Thread: will not idle

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I hope someone can help, I'm starting to get frustrated. I've got a 318 .030 over, 10.7:1, 284 deg .484 lift, 650 holley, dual plane, polished heads w/1.94 intakes, chrysler ignition, 13/4 headers, 727 w/ 3500 stall. The problem is it will not idle under about 1100 in park. The cam is pretty rough so that is understandable. When I put it in gear the engine dies. I've drilled 1/16 holes in the butterflies to no avail. I got it idle finally by setting the base timing at 25 degrees, but then total timing is about 50. Way too much. I don't know if there is something I'm missing with the carb or if it is something I'm overlooking. Sometimes it will be idleing and start to stumble like it's losing vacuum signal. Any help would be great

Sounds like too much cam, or a vacuum leak. Set the timing by a vacum guage like Streets suggests, then go through your vacum system with a fine-tooth comb. if thats not it, you may just have to live with a high idle.

I Vote Vacuum Leak.

~ Vegas ~

I agree Tech....that was a good article,,,,very informative since I am about to rebuild several carbs I have sitting on the shelf.

Techinspector1; Can I find that artical on the web some place, Sose I can also read it. Thanks

~ Vegas ~

Check to insure your distributor is dead on - I've had similar problems with a healthy cam and lo and behold, I haad my distributor off one notch. Can't hurt to check it.

could it possibly be the valve lash? I have hydraulic lifters with adjustable roller rockers. I set it according to some articles I read and like you would a chevy. Zero lash plus a 1/2 turn. Any thoughts

I just installed new intake gaskets and the vacuum is steady at 1500 rpm at about 15in. Also new carb gaskets. The timing is about 25 initial and about 36 total. It runs great from about 1500 up to 6500. As it idles it starts to stumble and then die.

You may have to run it a little richer to get it to idle in gear. Try adjusting the mixture screws in gear.

Originally posted by moparfever
You may have to run it a little richer to get it to idle in gear. Try adjusting the mixture screws in gear.

650 seems large in my experience for a 318...I feel like maybe the carb is overloading in the idle circuit...if you have the rpms up to 1100 you are probably in the primaries with it to keep it running.
Do you have the right port on the distrib to carb? I blew thru my Vac dampner on the carb and found it bad causing a massive vac leak..I would lean it out and back off on the timing a bit...chyrslers will run with too much timing advance or not enough.

Also you might try..cutting your distributor hold down stop out of the hold down. There is a built in advance limiter on the stock distributer hold down bracket..grind it out, for more distributer movement.