My 67 396 325 HP all stock is hard to tune. I set the dwell right at 30. I took the idle down to 600 and set the timing to 4 degrees advanced per the book. It seemed to run fine that day but the next time I drove it did not run well. It bogged when cold and backfired thru the carb when you punched it.

I advanced it until it ran right. I set the idle about 800-1000. The timing is now 15 to 20 degrees advanced. It runs pretty well when hot, but is hard to keep running when cold. Hesitation is bad. I have played with 10 degrees etc., but I just can't get the timing right. Any ideas? Here is some more info about the car:

Freshly rebuilt engine, dist, carb. I know nothing about the cam. I have not messed with the idle screws since it was rebuilt. I have not taken the car over 40 mph yet as I have no tags. The first time we set it up we put the dist. in based on the put-your-finger -in-number-one-until-it-pops method.

Could the cam be degreed wrong? How can I tell? Could the dist. be one tooth off?

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Jameel Qazi
#'s 67 SS

Did you check to see if the damper aligns with the pointer when you have compression in the #1 cyl? It could be that your damper has twisted. A good way to set timing if you are unsure of the damper is to use a vacuum guage if you dont have too radical of a cam. It should be 18" to 20" of vacuum at idle. With the engine at operating temperature.

[This message has been edited by chev64 (edited 03-19-99).]

Timing should be set max at about 12 degrees, normally. Really sounds like a carb problem. Choke working right? Vacuum leak somewhere? Some cars are just cold natured. Might need to just get the car on the road and put some miles on it. tom

Tom, you may be on to something. I started her up yesterday. I have to pump it about 5 times before I fire it. It runs strong and fast for about 5 seconds and then dies unless you tap the gas to save it.

Because I have to pump the gas to keep it running, it falls off the fast idle. I took a look at the choke. It does not seem to be working. It is the old bimetal type with the coiled spring under a little box on the manifold. I still don't understand how it works. If I pull down on the choke rod, it won't close the choke. If I rev it up, the choke will close and stay on fast idle until I rev it again.

I have still never figured out how that funky vaccum diaphram on the right front of the carb works. It never seems to affect the choke.

Here's another note:
When I took the carb to get it rebuilt at Carbeurator Specialties, the guy said the throttle body was a 67 but the bowl was a 74. He said they would not work together, so he gave me a different throttle body. They seemed to be really professional so I took their word for it. How can I tell if the choke is really working? It should be at least partially closed at start up right? What do I check if it isn't?

A bad choke would explain why it runs better when it gets hot. There is still some kind of ignition problem tho. I took the advance back to 10 degrees advanced with vaccum advance still on and rpm about 800-900. Does this sound right? The book says 4 degrees at 500 rpm with no advance. The thing still hesitates when you punch it in first gear.

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Jameel Qazi
#'s 67 SS

Jaqazi,
If you could set the timing to 4 degrees like you said, then your dist. is in ok. Now, the other question to this is, are the marks on? (Piston #1 TDC Comp. stroke with timing mark at 0 on damper.)and the cam is in correctly. Then the timing is set.
I would try playing with the mixture screws on the carb.
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