My '70 C/10 - The Rat Bastard... [Won't Idle.]

[TheBeast_88K5]

Okay, thanks.

 

[82355]

That is normal, do like Paul said.

Martin

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

The junkyard starter just sh*t the bed....

Whats a good Mini-Starter?
Summit good enough?

 

[Smokinthehippies]

Mini starter suggestion... Don't get a mini starter.

Haven't had good luck. And that was with a name brand starter. Fixed it by getting a napa replacement with no issues.

 

[dremu]

The junkyard starter just sh*t the bed....

Whats a good Mini-Starter?
Summit good enough?

The only good mini-starter ... is a normal one.

After replacing a number of parts-store starters, I started buying AC Delcos, at the dealer, and stopped having to replace them. (That was even on that big honkin' BBC that Scott built for me.)

Also, get thee to the Help! section at the parts house. Motormite (Dorman, whatever) makes a heatshield for the solenoid.

http://www.dormanproducts.com/p-3269-45629.aspx

In combination, I've not had to replace starters any more, and that length of 2x4 I carry to beat on the solenoid when it sticks has gone unused.

-- A

 

[63chevyll]

Starters.

Use a 5.7 vortec starter. 96-00 need different bolts but they work better than a mini

 

[Bowtie85]

I've got a knock off powermaster mini starter, no complaints so far. Got about 4-5000 miles on it.

Needed it cause I've got the small Chevy flywheel on da Beaumont.

Like others said, the vortec mini is a nice piece.

 

[Stomis]

Keystone mini starter here. Just an unbranded power master. Spins the motor like a maniac even with a crazy amount of base timing.

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

Keystone mini starter here. Just an unbranded power master. Spins the motor like a maniac even with a crazy amount of base timing.

See.... I have 18* initial and about 10.2:1 compression.
And, headers....

The majority of the guys on 67-72, in my situation, seem to be running mini's.
although, that Big Block Dremu had was a snorty mofo, and it spun with a normal one.

 

[Stomis]

18*? Get a mini or a vortex starter. The vortex starter is an OE gear driven if I remember correctly.

 

[sweetk30]

18*? Get a mini or a vortex starter. The vortex starter is an OE gear driven if I remember correctly.

its vortec NOT vortex you noob . . .

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

^this guy.

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

18*?

Thats where its idling happy.
Mind you, i have yet to drive it.

But, Ive heard everything from everyone....
"Start at 6*." (wouldnt even feign the notion of starting at 6*.)
"10 is what you want."
"No, 12."
"No, 16."
"But, mine takes 20."
And so on...

So, I started at 12.
She liked 14.
16 sounded better.
18*, you can actually feel the idle in yer chest...

At 20* it was either ping'ing, or the valves being out of adjustment made it unhappy.
So I backed down to 18*, adjusted the valves (engine off), and the starter gave out.

What should I be doing, that I dont know about?

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

When you guys refer to the 96-00 Vortec starter,
You are refering to the "small" one, correct?
I called a couple parts houses, both asked.
Assumed the small one, but you know where assuming gets you...

 

[dremu]

What should I be doing, that I dont know about?

Read up on total timing and recurving your distributor. Zim might have gone over this earlier in this thread.

Short answer: You gotta consider not just base timing as measured on the damper, but the mechanical advance and vacuum advance. If one of these is too high then the motor can ping at RPM even though the base is right.

Umm, a quick Google brings up stuff like

http://www.pontiacstreetperformance.com/psp/distcurve.html

You'll need a $5 spring kit for your dizzy. I use a timing light with adjustable advance, but maybe your really long timing tape will work.

-- A

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

I know.
Ive read A LOT about timing....
(And, my tape does to 60*, cuz you canonly use basic lights with an MSD.)
It was understanding, that was the problem.

The distribitor I have now (delco, with msd guts),
Has 16* mechanical, hence 18* idle, with 34 being the all in happy zone, by 2,500rpm.
I have yet to do anything about the vacuum advance.

Edit:
DERP.... Answered my "pinging with 20* base timing" statement, right there.
Of course it pinged at 3k rpm, with 36*.

 

[dremu]

I know.
Ive read A LOT about timing.
It was understanding, that was the problem.

The distribitor I have now (delco, with msd guts),
Has 16* mechanical, hence 18* idle, with 34 being the all in happy zone, by 2,500rpm.
I have yet to do anything about the vacuum advance.

Edit:
DERP.... Answered my "pinging with 20* base timing" statement, right there.
Of course it pinged at 3k rpm, with 36*.

Yeah, I seem to recall 34-36* total, all-inclusive, at WFO, being about the max before pinging, depending on the motor. That hot bigblock in the crewcab was willing to take a bit more than the stock-type 350 in the Blazer.

-- A

 

[82355]

Meh, some engines will take more than that. It is hard to put a solid number on what is maximum. I knew a kid that had a 400 in a Trans Am that was well over 40* total timing with no detonation.

Martin

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

Yep... 34-36, by 3k rpm, WOT.
That seems to be the popular generalization for BB's.

Mine likes 34, but I want to try to squeeze it for power.
So, I want all in timing to happen quickly.

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

Meh, some engines will take more than that. It is hard to put a solid number on what is maximum. I knew a kid that had a 400 in a Trans Am that was well over 40* total timing with no detonation.

Martin

True.

Its all in the setup really.