I see. Take the converter to a transmission shop. They can inspect it for wear and flush it on a machine they have. You cannot do that. If there are any metal particles in the converter, they will contaminate your new transmission. They may be able to rebuild your converter if it is worn.
So here is an update: I installed an Edelbrock 1406 600 cfm carb, 2400 stall, and a mallory electronic ignition. Things have improved. It no longer stalls out in drive, throttle response is MUCH better, vacuum issue is resolved, but performance is still lacking big time. I can't even spin the tires from a dig and can barely break kthem loose using the brakes Performance is just...well...blah all the way around. Am I expecting too much from this car or am I missing something? My next step is to take the car to get some dyno time at $115 per hour. Not what I wanted to do...but I'm all out of ideas. Details of my setup are in my sig.
Ben, please disregard if you've already done this but I'd check out Larry's post on timing. It has been very helpful to many who have initially lacked power even with a stock 350. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.ph...-your-Buick-V8
I've done it with the previous stock distributor and it simply didn't do anything...I will try it agian with this new distributor that I have: Can I use the same springs from the Accel Performance Advance Curve Kit in this new distributor? And get this...in order to get my engine to run smoothly with this new distributor, i had to set my initial timing to 0
What is your total timing (no vacuum advance) and how early is all the mechanical advance in? Your engine doesn't run at the initial timing once the RPM rises above idle speed. Mallory distributors have an adjustable mechanical advance. You should be able to set up that distributor so that you can run more initial timing, yet still have the 30-34* total timing you need for best WOT power. What is the part number of the Mallory Distributor you installed? Ben, the distributor should have come with instructions. Have a look and see if it states whether you have an adjustable mechanical advance, or how many crankshaft degrees the mechanical advance is.
What happened to the 750 Q-Jet you were going to get from Everyday performance. If you would have bought that carb it would be spinning the tires by now. The 600 cfm Edelbrock is really too small for the motor, you need a 750 on there.
Your lack of performance is the 1406. even a stock qjet will out perform a well tuned 1406. Get a qjet built And roast some tires.
Geeze...I have a whole other problem now. I went to start my car this morning and the battery was dead. I charged the battery and now the car wont start. It turns and turn but will not fire. Starter solenoid? Coil? How do I determine? But to answer your question: I have 20 degrees of mechanical advance all in at 3k. I really don't know what my total timing is because clearly the mark on my balancer is wrong. It only runs right at 0 degrees. Maybe I don't have my timing tab on correctly?
How do you know you have 20 degrees of mechanical advance all in at 3k? What method did you use to establish this? Your distributor has a vacuum advance on it, is it not connected at this point? You need to read the instructions that came with that new distributer and establish how much vacuum advance and how much mechanical advance there is. They work together. I would suggest you buy a timing tape You buy the tape that matches the diamter of your balancer, then apply it to the outside of the balancer lining up the zero mark with the factory mark like this. Then you will know exactly what your timing is without having to worry about weather your marks are correct or not. The even better method would be to get a dial back timing light and then you don't need the tape. I have seen a couple times in the previous pages when you use an incorrect term, so you need to make sure you are not missing a step or performing something incorrectly, ie referring to your torque converter as your stall. I also would suggest you use the everyday performance carb you said you ordered. He knows buick. Best of luck.
First you test for spark, by positioning a disconnected plug wire near a good ground, then crank the engine and watch. Then you look down the carburetor and open the throttle briskly to see if you have gasoline. You should see 2 streams of gasoline spray into the carburetor throat. The unilite modules are very sensitive to damage from voltage spikes. You might have damaged it if you have no spark. BTW, if you have 20* of mechanical advance, and your initial timing is 0* (TDC), your total timing is 20*at WOT, and it's no wonder you have no power. What happens if you advance the initial timing to 12*BTDC? 12* + 20* = 32* which should be just about right.
Ok...I think I've gotten to the bottem of my problem. When I did the electronic conversion I never changed the voltage from 6 to 12. Unfortunately I think I ruined my ignition module. So can I just run a wire from the ignition slot of my fuse box to the coil? Will this work?
No, the unilite uses a ballast resistor. Your resistance wire does the same thing. Running battery voltage to the coil will eventually destroy the unilite module. https://prestoliteperformance.com/m..._wiring_diagram_test_procedure_1214M_0000.pdf
So I was supposed to hook it up as per figure 2? This is how I had it hooked up: Green to negaive side of coil Red to Positive side of coil Brown to ground and this red wire from the harness to the positive side of coil Did I not do something right?
Oh and regards to the Q-Jet, I bought one that was supposedly built by everyday performance...it was crap. I couldn't give it more that half throttle, if I did it sputtered and fell on its face. My original ran much better but was crap too. If I gave it any less than half throttle it ran like crap. To say that this 1406 runs much better is an understatement. As I understand it...Q-jets are best for these motors if they are setup right....but good luck with getting one that is. Maybe one day I'll send one to Ken to get built...but for right now...this 1406 is fine.
Yes, Figure 2. Looks right. You were using points before, correct? Then the resistance wire should still be there. Are you getting spark? Supposedly built by Everyday Performance? For what engine? Get Ken to build you one for your engine. It will run rings around the Edelbrock.
I put my old dist in there and it fired up....ran like crap...but that means it's getting spark, right? This is the Q-jet I bought...should have been perfect for my setup: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?262915-Everyday-Performance-Rebuilt-Rochester-Quadrajet-Carb-Foe-350-Engine&p=2161488&highlight=#post2161488
Yes, if it runs, it has spark. I think you probably have multiple problems that you can't diagnose on your own. I'm trying to help, but maybe it would be better to take the car to someone that works on older cars. That Q-jet carburetor should have run well.
Just to jump in about the Q-jet, I wouldn't blame the carb for the issues unless Ken either didn't touch it, or something got seriously messed up as different owners had the carburetor before you got it. Not blaming you or anyone else, just sticking up for Everyday Performance since I run one of their 800cfm qjets and have no issues as do a significant number of members here. Maybe talk to Ken and see what he suggests to do. He may just have the casting number logged and can tell you what the carb was built for and what modifications were done. I bet you someone messed with the tension on the secondary air doors. If I am not mistaken, weak spring tension will allow the doors to flop open under throttle and will cause what many call "quadrabog" There is a common misconception that taking tension off the air doors will improve power and flow and it does not. The Quadrajet, since it has a spread bore design, must smooth the transition from 2bbl to 4bbl operation to prevent a lean condition. This is done through delaying the opening of the air doors through the use of a spring in order to allow the additional amount of fuel demaded to reach the venturi unlike some other carburetors such as holleys that use a secondary accelerator pump
I agree, this carb should have worked great right off the bat. It may have sat with gas in it for a while and maybe the pump diaphragm may have gone bad and you need a new one. More than likely someone messed with the secondary spring causing bog problems.
