TrunkMatt

I rest my case on my previous statement. Now you just need to figure out why that much fuel is dumping... it honestly doesn't take much to make your exhaust get orange-hot - I know when I was first tuning my 383 w/ 670 Holley, I was rich and my whole exhaust system was glowing from the headers back. It only took about 4 jet sizes down to correct (about 15% change in fuel). hopefully you didn't burn out your Wideband AFR gauge if you installed one in teh exhaust.

Popping / Backfiring out the rear is usually a sign of too rich as unburned fuel is combusting in the exhaust. Popping / backfiring out Carb = Lean condition, combustion before compression. If you got your O2 gauge hooked up right, and your tuning correct - your O2 should be reading between 12.5 (rich) and 15 (lean) at idle... probably cycling between. They say 14.7 is perfect, but at idle you want to be a bit on the rich side. Also - throw on a vacuum gauge and tell us what the gauge reading is doing when it pops. Does it take a nose-dive?

So your saying that FGMCC brand of toilet paper we made is a no no? http://www.printedtp.com/ Just kidding... I used a Ford logo for that

Ahh - it is a Nomad... got it. Well - best of luck... leave yourself plenty of clearence to account for the torquing. maybe switch to some Hooker Comps if you really want the Long Tube... they seem to be run a bit better.

Yeah - the standard Hedmans don't work so well... I went through the same thing. Must've went through 5 pairs from different manufacturers before finding the right ones. For small block on our chassis you are best with the block-huggers from hedman. Stay away from the Long tubes... Try these: HEDMAN 68863 ELITE 1-1/2 Primary 2-1/2 Collector They look damn good: They are really high-quality in weight and build as well... great sound when paired with Dynomax Turbo mufflers.

It can happen in the right cases (which I'll go into below). Is it the coating that wore away? Or is the Aluminum actually pocked and flaking? Can you share a picture?? If the aluminum itself is indeed getting eaten away, the only thing I can think of are these 2 reasons: 1) The guy ran an old Alcohol based anitfreeze through it - not the usual Ethylene Glycol stuff. That can corrode aluminum... but really unlikely --- I don't think people even make it anymore - so that probably is out. 2) The most realistic possibility is that the guy had a weak-current positive terminal short (stray connection) from his battery to the motor ground which traveled through the coolant (as it is conductive)... and electrolysis occurs, and the aluminum acts as an anode. In this case, it creates a Galvanic Reaction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_corrosion) and the Aluminum acts as a sacrificial metal (anode), giving up electrons and corroding... but this only happens if you have a short to the ground (which is why you NEVER want to have a short to ground in these cars). This also destroys the aluminum radiators in the process --- which is the most common cause of radiator failure. Caution to old car owners: If your battery is draining for no reason... figure it out asap. If it is a short to the ground, you are likely destroying all aluminum (or steel) components somewhere in the car. Chances are if you find a car rusting out before it's time --- it is because of stray voltage causing a redox reaction. Whenever I buy a car, I always ask the owner if they ever needed to change battery's and how much? A guy selling a car advertised with "New Battery!" is a warning sign. Badly Corroded terminals are also sign of this happening... if it happens there there is a good chance it is happening somewhere else in the car you can't see.

Is it a backfire in the Carb or Backfire in the Exhaust (aka Afterfire)? There are very different causes to each... Carb Backfire usually = you could be going too lean, or your timing too advanced. Exhaust backfire = too rich (fuel burning in exhaust), timing not advanced enough. There are other reasons... those are just the most common. Your timing could have slipped just enough (distributers do move with time... they have to have the retainer tightened once in a while) Also, pull the plugs... make sure they look the right color. If you have one getting fouled, it could also cause backfire under load when your timing is all the way advanced.... as it is misfiring, building up mixture --- and then backfiring.

My Power Valve is a 6.5 --- Vacuum is about 8 HG at idle (in gear / automatic) I am thinking I should go 4.5 for the PV.

