I'm begging... please help me trouble shoot this

[eagle mark]

Another tool you could use before a compresion test is a vaccum gauge. Vacuum readings will be steady on a good engine, if it's a rocking? You have valve problems which will cause the pop back through the carb.

Timing should be set with vacuum advance disconected and plugged.

 

[78Suburban]

Here's the dry compession results

dry compression numbers are as follows in PSI

1. 135
2. 130
3. 140
4. 130
5. 150
6. 135
7. 140
8. 135

I think these are some pretty good numbers, not quite within 10% of each other but close... the testor did get a wee bit of gassy smelling oil on it in #7... But I think this motor is pretty strong.. I don't have a vaccume guage. The more I think about it, the more I blame timing.. I'm gonna go clean up my plugs and take of the rotor and see if I'm 180* out (using compression testor to find the comp stroke of #1).... I'm gonna get to the bottom of this thing.. If I can't figure anything out messing with the timing, I suppose I will be forced to go buy a vaccume gauge... Hopefully it won't be expensive.. this Compression testor was $25!! Any more ideas are welcome... Hopefully I will be posting up pics of some wheeling by tonight, we'll just have to see what I can figure out today.
thanks,
James

 

[eagle mark]

That should be a good running engine?

 

[78Suburban]

That should be a good running engine?

I beleive it is, I feel certain I am overlooking something basic.. I'm about to go mess with the danged timing some more.
thanks,
James

 

[78Suburban]

its idling with a distinct "thud".. kinda a lumpy idle, I don't suppose that would be from a bigger cam? I just don't get it.. its holding good compression, the timing is definitely right.. and it still runs poorly.. the loud popping under acceleration almost sounds like glass packs, but I have straight pipes.. it doesn't seem to have any low end... and I swear I think it has a miss.. and lots of good ol black smoke (not like a diesel, but still a noticible poof If I blip the throttle).... any more ideas?? I'm completely out... If I take a vaccume reading, will that lead to any more ideas?
thanks,
James

 

[Beast388]

Black smoke generally means you are running way rich. Are you sure the carb is adjusted correctly? Is it too big for your engine?

 

[78Suburban]

Black smoke generally means you are running way rich. Are you sure the carb is adjusted correctly? Is it too big for your engine?

I guess I'm gonna try to adjust the idle mix screws and clean my plugs again... BTW, I hooked up a tach and she's idling at 600 rmp in P gear. guess I should bump it up to about 800 rpm??
I'm gonna look up the ebrock owners manual online and perhaps try to tinker with the idle mix screws... I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around how a carb that ran like a raped ape on a 283 would run rich of a 350... somethings not right..
thanks,
James

 

[kgblazerfive]

Idle should be higher than that out of gear.

 

[78Suburban]

how concievable is it that post 14 is right?
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=446171

Would this cause too much gas to dump into the engine and black smoke to some out of the tail pipe? How hard is it to change a timing chain? Summit has them as cheap as 15 bucks, but I don't know which would be the best to get..

 

[jhellwig]

Have you checked you rocker arms like I sugguested yet?

 

[78Suburban]

Have you checked you rocker arms like I sugguested yet?

No I haven't.. What are some good valve cover gaskets I can pick up to do it with? I have stock steel valve covers. What exactly will I be looking for?
thanks,
James

 

[jhellwig]

Fel pro. Realy any cork gaskets will work.

 

[78Suburban]

If carb tuning does not do the trick, I will try to take the covers off and get her running and see what happens... any tips on making the covers not leak when I put them back on?
thanks,
James

 

[Russell]

Don't over-tighten them. Just snug em down

 

[78Suburban]

I'm gonna check for timing chain slop before I go treaing into valve convers... something is fouling out ALL the plugs from unburned fuel.... before I even mess with checking the timing chain, I'm gonna see if I can adjust the edelbrock, although I doubt that is the source of my agony, as I tried 2 q jets that ran good before this, to no avail.
thanks,
James

 

[trx125]

Broken rocker arms the center wollows out and pops of the nut and holder and the valve won't open! or broken valve spring and its not allowing the valve to open fully have see this happen on several 305' and 350's! Bent pushrod etc etc!

 

[78Suburban]

Broken rocker arms the center wollows out and pops of the nut and holder and the valve won't open! or broken valve spring and its not allowing the valve to open fully have see this happen on several 305' and 350's! Bent pushrod etc etc!

Wow, your first post ever on ck5 was on this thread. Did you just stumble up on it from extensive searching? You're from nowhere? ........
I'm still having trouble with it, I guess I'll pull the valve covers and see what I find.
thanks,
James

 

[trx125]

Was reading about your troubles on Havoc Offroad And just read some of the thread!

 

[78Suburban]

Was reading about your troubles on Havoc Offroad And just read some of the thread!

are you good at wrenching? You wanna try to help me out with it?
thanks,
James

 

[trx125]

Give me a call @ 334-355-1672 I am up late! we can talk for a minute if you want! ask for Michael