I am try to sort out several issues with a 1971 Chevelle 454 with Q-Jet carburetor. It currently has a service replacement Q-Jet installed and I do not have any vacuum connected to the distributor.

I am having issues in setting the idle correctly and am not getting much change in adjusting the idle screws all the way in to 5 turns out. No noticeable change.

Can anyone steer me in the right direction to trouble shoot? Vacuum hoses have all been replaced but I only get about 10" of vacuum on the carb from the port above the fuel filter on passenger side and much less than that on the port on drivers side.

The reason for no vacuum connection in my mind (I could well be wrong) is becuase of what the solenoid is supposed to do. (My thoughts anyway) and that is to provide vacuum a) 15 seconds upon startup b) when th400 is in 3rd gear, and c) then transmission is in reverse.

Please correct my thinking on this if I am wrong.