Got the bung all welded in today. The guy that did it was the same one that ran my new exhaust... so he did it for free (that and it is my birthday). Guage works like a champ. I am indeed going rich (reading of 10.5) at low rpm... I am thinking either the secondaries are opening too soon or the power-valve is a bit premature.

I got the sensor and gauge all wired up today & calibrated it in open-air per instructions. The bung gets welded in tomorrow. Wasn't too terrible to install... have to do quite a bit of clean-up of the wiring under the dash - but she is working, and that is what matters.

The LC-1 arrived today... now I just need to get my bung welded (that sounds dirty).

Yeah... I am thinking I need a Wideband guage to really get this dialed in right. Been looking at Innovate's LC-1: http://www.amazon.com/Innovate-Motorspor...3403&sr=8-2 I think I'll bite the bullet and grab one. Merry Christmas to me...

List number - as in SKU / Item number? 0-86670bk Now I have it staggered at 76 Primary, 79 Secondary now (on a 383).

OOoooh!! You have an 010 casting number!! Good find... that is a Higher Nickel content block... those are the Unicorns of GM Smallblocks (people seek them out for their magical properties, which aren't really proven). Metallurgy myth confirmation: Look behind the Timing cover for more numbers. You may see a 010 or a 020 - or both behind the timing cover and that indeed means (GM verified) it has higher ratio TIN and NICKEL than conventional castings. If it is just 010, that is nickel content 1% higher (partial unicorn - still damn good), if it is 010 AND 020 it is 1% Tin and 2% Nickel (the mega-unicorn!!) In any case, if the block is in good condition and is 010 with a 4 bolt main - Turn that baby into a stroker!! The extra hardness (myth or truth?) means you can safely get some more rev's! If it is indeed both an 010 and 020 (under timing cover) --- part it and sell it on ebay and make a bunch of cash off the Unicorn hunters.

Step 1) Never talk to your friends about engine builds, or you'll be poor. I learned this first hand a while ago... friends love to spend your money. I think many of us agree :-). Granted, talking to a bunch of car club guys on the internet is not much better... Step 2) Talk to an engine builder as a consultation & get the real insight... they usually pride themselves on setting things up correctly and don't let you spend needlessly. My personal take (and discuss with your mechanic): Tests show changing heads to aluminum (and doing nothing else) only gives you a 5 horsepower gain - because they run a little cooler. On a big-block... probably a few more - but not much... I wouldn't consider a BB high-revving enough to make that much difference. Honestly, If you are doing aluminum heads you should do things to take advantage of them or you are wasting your $$$. Things like: domed pistons & higher compression. Otherwise you are just throwing heads on for show, and not go... If you are not going to do a piston job to really take advantages of what the aluminum heads gives you (a chance at higher compression and better heat evac), than just stick with the cam... because the differences will be not be too noticeable outside of looks. My opinion on Money better spent for a few extra horses: If you really want some cheap additional horsepower (5-10) with your build that is a bit more affordable... just put on a better oil pan that has a crank-scraper and windage tray... it'll keep the oil from Roping. Moroso makes a good series of Pans for a good cost (I think I paid $275 w/ scraper and windage tray) Here is a pic of one for small blocks - I think you are BB so there should be a comprable one... Here is how it looks on a motor (mine)... and you can indeed see peeking out it once it is installed (looks nice in the car) Since I built small-block 383 Stroker, you'll notice I did go with aluminum heads... with a hell of a piston-job to mate. Again, I did not go roller cam in this, however... flat tappet. I found my $$$ better invested in the crank / pistons / stroke based on what I want to do with this motor. Nice street cruiser that really puts on the power when needed... but can also get 19-22mpg highway Oh - and to put your price on that Edelbrock top-end kit in Perspective... I had this whole motor built by a professional builder with high quality parts and labor & dyno tests for a total of $3245. It runs close to 500 horses & pulls like a train (I built it for High-Torque so I can run my 2.73 gears). You could nearly build an awesome smallblock for the price you are thinking of spending on just Edelbrock stuff. Just think about your spend for a second on those heads. Edelbrock is more of a pricey name...

