a fuel pressure gauge that you can see while driving.

If the motor is hard to start when hot, with the timing locked out, install a $10 ignition power interupt switch (SPST 15 AMP rated) on the HEI B+ 12v power wire
(big red pink power wire) and kill the spark during hot cranking. Get 'er crankin' over and throw the spark switch and it will fire up easily when hot.
You'll find a few more convenient uses for that spark power interupt switch.