Winston Wolf

and make sure your carb's idle circuit is adjusted properly, ie the vacuum gauge method. That will help with the clunking out in gear a ton.

I don't think the converter is your problem, and neither is the cam. It's chugging because it is locked up. I went through all the same stuff, but I found a solution that made mine drive like I wanted to. The 2004r is a great trans if you set it up correctly. Drive any newer pickup or car. They all have a lockup trans and run very low cruise rpms. The trick is they unlock at the slightest push of the pedal, in fact you probably don't even notice it unless you are staring at the tach. They can use a computer to do all the dirty work, you can't. It can be done though with a few components and some wiring, I have done it. You will need a B&M speed lockup control, Vacuum switch, and a Vacuum delay valve. It will eliminate all the chugging at acceleration. I personally think the way Bowtie does the lockup is crap, but it's the cheapest and easiest. Pull the plug on the transmission and go out and drive it without the lockup hooked up. Then let me know if it works/drives well with no lockup. If it does, I will show you how to make everything jive.

Just to eliminate a variable, I would unhook the transmission wiring for the test run after you change the cap and rotor. It won't hurt anything to drive the car and not have the 12 volts hooked up. Then you will know for sure it's not a problem with the lockup. Sound like the brake switch is wired correctly, but you need to run the wire to the correct pin in the plug (4 pin connector) on the transmission too. One pin will lock up the converter all the time, one pin will lock in 4th only, the other 2 pins are not hooked up.

First of all, the stall speed isn't going to make it run like crap and if the idle is turned up high enough, it shouldn't stall the engine when you put it in gear either. How do you have the converter lock up wired? Bowtie normally uses a 4th gear pressure switch, so if you just ran one hot wire to the CORRECT terminal on the trans, it still won't lock up until it gets to 4th. They also usually put a second wire inside that trans that bypasses the pressure switch, if wired to a hot 12v, it would lock the converter all the time. You need to make sure it's wired correctly. If you wire into the bypass terminal, you should be able to put in a switch and hear the lockup solenoid clicking on and off without the car running if you have power and are toggling the switch. If it is locked up, there is no way it would stay running at all in gear, so I doubt that's your problem. If you wired it through a brake switch like they tell you to, as long as you are pressing on the brake, it won't be hot at the solenoid also. It the converter is locked while you are driving the car, you would know. It will drive just like a manual trans, no softness, jerky, etc. I would go buy and new cap and rotor, and make sure all the wires are plugged in correctly and to the right cylinders. Then double check your timing, as too low of timing at idle could make it clunk out when you put a little load on it. My guess is you either have a plug wire on incorrectly, or your other cap is bad too.

I'd save my money and buy a jet/rod kit for the Edelbrock. You should be able to get decent mileage out of it, if it is tuned correctly.

Drugs are bad.

Did get to the track, although due to a Saturday rainout, there wasn't any test and tune day. Didn't get to play with the carb or spacers or shocks like I had hoped. It picked up 1.5 mph and almost a tenth, but not there yet. The carb is going lean at the top end. I didn't have any air bleeds with me, so I couldn't fix it while I was there. Below is the fuel curve. When it changes at the top of the RPM range, it's from the hi speed air bleed being the wrong size. If it was going rich, I would need to put a larger diameter air bleed in, but since it's going lean, I need to change to a smaller orifice. That should flatten out the curve and hopefully pick up a little bit more.

The more duration moves the power curve higher in the rpm band. It won't necessarily make more torque, it will just make it at a higher RPM. That in turn will produce more horsepower, since it's just a calculated number anyways. (tq x rpm / 5250 The trade off is less power below the torque peak. The key is finding a good comprimise for the parts you have in the rest of the car. More lift = more airflow = more torque/power, as long as the heads and intake will support it.

I'd like to see how they/you did the crossover.

