swapped my 750 eddy for a 600 and.....

[shadango]

Thanks 72blu!

You're right...if nothing else it needed it anyways and is one thing to rule out, just like the swapping of the carb.

The gasket should be here tomorrow afternoon....although I dont know if I will try it or not....headed out of town for work early wed am.. and first thing saturday the fish is going to another exhaust shop to have the exhaust reworked.....the way it runs right now I can get there and back (I think...LOL).   

I guess it will giveme something to look forward to.... 

As an aside, the numbers on my performer manifold *look* to be   "   318/360 "

That doesnt match the numbers the tech was rambling off....

[shadango]

Vacuum at the breather hole with the PCV hooked up is normal, and good.  Start with the basics, that carb gasket problem first and you'll probably be fine not needing any other work.  No need to start worrying yet until that is fixed.

Hey quagmire.....

I duct taped my breaker hole and pulled the pcv valve....

I have no vacuum at the hole...actually there is a slight build up of pressure I can feel when I tale my thumb off...I believe that is what I want, right?

[quagmire]

Yup, that slight pressure is minor blowby gases making their way past the rings.  Perfectly normal to have some pressure from there.  The PCV system's job is to suck these gases up and circulate fresh air through the engine.  It makes the oil last much longer and prevent acid and moisture buildup in the crankcase, in addition to that whole reduced emissions thing.  It also prevents pressure buildup which left unchecked can force oil to leak out of good seals and gaskets.

[shadango]

So could this test check out OK while there is still an intake manifold leak?

When I had the carb off , I noticed that there is a little bit of what seems to be a gas/oil coating on the bottom , inside the manifold...I didn't think much of it then, but now I am wondering.....also found that  I am missing the passenger side rear-most bolt, and the driver side second from the front bolt appears to be either stripped or too short.....again, the carb/brake cleaner test cheked out OK here, so I hadn't thought much of it....now I am wondering.

I think the plan will be to try the carb gasket first......if no joy, remove the intake, find a bolt and get that other bolt to grab, and regasket.....

[ChallengerGary]

If you are missing a bolt, that could easily be your culprit...

[shadango]

Well, I think I am......spraying around back there made no difference.....and again, the test i did seems to indicate no intake leak.....

But maybe these are cumulative things.....

Maybe I will try picking up a bolt just to see.....

[72bluNblu]

Yup, get a bolt. It could be your problem, or it could definitely be adding to it. Of course it could be sealed really well and not leaking at all, but manifold bolts aren't that expensive and most places should carry something that'll work.

[shadango]

Well, I got home and against my better judgement I installed the gasket ( I say that because I am on my way out of town...and the car has to be running saturday for the exhaust appointmnet...wont have a chance to tinker till then).

The idle hasnt changed much I dont think.

However, I have 6"hg now at idle at 800-900 rpms......better than the 5 I had at about 1100.

It still idles really rough and lumpy at 500-600 rpm now.....still a bit of off idle stumble.

But, seems more responsive from about 1500 and up.

I shifted manually and got her her up to 6k....MAN SHE PULLED HARD! The sound was different too.

I didnt retune, retime or change the rod springs yet either.......that will wait till the weekend....

I still HATE the idle....but man, while winding her out she really pulled hard!  Harder and higher rpm than I ever was able to get her to....maybe I just have to learn to live with the idle?

So, I dont know if its just wishful thinking or if there is a real, subtle difference.  I think there is.   

Downside is I think my air cleaner may be slightly hitting the hood.....not positive though.

Next step will be to pick up a bolt, look into that stripped one......then go from there.

(Well, at least I can have positive thoughts while on my trip instead of wondering if the gasket will work or not)

[72bluNblu]

Well it sounds like the gasket did something.  But you should still have WAAAY more vacuum than that at idle. As I mentioned before mine pulls 15" hg at idle in gear from the manifold, so it sounds like you still have a leak somewhere. Sounds like its time to get some bolts and torque that manifold down. Also, what do you have plugged/hooked up as far as the vacuum ports on the carb? Could be something is open that needs to be capped. A picture of the carb hooked up showing the vacuum line routing and such might be handy.

[shadango]

Its a 1405 edelbrock....pretty straightforward, really....

There is the big port in the front that goes to the PCV valve.....one on the back that is capped/plugged.....tow on the front...passenger side (high) goes to vac advance.drover side (low) is manifold and is capped......

Thats it...no other ports.........

Picked up a couple bolts and will give that a shot....

The gasket did seem to do SOMETHING....just cant put my finger on what...car seemed to have better manners, if that makes sense....still boggy down low, though it felt like a LITTLE better....

I may go ahead and order gaskets for the intake.....did you see my note where there is a little gassy oil in the bottom of it?  Seems like that could indicate a leak......or a crack.....not a pool of oil, but a coating and enough to wet a finger.....

[shadango]

The timing doesn't sound too far off. If nothing else, it shouldn't bog and spit with the vacuum unhooked with that timing, I have mine set at 18* timing at idle and around 38* all in with no vacuum hooked up and it pulls like a beast.

What size jets and rods are in the 600? I set my 625 cfm Carter AFB up with .098" primaries, .100" secondaries with .0700/.0600 rods and its pretty close. No bogging or popping thats for sure, maybe a touch rich still. The Edelbrock 600 and the AFB 625 are pretty much the same design, the jets and rods should be pretty close between the two.

What kind of condition is the 600 in? Is it pretty clean? For $75 I would think it would need a rebuild. 

Just one more step in this long story...LOL....I set the timing to 18* at idle, disconnected the vac advance and capped the port.......No problem now with the idle wanting to stay up and I was able to back off the throttle screw some.  No pinging up top or anything....

I also swapped in the blue rod springs.

Car still idles rough, but someohow seems more stable, if that makes sense.....idle is set around 900-1000 rpms, and drops to 500-600 in gear.....its still really lumpy at idle.....but it feels more "stable" somehow....still seems to be wanting to "lurch" the car a bit in gear when at a stop..like its pulling to go.....I suppose that could mean idle is still a tad high?

Still not real strong off the line.....seems to bog just a hair.....not to the point of stalling or anything though....

Took it for a short ride and lo and behold it didn't die and I made it back home...LOL.....seems to run ok....pulls strong from 2500k up to 5k.....actually chirped the tires coming out of 1st once.  WOOHOO!

Still not convinced it is running "right"...but better overall I think.......I think. Knock wood.

I may just run it this way a while before replacing the manifold gasket and see.......like I said at least I made it out and back with no issues......Still trying to get some confidence back....LOL

[ted]

i think you need more intial timing

[quagmire]

Loosen the covers that hold the metering rod pistons down and make sure they are being sucked down completely at idle in gear.  Unless you put some really light springs they may still be in the enrichment position, it can't hurt to double check and only takes a minute or two.

[shadango]

Loosen the covers that hold the metering rod pistons down and make sure they are being sucked down completely at idle in gear.  Unless you put some really light springs they may still be in the enrichment position, it can't hurt to double check and only takes a minute or two.

Hadnt thought of doing that!   I guess I can push down on them too if they arent down and see what happens, right?

Ted....I am at 18* now.....you are suggesting even more?? 

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Ted....I am at 18* now.....you are suggesting even more?? 

I wouldn't. I'm not that far along, and I have a big cam.  I'm about 14*. More than that and I have ping city.