454 Throttle Hesitation/Vacuum Leak??

[justin_jj_Taylor]

My truck will hardly get out of it's own way, and it's getting worse. It acts like it's cold all the time, choking and falling on it's face until about 2500RPM or so, then it takes off. Currently hoping it'll take me home after work...

I bought an 80's burb last year with a rebuilt 454 that had been said to have sat for 5ish years. I put it in my 73, and replaced the timing chain and gear, oil pump and pan gasket, rear main seal, etc just to be safe. I installed a 74 454 stock intake (for divorced choke, trying to keep the truck era-correct) that went to the machine shop to be planed. I also bought a rebuilt Quadrajet (Jet Stage 2) and a Mallory HEI distributor.

Here's what I've done so far.
-Sprayed all around the intake with carb cleaner, doesn't seem to be leaking.
-Checked timing and advance, all works properly
-Checked voltage at distributor, only 10 volts, ran wire direct from fuse panel, now has over 12 volts.
-Replaced carb gasket, as it was leaking but no longer is.
-It appears to be getting plenty of fuel, you can smell it all time, it's definitely not burning what it's being given.

My next step is to see what springs they put in the distributor for the advance, the advance works instantly, so my thought is possibly different springs will make a difference? They sent a few different ones with it. I was also going to throw a new set of plugs in it, since when it was first put in the truck, it was started and moved several times with open manifolds so they never had a real chance to get hot.

Also, choke is currently wired open, haven't purchased a new divorced choke thermostat yet.

Does anyone have any other ideas to try before I start digging deeper?