Went to the track and ran 12.99 best of the night out of 3 passes...with stock internals B4B intake, headers, 850 Carb, 2500 stall converter, 3.42 gear. Before I sold it the first time I was running 4.10 gears and a 3200 stall converter running 12.30s. Well my concern is this: I remember setting the timing at 36* like 4 years ago when I had it and she ran well without issue. Now that I have it back its still at 36* approx. and on my last pass launching at 2000rpm she chocked at the line...well I initially thought welll crap I am dumping too much fuel....and noticed a slight miss in spark. So just now I went and checked the plugs...one plugwire was not seated at all so I was running probably on 7.5 cylinders...so I checked all 8 plugs and they were very grayish white...that would tell me its leaned out badly correct? With timing advanced to 36* and leaning out like that to the point the engine possibly was starved for fuel that spells trouble I think. I want to back the timing down to 30* and just run it as is with 93 pump gas. Any suggestions or ideas to ease my worried mind? Thanks Justin
An engine will run the strongest a bit on the lean side. If it was lean enough to really hurt the engine, it would nose over big time on the top of the track. Unleaded fuel will not color the plugs like Race gas would. Having said that, in order to read plugs, you would need to shut it off immediately after the run (at the end of the track). If you were worried about the timing, you should have retarded it in 2* increments and noted any change in the trap speed.
Ill have to check it next thursday at the track...would I be able to just turn it back maybe 4* in the driveway for safe highway use?
Why wouldn't it be safe now for highway use? Do you hear it detonating? Why touch the timing at all? You can adjust the timing at the track. I would make a run as is. Then retard it to 34* Make another run and compare the time slips. Then go from there. If you go the wrong way, the trap speed will go down.
It just had me a bit nervous after it fell on its face at the starting line....I never had that happen before in that car. Then reading about timing issues....then seeing my plugs. Im still a bit on edge with having the car back and probably paranoid
If it fell on it's face at the line, it could be a carburetor issue. Could be one of the accelerator pumps is weak or bad. See if it happens again. That in and of itself doesn't indicate your engine is doomed. I'd be more concerned if it nosed over at the 660, or 1000' mark. That's dangerously lean. I wouldn't worry. Have a good look at the carburetor and accelerator pumps. Ethanol is not kind to them.
