interwest

Well, 289 original motor, replaced intake manifold and carb (2 to 4 barrel), msd spark plug wires and blaster coil. Added fuel filter, changed most of the hoses, replaced thermostat,fan with flex fan,radiator hoses, cap, and added overflow tank.

And now after all that, I seem to be overheating, any ideas? Well according to my stock guage.

As well as I think my timing is off a bit, sometimes with a wide open throttle on the road, the carb spits and wants to die.

Anyone know a good curb idle to set at? we tried 600 and it dies everytime I stop at a light. 900-1000 is where it's at right now, but seems high.

Thanks in advance

Daze

how lean is your carburetor set?? if a carb is set to lean it will cause the car to run hot. The improvements will allow you to burn more fuel faster so the mix should be richened up a bit.

fast66

First thing, are you overheating at idle or while cruising? Don't judge this by your stock gauge, get a aftermarket sensor, or a cheap way is one of those rad caps that have the thermometer built in.
If its only getting hot at idle, its likely to be not enough airflow through your radiator. Do you have a shroud? Im not convinced that flex fans pull enough air, epspecially without a shroud to direct it.
If its overheating at cruise, its showing that even though you have full airflow through your radiator, you're still getting hot. Step one is to do a full tune, including carby mixtures. It sounds to me as though you have a lean stumble at cruiseing speeds. Lean means hot. This is likely to be compounded by not having your timing correctly set.
I'd do this regardless of your overheating issue. If you are running lean, you will burn out valves.
Once you have done the tune, fitted a shroud, andchecked that you have a spring in your lower radiator hose to prevent it from collapsing you should be ok. If not, you will need to look deeper.
Cheers

interwest

Yea, we tried richening the fuel mix, maybe we didn't raise it enough.

interwest

Cruising and idle, but i let it sit before i shut it off and go into napa and when I came out, the needle on the guage was almost on the "H". Before the carb and intake swap, temp on the guage was okay.

Any idea on how far advanced my timing should be?

fast66

Try 10 deg.

fast66

What carby, and how did you richen it?

interwest

holley 600 cfm. My 2 friends who have been showing me the how-to's of mechanics adjusted the carb by ear apparently. I know how to do it, but is there a better way to know if you are running a good tune?

10 degrees advanced? thanks!

Oxnard Montalvo

I would only work on one indication at a time.

Is it an automatic? How is the dwell?

Check the timing. Plug the vacuum line to the distributor and set the initial timing at 6-10 BTDC with the idle as low as possible. Rev the engine and look for the advance to go way up. See if you can now lower the idle. Check for the six degrees again.

Screw the idle screws in until they lightly bottom out. Do this gently as you don't want to score them. Bring them both out 1 1/2 turns. Screw them both in 1/4 turn at a time until the engine starts to run rough, then back each one out 1/4 turn.

If it's running better now watch for overheating.

fast66

I'll take a guess here and say thet your friends adjusted the mixtre screws right? That will adjust the mixture at Idle circuitonly. You need to set main jets aswell. This requires repalcing the actual jet. I'm n expert, so I let an expert do mine on the dyno. Other will disagree, but I think its the most acurate way to get a proper tune. If you havfe been playing with carbies for years and have heaps of experience tunig them, then you can get jsut as goos a result sitting in you driveway, but Im not that expert, and im guessing you or your friends aren't either. Get a dyno tune.