cant push past 3000 rpm

I bet we would need more information:

When did this issue start?

Is this a new engine?

Is the carb in proper working order?

Do you have a good fuel line, filter and pump all clean and working well?

Did you make a change recently and now the issue has come to light?

First verify of course that your plugs, plug wires and distributor cap n rotor are in great condition. If you have problems with any of those you could get your symptoms. If all that is good, it sounds like a bad ECU (swap in the new stock one) or if that does not fix the issue it may be low power to coil or to ECU.

I would get a new stock ECU box for testing, then save it for a backup and leave in the trunk. Orange boxes have a reputation for being failure prone.


Check ground on ECU back to body of car where it is mounted. It needs to be sanded shiny metal on the ECU backside where the bolt holes are and the place where it contacts the car body. Next start checking voltage at the Coil + side while someone revs it up to 2K..Coil should have 7-9 volts (someone pls correct me on this if not correct) if you still have your stock ballast in place.

Next check voltage to ECU while revving it up to 2K. The MP ECU will only have (need) a 12V source and it should be near 14V when it engine revved up to 2K. .

Check reluctor gap in distributor.

I have had approx 3k rpm missfires causing popping out the tail pipe b/c plugs went bad after running down the road in a rain storm sucking in water into the engine thru the hood scoop (I was young and didnt care). Several days later the plugs simply started to fail and the engine sputttered under mild load until I swapped all the plugs.


Otherwise I would suspect that timing is drastically too high or erratic due to improper timing curve or loose parts in the distributor. Check out internal distributor parts to be sure they are not flopping. Put a timing light on and see what total is at 3K. Try disconnecting vacuum advance if it is connected (just as a test to lower the total timing) .