Here's the deal. I drive down the road and it just feels "sluggish." But noone else that drives the car thinks so. I'm used to it and it just doesn't have the power that it did about a week ago. The pedal doesn't feel as smooth or easy to push down when you mash it. I can drive it different places and it will start fine all day, but occasionally it starts, dies, and then won't start for awhile. It cranks but it acts like it's not getting fuel or fire or something. I need some help. I had the carb rebuilt a couple months ago. I have replaced my dual point setup with an HEI. I have changed the plugs and plug wires. It's not the fuel filter and I don't think it's the pump but I'm going to replace it tomorrow. I don't think it's my sending unit either. Has anyone had any problems with the sock being clogged in the gas tank? Or maybe it's vapor locking? But I can feel the problem as soon as I start the car. My dad, who has raced for years, can't really feel the problem, he's just not used to the car. This problem is getting frustrating. I'm sorry the post is so long but maybe you guys can help me or maybe there's something I haven't thought of yet. By the way, the car is a 396 bored to a 402, and has a pretty radical cam. I don't know much about the engine. Any help you can give me would be very greatly appreciated.
Kris

When you went to HEI, did you bypass the stock resistor wire to the distributor? I'm not familiar enough with dual point setups to know if that had to be done for that to function, but I do know that the HEI will not fire correctly with the stock resistor wire.

How do the plugs look?They can tell you alot.

I would go back through and check timing,float level,air mixture.

Riffers70- It acted the same way before I messed with the distributor. I did change the wire after I read this but there is no difference.
Dan- The plugs looked fine-not bad at all. I probably need to adjust the timing. Any ideas about what it should be set at?
Does anyone think it could be the sock in the gas tank? I am starting to wonder.
Thanks for the help. Any other ideas?
Kris

Are you serious? There's a sock in your gas tank?

Well yeah, I think that would explain a few things!!

Maybe you could get one of those long grabber thingies with the trigger and do some fishing?

Sorry for the confusion. A "sock" is just what I've heard other people call it. I was talking about the filter in the gas talk that catches particles before the gas starts traveling through the sending unit and to the engine.
Kris

Hmmm. That's a new one on me. I've always thought it was free and clear plumbing coming out of the gas tank. The only filters are the one(s) you plumb in the line :confused:

As far as a sending unit, is your car fuel injected? Do you have an electric pump? The sending unit to me is the unit that measures how much gas you have (fuel gauge). Gas does not travel through it.

I wish I could be more help. Don't know the timing specs on your 396. Try running a search in the Engine forum.

Good Luck!

if it runs poorly at idle or no load high idle you could run fuel from another sorce, a clean jar, bucket.and find out if you got bad fuel, or have a filter problem. if nothing changes it's the carb. or we get involved in the fire- elec. end of things.....

check your plugs. i noticed my car doing that and one of my plug wires fell off, DUH! i felt dumb

Originally posted by Stive:
Sorry for the confusion. A "sock" is just what I've heard other people call it. I was talking about the filter in the gas talk that catches particles before the gas starts traveling through the sending unit and to the engine.
Kris Dan and Fred gotcha rolling bud - stick with them and you'll go places. smile.gif

You right in your terminology, yes, it is referred to as a sock and they have been known to get clogged from time to time. However, I would look into timing and carb before ripping into the tank.

Where is your timing set at now? I have the same motor but its not a radical cammed ride. I run intial of 14 degrees, mechanical = 23 and my vac advance is limited to 10 degrees. Total of 37 all in by 3000-3200 rpm's. Grab an advance timing gun or put a tape on the balancer and figure out where your timing is currently - initial, mechanical and what rpm it is all in by. After that, go after the carb.

What kind of carb - holley or edelbrock?

What is your fuel pressure?