ok i got the motor going and after about 7 min my brand new summit distributor quit on me. i pulled the distributor out of my brothers camaro and got it going again. it started popping really bad through the carb. is it too advanced or what. i don't have my timing tab on the timing cover so i have been putting the mark aboutwhere it shoud be. also the headers got red. is that due to to much fuel? I have a holley 870 street avenger on a 402.

thanks
josh

I had the same problem with popping comeing from my carb before I had it rebuilt. It would literally backfire with a flame shooting out of the top part of the carb. I had it rebuilt and the guy said there was all kinds of crap (dirt,etc) inside the bowl so it is possible that the needle and seat were not closing causing an excess of fuel to go into the motor to cause it to run rich. How old is your carb and was it properly set up? Might want to think about a rebuild. Also, mine did this after it had been sitting over the winter. It could very well be the timing also so dont immediatly rule out the carb as being bad. I believe either Ground Up (our sponsor) or Year One or other places sells the timing mark stamped metal piece that bolts up to the timing cover. Might be a good investment should you need to redo the timing in years to come.

the carb is brand new. it was running good till the distributor quit on me. when i changed to the other distributor i got it in 180 off. i was checking it with the engine off to see where the spark was to time it and it back fired through the tail pipe. that shouldn't have anything to do with it should it? the pop is a constant and timed pop. like it is one cylinder causing it or something. i've played with the timing and it don't change it. i thought i might have a couple wires out of sequence but that is not the case either. i changed out my old cap for the new one on the different distributor and that didn't change things either.

I bet you got the timing way off or the distributor off by a few teeth...

Also might want to check your firing order. Might have two wires crossed. Been there, done that also. graemlins/clonk.gif

I agree on checking the firing order,especially if its a consistant popping.
How's the valve lash?

If the headers are getting red, it sounds like your carb is set too lean.

ok here is the good news. the pop was from an intake valve that i am assuming was too tight. i ran the valves again and it ran fine. also the red header problem straightened out. when i set the roller rockers (harland sharp) i didn't set the set screw. they backed off on me and that was the problem i am thinking. the only problem now with them is you can hear them slap against the valve guides when they are at an idle. i am assuming that is normal for roller rockers? the motor seems to run strong. i've not got it out on the street yet, but i hope to soon. the cam is a lunati 30218 225/235 540/550 lift with the 215 heads i believe. they are the closed chamber with big valves and mild porting. anyways, i'm going back out to play some more smile.gif

thanks
josh
65 malibu