350 intake/carb suggestions

[86FieroSEv6]

When it comes time to go after that fuel pump. Take a moment to note the two bolt holes on the front of the block to the right of the timing cover near the bottom. The upper of the two holes goes all the way to the fuel pump push rod. If you take out the short bolt that is there to prevent oil leakage you can use a longer threaded bolt to screw in, lightly pinching the push rod so it doesn't drop down and make you invent a new language while you try to use a butter knife to hold the rod up while you wrangle the fuel pump lever in under it. Feel me, dawg? Also, when you take out the pump, if you see fuel in the lever section of the housing that was attached to the block, then the diaphragm probably rotted away or became brittle from fuel drying and then cracked when it was started up again. No, I did not make up the butter knife thing.

[nixtux]

Sorry, double post! DOH!

Axe

Thanks for the HEI write-up. It is a fairly mild build. At best 300HP/400ft/lbs. When it was running good, it was pretty freaking awesome. I have a guy who said he could hook up a old HEI for a 350. I just need to get a ride to get it. Sounds fairly easy to install.

Here's a real odd one. My plugs aren't wet fouled, but there is gas in the oil. I checked the oil and it's about 1/4-1/2in over the full line. The oil was changed around 300-400 miles ago and I put 5qts in (and it's suprisingly accurate on the dipstick.) There was a suggestion regarding the fuel pump might be leaking into the crank case. The Fuel pump was new in 2002 (that was about 15,000 miles ago.) I should be able to get a new gasket and change it. Hopefully anyway. Any suggestion before the undertaking is always welcomed.

The intake, blasted thing. The bolts came loose. Going to get new intake bolts and some lock-tite and redo it (hopefully Monday.) I figure do the fuel pump gasket and HEI distributor at the same time. The last couple weeks have been pretty busy. My friends truck broke so helped him get that fixed (it set me back about 350 or so,) and in return he gave me a ride to the doctor 2hrs away. I won't even start on what I've spent on the car lately. In any event, I have over $10,000 into it now and I've only gotten 15 miles out of it. Sure would be nice if vehicles would just work for me but it's pretty much impossible.

[Axe_1]

Sorry, double post! DOH!

Axe

[Axe_1]

Sounds like a few things going on at once. It also sounds like you are on a budget so here's how you can replace that Distrubetor for almost nothing. If it's only a mild 350, stock compression with a power cam I have always had good luck with a used stock HEI distributor. I have changed over several GM cars and trucks to HEI and never had a problem with them. BUT, to do it right you need to change out some wires. The old points ignition has a 20 guage wire running from the fuse block on the firewall over to the external coil. It should also have another 20 guage wire coming from the same connector and going down to the starter. That second wire is just to bump up the ignition voltage to a straight 12 volts when the starter is engaged for an easier start.

You will need to remove both of those, the external coil, and the 20 gauge wire going from the coil to the distributer, and replace it with just one 12 gauge wire going straight from the fuse block on the firewall to the hot side of the HEI distributer. You can use a standard 1/4" Female Blade connector to clip it to the distributor so you don't even need to worry about having the correct connector.

The best way is to actually pull the outer side of the fuse block off of the firewall, carefully remove the wire from it with a small screw driver, and reuse the little clip from the end of the wire on the new wire. You will be going from two 20 guage wires to one 12 gauge wire so even though it's tight it will crimp back on and work like new.

I haven't done this for a while, but if I remember right there is only one bolt holding that fuse block together. I would start by disconnecting the battery, then finding that fuse block on the firewall, near the brake booster (assuming it has power brakes). Remove the center bolt and carefully wiggle it apart. You should be able to see how the wires are crimped onto little copper clips. Using a very small screw driver wiggle the copper clip with the ignition wires attached and pull it free. Spread the crimped wings and attach the new wire. Slide the clip back into the fuse block and make sure it's secure like it was before. You may need to open the end a tiny bit to make sure it holds. Fit the block back together and install the one bolt. DONE!

It sounds a LOT more difficult than it is, but don't be afraid to ask any questions you might have.

Axe

[nixtux]

Started up today. Ran really good for about 5 minutes then started sputtering. I noticed a small leak in the intake (it's clear as day.) I pulled my friends 99' Silverado with it. No problem. It was only about 10-12feet but it was still awesome. I figure, redo the intake, HEI distributor, reman quadrajet, new plugs/wires and be done. I pulled all the plugs and they are clean. I'm thinking the gas smell was it missing a little more than flooding out. I figured it was gas, but it clearly steam from burning coolant on the intake.

[nixtux]

Started pulling plugs and checking the spark. None! Won't even start now. No spark at all. Plugs look good though. They don't look wet or smell like gas. they look about normal as far as I can tell. I was going to take a picture but my camera sucks. I can't take pictures of small objects and get it to focus.

[nixtux]

That's about what I was hoping it was. Not that it's a good thing, but it's by no means the worst it could be. Just figure out why the carb is being a brat, then change oil, maybe plugs (I'd assume they can be cleaned up,) and then move on to the next stage. The plugs were changed when the oil was, so they are, basically, brand new AC Delco plugs.

I'm not 100% sure what route to take. I'd assume, get the carb rebuilt or a reman? See if it goes away. If it does, move on to the distributer, exhaust manifolds, exhaust leaks, ect.

I'm guessing the sputtering is "raw fuel" since it's not consistent. When the intake was going out, it was white puffy smoke, and it's not white puffy smoke nor can I see the sputter all the time. It's not not lossing coolant. I think the intake probably is okay for now.

thanks

It's probably misfiring because you have badly wet fouled a plug or two. Even the world's best ignition system and plugs cannot overcome wet fouling due to a fuel control issue. Case in point. My buddy's (everybody's got a buddy!) pro street Camaro has a nicely built small block with a beast of a Holley on it. BTE prepared and tuned locally at XXX in Pensacola. Back a while back, we chewed through a couple of power valves. He's got an MSD6AL with a Blaster coil and we still fouled up the plugs. Mind you, his ignition system definitely packs a wallop, I speak from some oh so painful experience. Still, it was no match for improperly atomized raw fuel. You gotta get your carb' squared away first or everything else is wasted money.

