Just wont go

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DustYa318

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Feb 26, 2008
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Falmouth MA
I have a 73 duster which I just rebuilt the 318 top 2 bottom. She starts good and idles at about 8-900. I put it in gear and she drops to 4-500. I can drive her but when I come to a stop sign or something similar I have to feather the gas up to about 1000rpm before she will get going steady. If i just step on the gas normal from a stop she stalls right out. I dont want to mess with the idle speed mush because in pard i will be going nuts at 1500. I have the timing set to about 10btdc. I was wondering if this is my problem? Others seem to be a lot higher near 20 or so. would this solve all? any advice would be very helpfull. I plan to work on this today. Thanks in advance...
 
I'd start at checking for vacuum leaks. You'll probably need to mess with your idle screws to dial it in.

What kind of carb?

20* timing at idle is probably going to be too much, depending on your build and fuel. I would stick 10-14* for a mild street motor

fwiw, my 318 idles at about 800, might drop 50rpm in gear.

edit, and welcome to the board!
 
How bigs the cam ? Could be a few things.

First check for a vacuum leak around the intake and carb.

Second throw a timing light on it. You will either need a dial back light or a timing tape on the balancer. You need to check initial timing at idle and total timing around 2500rpms.

Start with around 10* to 12* initial. (you may need more depending on cam size) You want your total timing around 34 to 36. If you have more you need to rework the distributor with different springs and/or welding up the advance slots, or you can have Don at FBO systems set it up.

It also sound like maybe your torque convert is to tight and pulling the motor down when its in gear. A performance converter will fix that.
 
I have a comp268 cam, and am pulling about 15lbs of vacum constant off the carb. the carb is a 750 eddy. I have a 650 holly which i need to rebuild but think this will help in the long run. before the rebuild the car ran fine on the 750. I have all new hoses on the vacum lines as well. is there an easy way to track the leak or even tell if I have one. thanks agian.
 
I would try a different carb first. The 750 edelbrocks are known to have problems. A 600 would be fine.
 
To avoid any confusion, vacuum is read in inches of mercury. So you are reading 15in-hg, not 15psi. You can use some carb or throttle body cleaner and spray it along any intake/carb sealing surfaces with the engine running.. Carb base, where the intake meets the head, do you have all your ports plugged that need to be? Do you have power brakes, if so, does the engine seem to be effected when you hold the brakes? (as in to put it into drive and hold)
 
I do not have power brakes. I will try the carb swap first I guess. I dont see any other ports to plug, i think I got them all. I will try the leak test with spray. I am using a new hughes 2200 stall converter. are there problems with these out of the box. thanks for the correction on the 15lbs of vac as well. like i said pretty new to this stuff but loving every little gremlin it throws at me. thanks for all the good info
 
I have been running a 750 Edelbrock for years. I would check for a vaccum leak, and check your timing try it about 14.
 
Are you running a vacuum advance distributor? If you are, make sure it's hooked to a ported vacuum source, not manifold vacuum.
 
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