Checked lash on the solid cam. Things were pretty much in line, nothing was out more than a couple thousanths. I decided to add a stud girdle anyways, since I'm running 225# seat pressure, over .600 lift, and reving it to 6700+. Pretty straight forward install and still had enough room for a short baffle inside the valve covers and the stock style PCV set up. If it ever stops raining here on the weekends, I can get everything track tested.

Good luck. Other than buying 'the guy who wrote the book on 2004r's' book by Chris at CK Performance, this is about as good as you'll find for free. 200-4R Step by step rebuild

I would check the gear shifter linkage first. If that is not the problem, pull it. If it's not jiving and inbetween gears at the tranny, that could be it. If the cable is adjusted way to tight, you will have too much pressure at idle, and it might even start out in 2nd gear. If it's way to loose, it should shift into 2nd, but may slip in 2nd if you hammer on it. That's what usually goes out when people don't have it adjusted correctly, the 2nd gear band. What is your setup for the TV cable? You need approx 75 psi at idle, but the key is that as soon as you blip the throttle, the pressure comes up immediately. And I also agree that it could be the rear sprag clutch. When mine went out, it would sometimes go in reverse, sometimes not. It would rev up like it was in neutral, but if you shifted through the gears a few times, it might move.

The TH350 tube works in a 200-4r, I am using my original dipstick/tube. Trans Dipstick Tube I don't think you could put the dipstick in though with out having the trans lowered. I always put it in as I'm installing the trans.

The 307 sticker is to wimpy and it was never in a Monte. I'm assuming it's was originally a 350 300hp, that's at least not laughable....you might be able to BS at least a few people. I did some measuring for you this weekend too, as I was playing with a 1" spacer. You should be able to put 2.42" of spacer/gaskets on top of that Victor JR with an L88 drop base and a 3" filter. With a 4" and the L88, 1.42", so a 1" spacer and a thick Edelbrock gasket if you want the bigger filter. But your throttle bracket won't work with that drop base. Good luck.

You're going to have a tough time passing that off as a 350...

Any 68-72 GM A body will fit. ie, GTO, Lemans, Tempest, GT37 Chevelle, Monte, Cutlass, 442, Buick GS, Skylark, etc.....

Andy must be getting old. I would go no less than 3.73, and I prefer 4.10 or 4.56.....

PCV....

If you want one to last, you need to get it built by someone who builds them for the fast turbo buicks. I don't know how much power this new engine you put in had, but I suggest "Buy once, cry once". Go billet internals and buy a good converter with a multi-disc lockup. Be prepared to spend 3k on just the trans and converter. CK Performance Jake's Performance Extreme Automatics

Looking good big guy. Lucky you, my trailer is still covered in snow...

Looks like old number 8 could be fun to change out....

DB, I am using the stock throttle cable and part of the stock bracket. I use a Bowtie Overdrives TV cable bracket for a Holley carb (because of the 200-4r). I had to cut the stock bracket and mount it on the TV cable bracket, down and in towards the carb, as it would hit the air cleaner. It's a tight fit, but works well. Just a couple small holes/bolt. The L88 base literally wraps the whole carb. If you went to one, (L88 base) you could certainly run a 1" spacer in your car. The Super Victor is 5.5" high and I have another .5" in gaskets and brackets. The Victor Jr is 4.58" high... In fact if you went with a 3" element, you should be able to get a 2" spacer in, I did it with the Air-Gap.

Stock hood,L88 Corvette air cleaner,Edelbrock .320 thick gasket (#9265), 4" Element.

Here are the 3 pulls from today together, in case anybody cares. Quite a difference, not sure if it's from the engine getting warm or what? Also want to add that I can tell no difference in driving the car on the street, as far as throttle response, part throttle acceleration, manners, etc.

Had the car back on the Dynojet again today. Only change was the from the Air-Gap intake (with 1" open spacer) to the Super Victor. Same 37 degree timing and I did go up one size in the primaries to compensate for the switch. I did no tuning. Pretty nice increase, there is no way I would run the Airgap on this engine. There is no torque loss and a big bump in HP. This really debunks the dual vs single myth. I feel pretty good for a home port job...