The Force Awakens...

[Grumpy]

make a change, note the result, write it down, move to the next logical step and take notes
you'll find the method results in you learning a great deal and, youll be finding you will eventually see a pattern in the changes vs results.
sometimes changes help, other times they don,t,
if they don,t its always an option to un-do the change and try something else.
if you sense the floats or jets or fuel flow control rods , or fuel pressure need changing,
why have at it!
your sure to gain experience and learn from EACH AND EVERY success and mistakes made!
take accurate detailed, notes and you can always back track if required!

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

And leave the floats alone as well... and vacuum advance, connected?

Try leaving the Full Time Vacuum Advance Line On.
I am Leary of that Technique.
A few Trans Am Pontiac guys do that including a Moderator I know .
They are just highway driving cruising to car shows and big meets.
Never Speeding to Triple digits or racing.

Leave the present skinniest primary metering rods in.
Go 2 jet sizes bigger on the Primaries.

Go 2 sizes steps up on secondary jets.

Optional for now 2-4 More degrees initial advance for 2-4 More total degrees total ignition advance.

Document changes made.

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

Leave the Floats alone.
Seldom have to mess with on Eddie Edelbrock Carbs.

 

[Loves302Chevy]

Guys, correct me if I'm wrong.
When using full time vacuum advance, when you mash the throttle the vacuum goes to near zero - and so does your timing advance.
Then the engine reacts slowly until about 2800 rpm when everything finally "catches up".

If this is what you are experiencing Dorian, then use more initial timing and no vacuum advance during tuning.
Get the initial and centrifugal correct first, then you can add the PORTED vacuum advance later.

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

It seems idle is better for many using full time vacuum advance.
About 70 % of TA guys now are 60-82.
Some Remember Racing going real fast.
Flat out told me they are too old now to do it again.

 

[T-Test]

make a change, note the result, write it down, move to the next logical step and take notes
you'll find the method results in you learning a great deal and, youll be finding you will eventually see a pattern in the changes vs results.
sometimes changes help, other times they don,t,
if they don,t its always an option to un-do the change and try something else.
if you sense the floats or jets or fuel flow control rods , or fuel pressure need changing,
why have at it!
your sure to gain experience and learn from EACH AND EVERY success and mistakes made!
take accurate detailed, notes and you can always back track if required!

I used to love to go to the drag strip and watch the big boys with their weather stations and note pads full of data to go back to make a win. First one I really paid attention to was Grump Jenkins. He was all business.

 

[Grumpy]

most guys have little real experience at isolate and test procedures and many can,t use test equipment or even fully understand what to look for.
DON,T PAY FOR IT ...DO IT YOURSELF!!!
IT WILL COST LESS EVEN AFTER PAYING FOR THE TOOLS, than paying for it AT MOST GARAGES.
A compression test,ALONE, IS NOT A LEAK DOWN TEST, a LEAK DOWN TEST WILL GIVE YOU THE COMPRESSION TEST INFO, ALONG WITH OTHER INFO

you'll find that you'll gain basic skills, own new tools and PAY LESS MONEY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leak-down_tester

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/11 ... index.html

BEFORE YOU GET INVOLVED WITH TESTING , YOUR ENGINE,READ THRU THESE THREADS, AND LINKS AS THEY WILL HELP ISOLATE THE PROBLEM, and THEY HAVE A GOOD DEAL OF USEFUL INFO
you really need

http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/e...1100200223789&utm_content=All Extech Products
INFRARED TEMP GUN

a timing light,

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-1-2-half ... 95670.html
multi meter,

vacuum gauge,

fuel pressure gauge

http://www.harborfreight.com/cylinder-l ... 94190.html

HARBOR FREIGHT, UNDER $40

http://buy1.snapon.com/products/diagnos ... pv309a.asp

SNAP ON $330

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-900010/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/OTC-5609/

SUMMIT $80-$100
compression test /leak down tester

dial indicator with stand

and a degree wheel

damper tool

and a shop manual
and more related reference material
certainly won,t hurt

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/verifying-your-real-advance-curve.4683/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/bare-minimum-tools.11026/#post-48779

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/no-computer-now-what.13973/#post-71209

 

[DorianL]

Hi Gents,

So I spent a good part of my Labor Day testing and tuning. I am not going to say it runs sweet as a nut, but we are getting there.

