Dies when Secondaries Open (Fuel Shortage?)

[Steeveedee]

[Boog]

Glad you've got it smoothed out. Carbs can be a finicky as FI at times. I remember one Qjet I rebuilt and spent considerable time cleaning it up. It ran great for about a week. It was clogged up again. I failed to notice the short filter that was in it when I rebuilt it was the wrong filter and the debri was bypassing the filter. Another solid cleaning and the proper long filter installed and it was good from then on.

[Mike_The_Grad]

B***hin! Happy to hear you got your situation figured out. It's funny how these trucks can be the source of and solution to frustration and a way to escape the drama that surrounds us.

Well, I wish I had as good a update as the OP. Frayed Knot though.

The module was bad in my buddy's distributor, I yanked it out to reassemble it easier. As I went to install it, I climbed up inside the engine bay because theres no hood on it and it's only about 6" off the ground. (Let's see you do that in a new truck! Lol.) I grabbed a long screwdriver to align the oil pump driveshaft when I looked down into the block I saw 2 things that no one wants to see inside of an engine, PERIOD. The first thing that caught my attention was droplets of fuel sitting on the oil inside the block. It was fuel for sure because we could smell it and he pulled the dipstick and it was nasty stuff. We just filled up the oil last week and it was fine up until the other guy came over. And the 2nd thing that i wish i hadn't but am glad i did was his cam gear was practically flat. Which come to find out would explain why hes gone through 2 distributor drive gears in two years and less than 50 miles.
This all happened yesterday. So, we changed the oil, the fuel pump(he never changed it since hes owned the truck.) And we reset the distributor. I got it to fire up and run under it's own power. But it didnt sound good. At least one maybe more valves were clacking. I set initial timing at 10° and started tuning the idle air mixture screws and the idle speed screw when my buddy reminded me that his craigslist electric fan find was wired wrong as a pusher fan instead of a puller setup. So we called it a night. He told me that it was time for a cam swap. I agreed and I went to my parts guy and picked up a Elgin camshaft with a set of Eaton lifters and a Elgin true double roller timing set. All the gaskets and the oil for break in. Meanwhile he tore down the engine. So tomorow will be the reassembly.

I'm sure plenty of members will have their opinions about what and how we are going about this, as do I, but it's not my truck and my buddy knows what he wants to do. I'll post a pic or two tomorow. Thanks RhapidFyre for allowing me to post to your thread. I appreciate it. And thanks to all who have offered their input.

[Rich69shortfleet]

Originally Posted by Mike_The_Grad

B***hin! Happy to hear you got your situation figured out. It's funny how these trucks can be the source of and solution to frustration and a way to escape the drama that surrounds us.

Well, I wish I had as good a update as the OP. Frayed Knot though.

The module was bad in my buddy's distributor, I yanked it out to reassemble it easier. As I went to install it, I climbed up inside the engine bay because theres no hood on it and it's only about 6" off the ground. (Let's see you do that in a new truck! Lol.) I grabbed a long screwdriver to align the oil pump driveshaft when I looked down into the block I saw 2 things that no one wants to see inside of an engine, PERIOD. The first thing that caught my attention was droplets of fuel sitting on the oil inside the block. It was fuel for sure because we could smell it and he pulled the dipstick and it was nasty stuff. We just filled up the oil last week and it was fine up until the other guy came over. And the 2nd thing that i wish i hadn't but am glad i did was his cam gear was practically flat. Which come to find out would explain why hes gone through 2 distributor drive gears in two years and less than 50 miles.
This all happened yesterday. So, we changed the oil, the fuel pump(he never changed it since hes owned the truck.) And we reset the distributor. I got it to fire up and run under it's own power. But it didnt sound good. At least one maybe more valves were clacking. I set initial timing at 10° and started tuning the idle air mixture screws and the idle speed screw when my buddy reminded me that his craigslist electric fan find was wired wrong as a pusher fan instead of a puller setup. So we called it a night. He told me that it was time for a cam swap. I agreed and I went to my parts guy and picked up a Elgin camshaft with a set of Eaton lifters and a Elgin true double roller timing set. All the gaskets and the oil for break in. Meanwhile he tore down the engine. So tomorow will be the reassembly.