If you have the $$$ I'd say go roller. The only reason some of us don't is initial cost... it is a hell of an up-front fee. However, as a result of not going roller, we will all be rebuilding our motors sooner than a guy with a good roller setup (which some of us are ok with... it allows for more future fun!) I just had my 383 built with Flat Tappets... mainly because I plan to pull it out long before my cam dies... probably in about 2 years when I am done rebuilding the original numbers matched 350 for my monte (which will indeed have full rollers). Whatever car that 383 ends up in (yet to be found), will call for a different cam etc. again... and I may move to roller then.

Cam - can't help ya... but CARB, I can back up all of the above. For a 350 you shouldn't need 750 CFM. You'll be fine with 650 and below... I run a Holley Ultra Sreet Avenger 670 CFM on my 383, and it is a hell of a breather... If you do go Holley, I really like the new Vacuum secondaries they have (as long as you tune them right). They sound really cool when they open up. You also probably already know this - but don't forget to buy the Jet Kit, and the Accelerator Pump Cam & Nozzle kits, as Holleys NEVER are set right out of the box (despite their claims)...

Since yours looks like a standard 350 (reading your signature) -- get the standard Edelbrock Performer dual plane / split plane intake... or a Weiand Stealth. Your car will thank you as the higher vacuum will idle smoother etc. I honestly prefer Weiand, because they have better placed mounting holes for throttle return spring brackets, etc. etc. Maybe it is just me, but I seem to not be able to have the mounting holes line up right on my Edelbrock intake... as they are just really a modded Ford intake... even after all these years. Where you'll really notice it is in the Transmission kickdown & throttle bracket assembly mounting position. Edelbrocks choice in hole placement is just a bit odd. If you had a 383, or a heavy cam'd racing 350 that really needed the extra air, I'd suggest maybe a looking to an airgap or a single... but it really takes a lot of engine to need more than the standard Weiand or Edelbrock Performer Split-plane / dualplane's. If you really need to later, you can always just add a 1 inch riser plate for $10 and get a better effect than airgap gives for a lot less $$$...

Holley 670 Ultra Street Avenger (single pumper) w/ Vacuum Secondaries. I am now at 76 Jets for my primaries & the spark plug color looks good. I was getting some carb backfire at 72 / leaning out. So, now that my primaries are good, what do you all should my secondaries be in relation?? I cant find much info on this... everything online speaks to primaries only & I don't have any holes cut in the collectors (yet) for installing an O2 Sensor (maybe next year)... so I can't take a reading electronically. I currently am running 78's on the secondaries, and it seems to be fine - plenty of pull when they open up.

If you ease into the accelerator vs mashing the pedal from a stop what is the behavior?? Is there a bog when you mash the pedal? I had a similar issue, and had to up my Holley's pump shot nozzle to a .35 Accelerator Nozzle (from .31) , and run the Green Pump Cam instead of the pink...

You know me so well already!!! Hey -- btw I may be up in your neck of the woods regularly. Potentially starting a new thing with that tech company everyone knows up there.

Correct - They are OVAL... after talking to some exhaust shops... if they are not round and not D -- they are OVAL (even if they are square). They actually fit OUTSIDE of the ports which is what I need.... all the other D shaped or Rounds would have cut the corders / and thus leaked / restricted flow. These, being slightly bigger (taller) allow a smooth unobstructed flow.

Mufflers??? What mufflers *grin* ???

Well - the Hedman 68863's ended up being a perfect fit: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HED-68863/ Now I just need to source 1 inch locking fasteners from Stage 8... the 3/4 are just a bit on the short side as the flanges on these hedmans are super-thick (really nice). I am impressed with the Hedman quality...

Ya know... I really don't know where they are sourced from. I want to say they were custom milled in the machine-shop here in Portland (Portland Engine Works). I'll find out tomorrow. They look like the SSRE / Patriot square heads though -- but the surface is much flatter where the flanges mount.