Interestingly when I pulled the horn of the AFB, I noticed that floats looked in poor shape. I replaced them with a pair that I had in my parts bin that looked much more recent. This significantly cleaned things up.

Idle, economy and power all seem good. Very good. Leading me to wonder if these heads have been ported.

WOT seems better... but yet it feels like there is something missing.

I do not know if I have reached the limits of the combination or if there is still something on the table. I will go back and check total timing.

I am also beginning to suspect leaky oil seals on the heads.

Here are what my plugs look like now.

 

[DorianL]

I also tuned a lot by 'ear'. I don't know about you guys but for some reason I can hear if things are a bit rich.

Nose as well, come to think of it. The idle at least.

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

Hi Gents,

So I spent a good part of my Labor Day testing and tuning. I am not going to say it runs sweet as a nut, but we are getting there.

Interestingly when I pulled the horn of the AFB, I noticed that floats looked in poor shape. I replaced them with a pair that I had in my parts bin that looked much more recent. This significantly cleaned things up.

Idle, economy and power all seem good. Very good. Leading me to wonder if these heads have been ported.

WOT seems better... but yet it feels like there is something missing.

I do not know if I have reached the limits of the combination or if there is still something on the table. I will go back and check total timing.

I am also beginning to suspect leaky oil seals on the heads.

Here are what my plugs look like now.

View attachment 10766 View attachment 10767 View attachment 10768

That spark plug with the dark deposit on the porcelain is likely the source of the miss.
Close the spark plug gaps to .035" on a fresh set of plugs and retest.

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

I also tuned a lot by 'ear'. I don't know about you guys but for some reason I can hear if things are a bit rich.

Nose as well, come to think of it. The idle at least.

To Clean lightly fouled spark plugs off I drive up to 60 mph on a clear road.
Ease into the gas to get up to 80 - 100 mph.
Let off off and coast down to 60 mph again.
Repeat 2 or 3 times.
Most of the time all 8 spark plugs will be cleaned off of crap deposits.
If you do a hard WOT run on fouled spark plugs they will often glaze over and permanent fuse a conductive path on the porcelain.
Cause a difficult to find misfire till you remove spark plugs to examine up close.
What I see in the photos you gave Dorian.

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

Get some MMO Marvel Mystery Oil Dorian.
Put 4-8 ounces in the Gas Tank.
It helps with the shit crap ethanol E10 Mix Gasoline.

 

[DorianL]

And of course, nothing in life is easy, there was a "rest of the story".

The engine fired up immediately after the upgrade and was surprisingly smooth and stable.

Then I thought I heard a slight pop and burble...



The nylon oil line failed. Presumably I bumped it at some point... possibly when reinstalling the intake manifold, or popping the old one off.

It pretty much dumped all the oil out within a very short period of time.

Glad I caught it. Happier still that I had in my parts bin replacement fittings.

Another item for my to do list: replace the entire oil sender line.

 

[Grumpy]

theres not a single experienced hot rodder that has not at some point busted an electrical connection,
forgotten to correctly adjust some part, or had an unexpected part break or oil leak

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

Use Braided Teflon lined Aeroquip #3 or #4 AN Race hose Dorian.
Did that to my 1963 Gp earlier this year.
Nylon oil line was ready to pop too.
Just in time I replaced.

 

[Indycars]

One of the benefits of electrical sending units, versus mechanical.

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

Electric sending units can leak without notice and then sudden dump oil everywhere.
Happens all the time on late model GM cars & all makes.
The electric oil pressure sensor failed on my 87 Corvette back in 2008.

 

[Indycars]

Electric sending units can leak without notice and then sudden dump oil everywhere.

At least it's not inside the car !!! Have you tried cleaning 3-4 quarts of oil from the carpet?

Beside all I said was it was "One of the benefits of electrical sending units". Nothing is perfect,
or maybe you could enlighten me ????????

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

At least it's not inside the car !!! Have you tried cleaning 3-4 quarts of oil from the carpet?

Beside all I said was it was "One of the benefits of electrical sending units". Nothing is perfect, or maybe you could enlighten me in your features ????????

Just saying.
Losing engine oil from the crankcase under pressure from the oil pump is bad.

 

[Indycars]

Losing engine oil from the crankcase under pressure from the oil pump is bad.

Well there is a new concept ! Glad you told me or I would have never thought of that.