. . . Ok wheres the help when all there is, is sarcasm. i read it. and i do understand it. im not a read to learn person. im a hands on kinda person. and where i lack is living in a place where i cant be around a hot rod shop where i can get it first hand. but no i have to do it all myself. no help from any friends. my dad is smart in this area, but is to busy to help me. so i got out and do it all by my self. I finally have a car now where i can do stuff to without worrying about gas milage. just about strip times. maybe i dont know alot, but im willing to learn. and to get a new distributor. what about money? which i have very little of. so i should work with what i have. what that is what im trying to do. and you mentioned something about why not a 2200 stall or 2800 or 3000 or 3500 stall TC... ok well 2500 was recomended. but without spending tons of money and time which money is an issue, i guess i would never know what one would give me my best time, so the good all around. racing is a fun sport and i want it to be fun. and win occasionally. and i did not say that you wernt worth answering and your directions not following. but as far as following them. i can only do it so far for being alone and my first time. i read these threads everyday. learning more. and i am learning. ive learned alot. now all i need to do is move those into actually doing instead of knowing. so whatever

thanks for your help

Yeah- I was always a "car kid" but the parents wouldnt let me tear into anything. c_creations, the only way to learn is to research. I have found some very helpful info on stall converter at B&Ms site, and have found good luck with tech articles and info just by googleing things. If you are a hands on learner, then you can print some of this stuff out and do it as you read. I found a factory service manual is a very valuable tool when doing work. Hope this helps

Andrew

Thanks Andrew, These are answers im looking for. Ill check it out. Experiment with some stuff, and tell ya how it goes.

Update on my problem:

Guess when the guy built my engine he put the cam in different, which makes it have a different firing order. So that took 150 bucks for the guy to tell me that. Dang! Sorry for being an ass on that last post. im so stressed out right now! Should be easy fix, just if i knew this. Have any of u guys had this problem. Are there any adv. disadv. to doing this stupid cam thing? other than its a pain if you didnt know it.

Hi andrewk, All,


Same here. I was asking questions when I started talking. Kept asking til I found someone with an answer that made sense.

Didn't do my first performance build, til I was 22. It was then I found out how much I didn't know. Been learning (and am still learning) since.

No aftermarket parts, because I didn't have the cash. Instead I learned how to find the power in the OEM parts.

Some aftermarket stuff is necessary, but most are wasted money.


http://www.oldsconnection.com/forum/vie ... ght=#11420

Regards, Norm

Hi c_creations, All,


Looks like the guy didn't have the balls to tell you that you wired it wrong.

If you'd like to check, it's now 18436572.


Was 150 enough to get your attention?

How much reading would you do to save that much?


What stupid cam thing? So far, there is no reason to think the cam is an issue.


If it's driveable now, leave it alone until you have some idea what you are doing.

Regards, Norm

Ok That is good advice. I guess ill work with stuff like my pickup and learn some more stuff. Thanks all. Its finally over, cept i need a new vacume advanced. but other than that its fine.

Hi c_creations, All,

Vacuum advance is mostly for economy, but it also helps off idle response.

Some people will tell you to go aftermarket, but none are any better than OEM.

Why did you take your distributor out?

Regards, Norm

Hi Norm, c_creations, all



Agreed. Thats why I used as much OEM as possible, although the aftermarket stuff I did find was used.



Although it is probably highly unlikely, what if the builder of this engine sis a 5-7 cylinder swap? I guess the only way to find out would be to pull the valve covers and watch the order first hand. Just a thought.



Great minds think alike? LOL Also, just out of curiosity, how old are you? Its odd, I always thought you were older, mainly because the way you answer and post. But you have made inferences that you are a "kid" but I thought you were joking... You got me all cofused...





I too would be interested in finding this out. The only thing that I might find more attractive in an aftermarket vac. advance is the adjustability seems to be greater. I do, however, agree that they dont perform any better than an OEM.

Andrew

Um... yea about that. well Im cleaning up the engine compartment. and well i knew not to turn the engine over when its out because that would mess it up. but it didnt hit me until that night i was laying in bed and i hit me and i was like, "im screwed". so yea now i know. guess i learned the super hard way on this one. im going to get this timing thing down with another engine i have. Do everything, so i know how to get it to work from anywhere and know what it does at different places. but never again. untill i know how to fix it, will i do it to a car that i like to drive every once and a while.

Junkyard here i come!

If the firing order is different, could you get the order that each cylinder compresses to find the firing order? Just a thought for future referance for if/when I have to get it figured out.

Correct. Since the plugs fire at the top of the compression stroke (both valves closed) the firing order can be obtained from watching the valves.

Andrew

Hi andrewk, All


On a stock engine?


EDIT: If it's not, a swap was done.

A quick way for me to find out.


A good way for c_creations to learn the basics.


If I understood "yogis 442" (600 HP 455) correctly, his advanced age (and my lack of the same) somehow proved he knows it all and I don't.

Going one step further, DrJay said I only have experience with 350 SBC (actually one of the SBC I have no experience with) and not with GM 3800, therefore, he knows it all and I know nothing.

If one believes them, I'm a teenager with no automotive experience.


The only adjustment is the diaphram spring, it's not needed unless one is passionately into fuel economy. The length of travel is more important and is not adjustable, so it must be modified.

OEM works fine 'til the point where vacuum is no longer needed.


Sorry about my tirade. Somehow I got the idea someone told you to replace a points dist with an HEI and you did. Looks like I didn't ask enough questions.
I'm probably getting a little senile.

Regards, Norm

when is the vacuum not needed. Ive seen some High Performance engines with both the vacuum advance and the end on the carb plugged off, What is the reason for no vacuum?

Hi norm, c_creations, all,
The 5-7 is a long shot, but if the mechanic was actually telling the truth, then maybe it has the swap. Ive never heard of a senile teenager...

Andrew