I built my car and got it on the road last year. As soon as it was drivable I quit messing with it cause I enjoy driving it around.

It sorely lacks the performance that I think it should have so I need some advice and there are MANY highly competent folks here

The engine:

Profesionally built 383 stroker built long block. Balanced
Speed Pro hyperu's about 10:1
eagle 6" rods
Scat cast crank
ProTop line torker series heads 167 runners, 64 cc chambers
Speed Pro mild cam 442 lift (it is similiar to the old LT1 grind I think the number is 179R?)
HEI set up with all performance components
Accel wires
Recommended plugs (from head manufacturer)
Stock, mechanical fuel pump
Brand New 670 dual feed Holley Street Avenger with no modifications, floats set to recommendations with sight plugs.
Edelbrock Performer intake
Headers and true dual exhaust
Everything else is stock.

WHAT IT DOES- smells rich at idle, occasionally quits firing on #1 cylinder (if I take out the plug and dry the plug and the hole the problem goes away for awhile)
Fouls the plugs in less than 100miles of routine driving. Sometimes when I am cruising at about 3K and leave off the gas it pops (sounds like one hole) Seems to have a bit of fuel dumped in the gas but not enough to really thin the oil

WHAT IT DOES NOT DO- It does not burn the tires off. When it down shifts (even at 40+mph it will chirp the tires) I have not really tried to do a good burn out, it will break the 4:10 posi loose if I power brake it.

I have the initial timing set at 8* and I have one stock and one lite spring on the HEI with the stock weights etc. The coil and cap are Accel hi po stuff. It seems that all the timing is coming in about right

I have 7 lbs of fuel pressure at the carb.
very consistently. I bought but have not installed a regulator only the gauge

I have 20lbs! of vaccum at idle on the non modulated port of the carb. (this was measured using a good gauge)

I can supply any additional detals as needed. I will try almost anything that anbody tells me to do. I have all the tools and the desire to learn.

I have paid a couple of "experts" to dial the car in but their changes have been a big disappointment. This is something that I want to learn so I need help.

I know this was long but I would be more than grateful if I could get some of these bugs worked out since the car looks pretty good.

Thanks in advance
Brent

well, i guess the thing to ask you is what kinda convertor and trans do you have in the car? Nate

Stock converter, 1900 I think and a TH350 with a shift kit.

The car has only run at idle over the winter, I pulled the plugs and #1 was oily and fouled. I paniced and bought a compression guage and found that all cylinders have 165lbs of compression +/-no more than 2lbs.

I put some new low heat range AC Delco platinum plugs gapped at .40 and ran it around kicked all the cobwebs out and it is noticably better. Still a bit of a bog when the secondaries kick.

Since most of the problems I have had are with #1, I am wondering if I have a bad stem seal and the plug gets badly fouled and can't fire. I pulled the plugs after a couple of pretty hard and hi revving runs and they plugs looked perfect.

I am not sure what else to say or do.

Brent

Where are you getting the 12 volts for the HEI? Your car is a 1970 which used a resistor wire to the coil which knocked down the incoming voltage to 6 or 7 volts. Did you use the same wire to the positive side of the HEI? If so, you need to switch it to a 12 volt ignition switched source.

Mike,

I ran a new wire, can't remember from where. I converted to a single wire, modern alternator and updated most of the wiring harness at the same time. I used then internal voltage regulator in the new alternator and have had no problems. I removed the resistor wire when I converted it. I have a full 12V. I am sure that would make problems on an HEI but how much the worse it would be if a points system got a FULL 12!

[This message has been edited by earlysecond (edited March 19, 2005).]

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2">WHAT IT DOES- smells rich at idle, occasionally quits firing on #1 cylinder (if I take out the plug and dry the plug and the hole the problem goes away for awhile)
Fouls the plugs in less than 100miles of routine driving. Sometimes when I am cruising at about 3K and leave off the gas it pops (sounds like one hole) Seems to have a bit of fuel dumped in the gas but not enough to really thin the oil</font>

This used to happen to me. #3 cyl would misfire and the plug would die due to raw fuel being dumped into the cylinder. First thing I would look for is a vacuum leak. ANYWHERE! Mine ended up being that cheap wooden carb. spacer was cracked on the dirver's side.

Where is your timing set?

It sounds like timing and carb both need to be tuned to your engine.

With those heads and that cam you should have serious gobs of low end, and with 4.10 gears it should spin them anytime you look at the pedal.

I'd suggest a bump in timing. I like 10-12 initial and 34-36 on long stroke sbc's. What about your vacuum advance? Is it hooked to full vacuum or ported? Hooking it to full vacuum can really help clean up the idle, and an adjustable can instead of the stock one will help you dial in things good.

I assume those heads came with screw in studs? Those can sometimes leak. You may check that. Also while you're there retorque the intake. Sometimes the gasket gives over time.

I would say it's the Holley from sitting so long. The gaskets like to shrink over time, but since only one cylinder is misfiring, I'd check that out first.

roadrace- I will check for a vac leak, it would not hurt to go retorque everything. Since I am pulling 20 vac at idle (non modulated) what is the liklihood?

My timing was at 8 initial and 32 total, I am going to change weights and springs and have it set by somebody with a good light. One time I did have it too far advanced and the starter would bind when hot so I backed it off.

I have my advance hooked to the modulated port on the Holley (top one) it reads 5lbs at idle.

The cooler plugs seem to have made a difference across the throttle range.

I will check the ideas posted here, if anybody can think of anything else, let me know, please.
Brent