Few random Q's about 318 and gauge wiring

1.) I finally got a vacuum gauge hooked up to my stock '70 318 and after playing around with my idle mixture a bit, I only got it to go as high as 15 in-Hg. Is this acceptable? I do have the stock divided-plenum low-rise single-plane intake (BOO :angry7:) and I only got a reading on the driver's side plenum, but I assume it would be similar on both sides. I tested the cranking compression on cylinders #1 and #3 (didn't get to the rest) and it was around 92 psi, and I'd assume the rest would be close to that because my starter stays the same pitch when cranking for an extended period.

2.) I read in an article about converting an '80's truck smogger 318 2-bbl. to a 4-bbl. that most/all of the old 318 2-bbl's (no matter the year) develop a bad hesitation off the line that has to do with the carb. Is this true, and what makes it happen? My 318 has done this since I got the car.

3.) I'm putting some aftermarket gauges in my Duster and I don't know what I should do as far as wiring goes. Do I splice into an already-existing circuit, or do I create a whole new circuit? When I put my tach in I just hot-wired it straight to the fuse connections in the fusebox, and I know that's definitely not the proper way to do it.

I'll answer what I know. Hopefully someone else can fill in the blanks.

1) 15" of vacuum is acceptable. I would check compression on all cylinders and look for uniformity in the #'s.

2) A bad hesitation off the line on a stock carb generally has to do with the accerator pump on the carb. I had this issue on a '77 Dodge van, 360, 2bbl. It was an easy adjustment. I just bent the rod to the accerator pump until the hesitation went away. 1980 is right on the cusp of computer controls so let us know the exact year and chassis of the motor you are describing so making adjustments to the carb is not that simple and out of my realm of knowledge.

3) I've done all that you have mentioned. I'm definitely no expert in wiring.