hey all,

ok lets just start this off with alittle info about my ride. its a 1976 Dodge Dart (2dr) with a 225 /6 in it, the body is mint in it. when i got it, alittle over a couple months ago, i cleaned it up, gave it a good tune up, and then headed out to the strip about 3weeks ago. After alot of tuning, etc best run was 18.86 @ 78MPH with a supersix and a 7.25 rear with 2.76 gearing.

well that was the last for the 7.25 rear, as it stripped the spider gears after alot of time and looking around, i found a local 8.75 3.91 sure-grip rear out of a duster so i nabbed it, at the same time i took the head off of a junker (85 ram) and ported/polished it, as well as decked it .1" with 340 valve springs. For a safe mesure i also did the timing chain, lined up the marks like my chiltons manual said, well i got it all back together (with an offy intake and 4160 holley 600 vac secondary carb on and went off the advice of a local shop (53 front jets, the back has a metering plate and a black spring as well as a 6.5PV) i started it up today, and had 5lbs vac @ 1500rpm and the thing wouldnt idle at all tried everything, timing seems dead on,etc... but it sounded like it wasnt hitting on all cyls :shock

no vac leaks (i'm 99% sure, everything is capped off, etc) but why no vac ? i'm at my wits end here as to whats wrong, do i have the cam timing off? when the mark is lined up with TDC the valves are closed on #1, i was thinking if the cam moved 1 turn or something on me would this do anything.

i guess i'll add this, here are my valve events on the compression stroke of the #1 cyl

from #6 to #1 exhaust valves. (c = closed, o = open)

*O,C | *O,C | *O,C | C,O | C,O | C,C

*-these ones are JUST starting to open.


HELP

If you're running a stock cam, that carb is a bit on the 'too big' side...

53's would have been fine for a Holley 8007, but you've got like a 1850, 80457, etc... I run a smidge more cam than you with the hyperpak...

my 80457 600cfm carb must run this setup to stay happy:

60-64 jets in the primaries (most come with '63's' so start there)
8.5 powervalve (or a 10 sometimes)
Keep the black spring, the secondary plate is too big, really (it's jetted for a V-8)...
Make sure your acc. pump 'shoots when you open the throttle...
What is your acc. pump shooter number? '31'?
You should only need an orange acc. pump cam (466) in the #1 position, you might have a pink (330) cam , which is fine for my setup, but may be too 'big' for your setup...

While the carb is off the manifold, flip it over, make sure the secondary throttle plates are seated to the point that you don't see the secondary idle 'slots'.

From my recent experiences, and the fact you have 'minimal' jetting, tells me you might be running way too lean....

After your 'dial' in did you check your spark plugs for color? If black an sooty = rich, if brownish= just right, if clean = way too lean...


I check in tomorrow afternoon to see how you turned out...

-D.Idiot

Well, i got a chance to play with it alittle more tonight, after ripping it all apart again last night (pulled the timing cover off) and well it appears i timed my cam right, but i didnt really take that good of a look (i'll bring it back to TDC and make sure the lines are lined up) pulled the plugs (they werent new when i put the new head on (hey it was sunday) so i got new plugs today. The old ones were black (from when i pulled them out, but what was new is the tips were white, so i'm running too lean)

anyways, time to order meself a camshaft, with all this done if i put a Comp Cams 264S + a set of headers, what does everyone think i'll beable to run?

race weight is 3364

thanks

PS, i just dont understand how if the cam was timed right, why i didnt have any vac ?

I don't know if this helps, but that 85 head came with hyd lifters I think. Did you switch everything over?

_________________
"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

This is what I was thinking. Did you swap the mechanical valve train parts over to the hydraulic head? If not, you probably have WAY too much valve lash, and the valve train simply is not opening the valves all the way...(the hydraulic rocker assembly does not have the valve lash adjustment screws)

-S/6

looked at it tonight, and the cam timing is off

i'm using a melling timing chain in this thing, i dont know how i could have put it off, i lined up the dots and that was that....

oh well, its apart, and i'll be ordering a cam, hopefully i can get it all together by next saturday.... and yup, i used all the stock solid lifter stuff, got lots of oil to the top when it ran.... didnt smash the valves with the pistons (thank god for a stock cam)

I put one of those in my '74 duster, and had to degree the gear. The dots were about 1 1/2 teeth off retarded. Even the MP and dynagear double roller chains are 'off' by a couple of degrees. It pays to 'check things out' before calling the job 'done'...


-D.Idiot

I would reccommend, degreeing in the cam. Don't just line up the dots.

_________________
Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

now for the big question.... how the heck do you degree a cam

thanks for the help guys, i'll have this thing running yet!

Im lousy at explaining things so Ill let someone else do that,but I will say that when I installed my cam with a new Dynagear timing set the cam was 4 degrees retarded and have heard of some being as much as 10 degress off.Degreeing is not hard on the stand but may be harder in the car but should be done to any cam thats being installed.
HyperValiant

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1960 Hyper-Pac Valiant(rolling test-bed)
1963 Valiant V2OO(Son's summer project,- he just turned 15 )
1972 Valiant 4dr(Daughter Kelly's repair in progress)
1974 Valiant (v8) daughter Kelly's work in progress

I'm not good at explaining it, here, either, But I could should you with no problem. It is not rocket science. You said, you were thinking, about changing the cam. I would bet, when you order the cam from the manufacturer, they could send you the procedure for doing it. It is also in the Mopar engine book. Any book that tells you how to build high performance engines, would have the info included. Even Chevy books. It is the same.

_________________
Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Here's a link Doug gave me when I had the same question.
http://www.hotrodder.com/kwkride/degree.html
Charlie's right, too, about when you by a cam. My Comp came with instructions and they sell a video if you're interested.

_________________
"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."