Originally Posted by K4KAK

I have a 1990 RS. It has a 305HO block, vortec heads, what looks to be a standard intake with a quadrajet 4bbl carb. headman long tube headers and flowmasters and msd ignition with vacuum advance joined to a bw 5 speed transmission.... my low end torque seems to be absent.... what do I check or do.... I just bought the car and the papers and reciepts for the parts and labor where in the console...

Originally Posted by K4KAK

what looks to be a standard intake with a quadrajet 4bbl carb. headman long tube headers and flowmasters and msd ignition with vacuum advance

Originally Posted by jay173

I know if people use platinum plugs instead of copper it looses low end torque.

Originally Posted by TreeFiddy

Not that I have any experience with it, but doesn't the stock cc qjet require the computer and cc dist (non vac) to work correctly as a whole system?

Originally Posted by Black88Z

Well, it is a 305 carbed... jk lol I would start of course by upgrading the intake, and then either tuning or replacing the carb. It sounds like you have a decent setup, so you should have SOME power behind it.. I know that stock intake and carb are holding you back though.

Id also check and make sure everything is in good shape and proper tune, a 350hp engine will feel weak if its not running right. Make sure your spark plugs are in good shape, make sure your getting good spark, check filters, ect. ect.

Originally Posted by TreeFiddy

Not that I have any experience with it, but doesn't the stock cc qjet require the computer and cc dist (non vac) to work correctly as a whole system?

Originally Posted by Black88Z

This is true, I hadent even noticed this. If you are running the stock carb with a non computer controlled distributor, your car will run in "limp mode". It runs much weaker and less efficient because the computer is looking for imput from the distributor but insnt getting any. you have to do either all CC or no CC.

I just switched to platinum plugs, and pretty much every "gear-head" i know runs them, and ive never heard any compliants on loss of torque. I have a few friends with camaros (3rd gens even) and they said its only helped, no loss of torque.

Originally Posted by Atilla the Fun

Guys, it's a '90, there was no carb offered. If it's a CC dizzy with any carb, then it could be in Limp-Home mode, but then there'd be no upper-RPM power, either. So assume non-cc dizzy. Running a CC QJ on a non-CC engine isn't great, but it is driveable, if you can afford the gas. I had to do it once, so I know.

Originally Posted by Atilla the Fun

It is possible, conditionally, but it is not requisite. Here's the deal: Platinum plugs get hot and stay hot. If this causes pre-ignition, then the computer pulls timing, thinking the knock sensor is reading detonation. Platinum plugs are not for engines originally equipped with copper-core plugs AND with knock sensors. However, platinums in Vortecs is not inherently problematic.