350 running rich

[nascarmikeb]

I have a mildly built 350 w/ a 1407 Edelbrock carb. 0.30 over silvolite pistons, 292-501 lift comp cam & lifters, stock valves in 194 heads.

Initial timing w/out vacuum advance set to 12 deg BTDC, total timing @ 2500RPM is 30 deg. once engine is warm, the idle is 1000rpm, i'd like to get it lower to 800, seems like when I do, it becomes real rich and wants to stumble, if I don't rev the engine it will stall out. When I try to restart, it as if it is flooded, where you have to hold the throttle wide open to get it to fire. Even though I move the distributor to get the correct degree, I can also decrease/increase the idle speed with the idle speed adjustment screw. So I am slightly confused with getting the corrrect timing and lowering/increasing the idle to get me around 800rpm. I'm not sure if I don't have the correct timing if this will rsult in a rich fuel mixture.

I have never adjusted/touched the fuel/air mixture screwes. It used to idle fine. I just replaced stock HEI w/ aftermarket 65k HEI and 8mm wires, plugs gapped to .045.

Engine did sit on engine stand covered for approx. 2 years until I finally got the 700R4 beefed up to handle the torque. Although there was no fuel in the carb, and at times, I had the engine upside down to change oil pump and inspect bottom end of engine. So any fuel in carb, would have likely drained out. So, I don't believe the carb got gummed up.

I guess what I need help wuth is making sure I have the timing set correctly in conjuction with lowering my idle without the engine stumbling, and trying to determine if the timing/idle issue will result in a rich condition.

I hope I have provided enough info here.

Mike