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Comment by Jim Stoltz on March 30, 2015 at 6:19pm

I don't know which distributor I have in it: stock or the one that came with the new engine. It seems to run okay though. I have an advance timing gun so I can check it.

Comment by Jim Stoltz on March 29, 2015 at 7:37pm

I'm at the mercy of my stock distributor for timing. I do have an advance timing gun so I'll check it out. So far it runs great and doesn't knock, but I'd like the peace of mind of knowing where the timing is off-idle.

Comment by Jim Stoltz on March 29, 2015 at 3:56pm

Thanks Jack. I set the timing to factory specs when I first installed the engine but I had it hooked up to the "wrong" port ("wrong" depends on your objective - from what I've read hooking it up to a full vacuum port won't hurt anything but will affect emissions).

I leaned it out a bit with the idle air screws. Idle picked up a bit so I turned it back. 

Comment by Jim Stoltz on March 29, 2015 at 3:16pm

I was goofing around with the carb today and realized that I had the vacuum advance hooked up to a constant vacuum source rather than ported so the timing was always advanced 30 degrees. Apparently this affects emissions, primarily HCs. I hooked it up the right way and adjusted the idle back up to 850-900. I took it for a spin and the change doesn't seem to have affected anything off-idle.

The brakes are acting funny again though. I think I'm losing my power assist. The pedal gets stiff but the brakes seem to work okay - just requires more effort. If I shut the engine off and turn it back on it seems okay again.

Comment by Jim Stoltz on March 25, 2015 at 10:24am

Thanks Jack. It's an idle test. I took the air pump off of it when I put the new engine in. My GM Tech friend says it should pass easily without it. What you describe is what I've learned is an "idle drop tune", which my friend says should get me through. The issue was that before I had it rebuilt, turning the idle air screws in all the way had no affect on the idle. I had either an air or fuel leak I guess. I haven't messed with this one yet, but I assume that I should be able to stall it if I close the screws completely.

Comment by Jim Stoltz on March 25, 2015 at 7:47am

It doesn't have a cat from the factory. I'm not sure a cat would do it anyway. I haven't messed with the idle screws since I got it back from the rebuilder. I contacted a GM tech friend of mine and he said the numbers are close enough that I should be able to lean it out enough to get through. Worst case is I'll have to take it to his shop for inspection, but I really just wind up paying his boss not him directly so I haven't gone that route yet.

According to people on the 'Net, watching the vacuum while you adjust the idle screws is important to get it optimally tuned. I ordered a vacuum gauge from eBay (yeah, I could probably find one locally but I don't have time to mess with it until the weekend anyway).

On a side note, I had the on-board propane tank refilled yesterday. The gas station attendant (NJ can't pump your own gas) thought he was capable. I could tell by the way he was fumbling with it that there was going to be trouble. As soon as he flipped the pump on there was liquid propane everywhere, coming out of the fitting he put on to pump it into the tank. I yelled to him to shut it off. He went and got his boss, who apparently DID know how to do it. That guy asked me how it was running - he remembered the story with the rig. I told him it failed inspection again. He said "carb, right?" I said yeah. He said bring it to Steve's in Lyndhurst, which is where I had it rebuilt recently. So that's independent confirmation of Steve's good work. I just need to tune it a bit more.

A side note side note: The front calipers hung up about 5 miles into my journey. The pedal got hard and the brakes were touchy. When I stopped at a light I could smell hot brakes. I pulled into a parking lot. Couldn't see anything obvious but the front brakes smelled hot. I let it cool off and it was fine the rest of the trip. It was odd, but it worries me that it could do it again. It was the first long-ish drive after sitting all winter, though. 

Annnnnd.....it's leaking something again. It's dripping off the frame by the radiator. Looks like oil - could be the trans cooler lines leaking again. My bud that bought the '87 Allegro finally got his back from the shop after 5 months. He has the same exact issues: leaking trans lines, upper rad hose leaking, fuel pump safety switch leaking oil. 

Man I'm rambling this morning. I need to cut back on the coffee!!!

Comment by Jimco_W001 on March 25, 2015 at 1:10am

Well Jim, you could install a cheap universal converter.Then remove it after the e test.Dakota is right about them getting to hot for everyday driving.

Comment by Russell E Johnson on March 25, 2015 at 12:01am

Well like I said, stupid suggestion time LOL

Comment by Lakota Wolf on March 24, 2015 at 11:54pm

If Im not mistaken but I thought Jims engine was a big block 454.. If it is, ya cant put a catalytic convertor on it... Will run hot and that catalytic converter will glow like a 500 watt light bulb.

Comment by Russell E Johnson on March 24, 2015 at 10:53pm

Stupid suggestion time.  How about installing a catalytic converter into the exhaust system.  They are under $150 and even less on eBay.  Would that clean up your exhaust? or do they only work with fuel injected engines?  My limited knowledge is being dangerous again LOL

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