360 Magnum Rough Idle

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5.9mopar

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I been chasing this rough idle on this newly rebuilt 360 Magnum engine. Engine runs good and this shaking and stumble only occurs on idle.
See link for video of idle


 
What have you done up to this point?
I have checked for vacuum leaks via a smoke machine and found none. I have replaced spark plug wires, distributor cap and rotor to see if another new set would make a difference but no luck. I did a vacuum test to check for vacuum and I'm getting about 10-12 inch , the gauge seems to be Fluctuating and not steady. Would a bad motor mount cause this shake. They are new but the one on the passenger side seems to move more than the driver side. Also im waiting on a NOS mopar electronic ignition kit , to see of a new distributor and ecu would make it any better. Also would incorrect valve lash adjustment cause this issue? Thanks
 
Two things come immeiately to mind.
1.) Crap in the carb's idle circuits.
2.) Since you're running a serpentine drive, that means you're running an electric fuel pump. Depending on how much fuel pressure you're running, you could easily be overpowering the floats and dumping way too much fuel into the engine. Eddy carbs don't like much more than 5-5.5 lbs., Holleys can take a bit more, maybe 6 or so. Are you running a regulator, and if so what is it set at? Incorrect float height can also cause the same thing.
 
Might want to pull the top off that carb and double check the float height. Also, the Edelbrock carbs are finnicky about having the idle set too high by setting the idle screw to high exposing the transition circuits. I usually advance the timing to help set the timing.



 
Does it smoke? Leaking into the ports underneath? We had one member on here, LA, had a CRACKED intake manifold in one runner

Run a makeshift cylinder load test. Do NOT pull the plug wires loose. Instead, short them. I used to pull up the dist. boots and with a grounding probe in one hand, pull a wire up and out a bit, and stick the probe into the tower. Monitor the changes, cylinder to cylinder, on a tach.

If you can, might be quicker to borrow or beg the loan of a known good carb, just for an idle test
 
what is the build? Valve train sounds a bit noisy. Motor mount won’t do that.
 
Does it smoke? Leaking into the ports underneath? We had one member on here, LA, had a CRACKED intake manifold in one runner

Run a makeshift cylinder load test. Do NOT pull the plug wires loose. Instead, short them. I used to pull up the dist. boots and with a grounding probe in one hand, pull a wire up and out a bit, and stick the probe into the tower. Monitor the changes, cylinder to cylinder, on a tach.

If you can, might be quicker to borrow or beg the loan of a known good carb, just for an idle test
Did you know you can put 2 inch sections of rubber hose between the distributor and plug wires, then touch a grounded test light to each one and it will kill the cylinder? I just found that out a couple years back, though it was kinda neat.
 
@5.9mopar fill us in on the details of the build of you can. It will help diagnose some problems.
Compression?
Camshaft? Solid/hydraulic
Valvetrain? Adjustable?
Any and all info will help.

Oh and welcome to the site. Where are you in Cali?
 
Two things come immeiately to mind.
1.) Crap in the carb's idle circuits.
2.) Since you're running a serpentine drive, that means you're running an electric fuel pump. Depending on how much fuel pressure you're running, you could easily be overpowering the floats and dumping way too much fuel into the engine. Eddy carbs don't like much more than 5-5.5 lbs., Holleys can take a bit more, maybe 6 or so. Are you running a regulator, and if so what is it set at? Incorrect float height can also cause the same thing.
prior to installing the carb, I went thru it because gas was not going in thru the seat needle , I opened it up and ran carb cleaner thru it, for the pressure i am running a regulator with pressure under 6 . I will probably go thru the carb again jut to make sure the float height and all that is good , thanks
 
Might want to pull the top off that carb and double check the float height. Also, the Edelbrock carbs are finnicky about having the idle set too high by setting the idle screw to high exposing the transition circuits. I usually advance the timing to help set the timing.




Thanks, thats what I will doing to make sure the float is good
 
Does it smoke? Leaking into the ports underneath? We had one member on here, LA, had a CRACKED intake manifold in one runner

Run a makeshift cylinder load test. Do NOT pull the plug wires loose. Instead, short them. I used to pull up the dist. boots and with a grounding probe in one hand, pull a wire up and out a bit, and stick the probe into the tower. Monitor the changes, cylinder to cylinder, on a tach.

If you can, might be quicker to borrow or beg the loan of a known good carb, just for an idle test
no i haven’t noticed any smoke, i will try and do that as well, thanks
 
What cam do you have? This is correct only for a pretty radical cam. For a stock cam this is very low. Suggests late timing and throttle blades open too much.
I have a oregon cam regrind #1990, if the cam degree was incorrect would it cause that issue im having
 
I been chasing this rough idle on this newly rebuilt 360 Magnum engine. Engine runs good and this shaking and stumble only occurs on idle.
See link for video of idle



Lifter noise?

If you have a timing light that has a built-in tachometer, like a dial back style..
Set your idle screws so that they are exactly the same as each other and open just enough to bring the RPMs to the highest reading. Once you go past into the two Rich Zone you will see that the RPMs no longer rise and will actually start to go back down. So do that and set them to the highest RPM you see on your tachometer or timing light then see how it idles. Don't forget to lower the idle speed screw on the throttle lever to the desired 750 or 800 RPM on speed and feel free to readjust those idle screws after that has done before
 

@5.9mopar fill us in on the details of the build of you can. It will help diagnose some problems.
Compression?
Camshaft? Solid/hydraulic
Valvetrain? Adjustable?
Any and all info will help.

Oh and welcome to the site. Where are you in Cali?
Not sure of the compression,
Camshaft is a hydraulic cam regrind from oregon cam #1990
Rockers are 1.60 Ratio, 3/8" Stud
Edelbrock performer RPM heads
Edelbrock performer RPM airgap intake
Edelbrock avs2 650cfm carb
I did have a hard time degreeing the cam but I think i got it right, would a incorrect cam degree cause this issue?

Im in southern ca, riverside county

Thanks for your help
 
Not sure of the compression,
Camshaft is a hydraulic cam regrind from oregon cam #1990
Rockers are 1.60 Ratio, 3/8" Stud
Edelbrock performer RPM heads
Edelbrock performer RPM airgap intake
Edelbrock avs2 650cfm carb
I did have a hard time degreeing the cam but I think i got it right, would a incorrect cam degree cause this issue?

Im in southern ca, riverside county

Thanks for your help
Ill be in highland this week, if you want I can come by and help you.
 
Not sure of the compression,
Camshaft is a hydraulic cam regrind from oregon cam #1990
Rockers are 1.60 Ratio, 3/8" Stud
Edelbrock performer RPM heads
Edelbrock performer RPM airgap intake
Edelbrock avs2 650cfm carb
I did have a hard time degreeing the cam but I think i got it right, would a incorrect cam degree cause this issue?

Im in southern ca, riverside county

Thanks for your help
Ha! I’m in Norco. You’re not far. If you’d like me to come have a look PM me.
Yea if the cam didn’t degree in correctly you could cause some shake. But it’d have to be pretty far off. What did you degree it to?
 
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