What's wrong w/ my timing/dist/ fuel 383

[doncarson]

S0.

My 73 Cuda has a 383, stock heads, weiand intake, eddy 650 carb, MSD 6al w/ MSD pro power coil, and Mopar elect dist. w/ vacuum advance and MSD wires. Factory fuel pump. Carb looks new and I don't know if jets/rods have been changed. I think the motor has a stock cam.

Here's what's wrong,
Stinks when running of exhaust gases, plugs are between tan and chocolate, not fouled black.

If total advance is set arount 36*,  the timing at idle (1000rpms)  is at 0* DTC. and it stalls and is very hard to restart.

If I set idle timing at 18* total is 40+ (guessing, it has the stock timing tab and vibration dampner so I can't say for sure, but at 3000rpm it runs bad.Starts great but too much timing.

Why is there so much advance on a factory dist?

It surges at steady speeds  (30 to 60 mph).

How can I get it to start, idle and run decent???

As it is right now it's no fun to drive.

Please Help
Thanks,
Don

[doncarson]

One more thing..... gas mileage SUCKS!!!

What should I do???
Get a MSD billet dist?
Change carb?

Ideas please
Thanks,
DOn

[Changin Gears]

By total timing, do mean initial + mechanical + vacuum?

[matt63]

What you really need is adjustment so you can have your 15 -18 degrees initial timing and get 34-36 degrees total.   This means you will need only about 20 degrees of mechanical advance.  I don't know if all MP distributors have adjustable mechanical advance but my SB unit does.  If you have a factory stock one then not.  You'll have to adjust the overall timing/advance to get 34-36 overall at around 2000 rpm (I'm not sure of the exact desired specs but it's in the ballpark)  On my MP distributor there are screws inside that can be loosened so that the plates can slide in and out.  It's trail and error.  If it's not adjustable you can get a shop that recurves distributors to weld up the slots and grind them out to get around 18-20 degrees of mechanical advance.  You should also adjust the vacuum advance to minimize it.  You could also just buy an MSD which use little offset bushings to change the mechanical advance.

Per the above, the timing is set with the vacuum advance hose off and carb plugged IIRC.

[71chally416]

You're lost in the dark if you don't even know if you're timing mark is accurate. "I guess" is not a good answer when it comes to timing. Do yourself a favor and spring for a $12 spark plug hole piston stop. Rotate the motor slowly one direction till it hits the stop (#1 cylinder of course), and then reverse rotation till it hits the other way marking the dampner both times. Half-way in between is your real TDC.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=PRO%2D67581&N=700+400405+309974+115&autoview=sku