I'm sure plenty of members will have their opinions about what and how we are going about this, as do I, but it's not my truck and my buddy knows what he wants to do. I'll post a pic or two tomorow. Thanks RhapidFyre for allowing me to post to your thread. I appreciate it. And thanks to all who have offered their input.

Better at least check the condition of the main and rod bearings and the oil pump. If the cam's distributor drive gear was worn off, those particles had to go somewhere.

[Mike_The_Grad]

Well here's the skinny on my buddy's situation. A lot has happened in a short period of time. We had a successful cam break in. I actually really like this cam. But all is not well. There is some serious mechanical issue with his motor. The past couple of days have been kinda up in the air as to what the next move is gonna be. On the table are: pull the motor, find a 383 stroker short block on the cheap and through a set of aluminum heads on it. Or pull his motor and disassemble it, send it to the machine shop have it tanked and fluxed. If it checks out then machine it for a stroker kit and get a full balanced rotating assembly with a set of aluminum heads, reassemble it and drop it back in and bolt all existing parts back on it. We jacked up the truck and started it
The horrible noice is definitely in the bottom end. I thought it was torque converter as I laid underneath it with it running, but we eliminated that as a possibility. Then we thought it was possible that the distributor was binding up on the oil pump drivesshaft. So we used a shim kit and the noise remains. He is not interested in the how and why. He just wants 400+ HP out of it. So a stroker kit with a set of edelbrock performer heads might be in the works. The old cam was definitely flat. Check out these pics.

[Chris_oz]

Bummer, had the same issue with a Caddy 390 chewed out cam, ate the big ends and mains out. Rattle city.
$4k gets you a 430hp,alloy head, rollers cam 383 long engine. Or $4600 dressed.
Lots of engine for not much coin if you ask me.

[Mike_The_Grad]

Well from the looks of things it appears we are in the same boat as far as symptoms and signs. Chris_oz. I will be starting a new thread soon so as not to hijack RhapidFyre's thread. But I'd like to know if you ever found out what the root cause of it all was.

Today we ripped the heads off and everything else attached to the motor besides the transmission and the mounts. It might be a week or two before the motor can go to the machine shop. But there is something definitely wrong with the lower rotating assembly. There is lag and movement in the number 8 piston assembly. We will find out what's what and go from there. As my buddy says, "It's called Hotrodding."

[Chris_oz]

Originally Posted by Mike_The_Grad

Well from the looks of things it appears we are in the same boat as far as symptoms and signs. Chris_oz. I will be starting a new thread soon so as not to hijack RhapidFyre's thread. But I'd like to know if you ever found out what the root cause of it all was.

Today we ripped the heads off and everything else attached to the motor besides the transmission and the mounts. It might be a week or two before the motor can go to the machine shop. But there is something definitely wrong with the lower rotating assembly. There is lag and movement in the number 8 piston assembly. We will find out what's what and go from there. As my buddy says, "It's called Hotrodding."

I know what caused mine in the Cadillac, it's a 62 390 (last year of that engine) they are known for it, they have a very small dia cam lobe, with the same lifters as a chev. The front edge of the lift will dig in if the valve clearance is too tight or non zinc oil is used.

I bought mine and did about 7000 miles over a few years, then the bottom end rattle began, when I pulled it down, the valley was full of glitter. The big end bearings were wiped out.
Crank was ok but I ground it anyway, even the piston skirts had flakes in them.

What made me angry was the dirt bag I got it off said he hadn't touch it, but it had brand new lifters and gaskets.

Cost me $4k to make it right.

[Mike_The_Grad]

Ouch. Thanks for your reply. Chris. I know my buddy isnt, (or wasn't) keen to the relationship of zinc and hydraulic flat tappet camshafts. But he and I are both learning as were going along.