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=yALmUynDm2k

[86FieroSEv6]

It's probably misfiring because you have badly wet fouled a plug or two. Even the world's best ignition system and plugs cannot overcome wet fouling due to a fuel control issue. Case in point. My buddy's (everybody's got a buddy!) pro street Camaro has a nicely built small block with a beast of a Holley on it. BTE prepared and tuned locally at XXX in Pensacola. Back a while back, we chewed through a couple of power valves. He's got an MSD6AL with a Blaster coil and we still fouled up the plugs. Mind you, his ignition system definitely packs a wallop, I speak from some oh so painful experience. Still, it was no match for improperly atomized raw fuel. You gotta get your carb' squared away first or everything else is wasted money.

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=yALmUynDm2k

[nixtux]

Hmmmmmmmmm, are you still using the stock mechanical fuel pump? If so, I would pull it and make sure it's not leaking into the crankcase. Other than that, your carburetor may be flooding, either due to a faulty needle and seat, float or choke not opening.

I'm not sure on the fuel pump. I know it was new in 2002. It's attached to the block, maybe the oil pan. But I'm thinking it's the block.

I was thinking that maybe if it's missing bad enough, could fuel build up in the pistons and get pulled through the valves? Maybe that's stupid, but I don't know.

[86FieroSEv6]

Hmmmmmmmmm, are you still using the stock mechanical fuel pump? If so, I would pull it and make sure it's not leaking into the crankcase. Other than that, your carburetor may be flooding, either due to a faulty needle and seat, float or choke not opening.

[nixtux]

Last night I ran and did some quick errands. At a light, it started sputtering real bad. It almost looked tinted blue between the smoke and the sputter. I was maybe 2 miles from my house so it was a quick return trip. Half way there the exhaust leak clacking went away and was muffled. When I got out of the truck it smelt like gas, heavily. The oil also smell like gas. It's also really dirty considering I changed the oil 120 miles ago.

Just looking for suggestions before I tear into it.

[nixtux]

The main reason I planned to change the intake was because it's lighter. A little bit easier to get it on and off if I have to do this project alone. I'm not 100% on how much the current intake weights but it has to be at least 50lbs. I'm thinking a little bit more since my two cats weight about 25lbs and that's not much weight. I think it'd be a task to set it on my own. The last time I had a friend and even that was somewhat of a challenge.

However, given the cash situation, it is good to know that it probably won't make any difference. This time just make sure to seal it up better. The RTV I had was a bit old and it didn't want to come out very well. Overall, it was a 1/8in bead, albeit spotty. At the time I wasn't sure if it was the intake so I figured just get it done and find out. Apparently it was the intake and apparently it will need to be redone. This is a hobby so, for the most part, I don't mind redoing things. It's learning lesson.

You don't need an intake mani'. Get the carburetion straightened out. As for the distributor, I ran a single point from a '71 Impala (full size cars had the best factory advance curve) and a Holley 750 double pumper on a 350 with a Crane cam (.454 gross lift) against a stock TH350 with a twenty dollar Mr. Gasket shift kit in it. The rear was 3.08 open type diff' and all of this was in a '72 Ventura sporting L50-15 tires. It was able to hit 14.90@90mph on demand, very consistent car. Fuel economy was around 16 in town and 18-20 hiway. I was using a Holley Dominator II intake, but when I switched back to a stock truck heavy duty four barrel intake I barely lost a tenth and the cam didn't seem to mind plus it helped the street manners a bit. I'm betting it was the improved port velocity of the longer runner stock intake that caused it.

[86FieroSEv6]

You don't need an intake mani'. Get the carburetion straightened out. As for the distributor, I ran a single point from a '71 Impala (full size cars had the best factory advance curve) and a Holley 750 double pumper on a 350 with a Crane cam (.454 gross lift) against a stock TH350 with a twenty dollar Mr. Gasket shift kit in it. The rear was 3.08 open type diff' and all of this was in a '72 Ventura sporting L50-15 tires. It was able to hit 14.90@90mph on demand, very consistent car. Fuel economy was around 16 in town and 18-20 hiway. I was using a Holley Dominator II intake, but when I switched back to a stock truck heavy duty four barrel intake I barely lost a tenth and the cam didn't seem to mind plus it helped the street manners a bit. I'm betting it was the improved port velocity of the longer runner stock intake that caused it.

[nixtux]

my dad has a performer intake on his 70 monte 350... good intake, i think he's getting ~18MPG with it with a turbo 350 and like 3.3x gears and it makes decent power for being a weekend cruiser/back-up vehicle, even with the stock exhaust manifolds.

I'd be suprised if I'm getting 5MPG right now. Before the intake went last fall, it got around 10-12MPG on the highway and around 2-4MPG in town. I was pretty hard on it in town. But you cannot stand by while some douche hot rods his Honda. I put about 9 gallons in and put 45miles on it before I had to put more fuel in. 20 miles was over a quarter tank. It's just awful right now.

It's suprising how poor a engine performs when things aren't on the up and up. I can't afford to drop the Ben's into this right now but I have to because I can't afford the gas let alone the bill to tow it home, if it breaks down.

[robertisaar]

my dad has a performer intake on his 70 monte 350... good intake, i think he's getting ~18MPG with it with a turbo 350 and like 3.3x gears and it makes decent power for being a weekend cruiser/back-up vehicle, even with the stock exhaust manifolds.