I have the #'s matching 350 4bbl in my car with #6 heads performer rpm intake, mild rv cam, long tube headers with glasspacks and a HEI distributor . My carb is a 1985 quadrajet. My car runs and starts awsome but lacks power. I had a small A5 intake on it before and recently switched to a rpm intake thinking that would be the cause of my lack of power but it did not make much of a difference at all. At full throttle it shifts at 4000 rpm which seems low to me (th350 trans with shift kit). Reading off the harmonic balancer my timing is set at 14 degrees at 1000 rpm. Could the hei distributor be the cause of the low rpm range? Or would having a stock 1985 q jet harm performce? I am clueless on what the timing should be at and on hei distibuors.

 

What is your total timing? You need to know that since you swapped in another distributor with unknown timing curve. Being that you're in Canada, I'm assuming your 85 carb isn't a CCC carb? If it it is, then that's gotta be changed ASAP. If it's a good ol' fashion non CCC carb, then what's the jetting and what secondary rods? Was your cam degreed? That is a common problem when people complain about lack of performance and have done a cam swap. What gears are you running?

Can't help you on your shift points, but yeah, 4000 rpm is too low. You need about another 1000 rpms. I believe adjusting the modulator can fix ( or at least help ) with that.

 

It has been my experience that HEIs "like" more initial, try 20 with the vacuum advance disconnected. You may have to re-curve it (a recent thread addresses this),
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ne-tuning.html
I bet it makes a big difference. Since you had the 4 bbl stock, it may (should???) have the high comp 6 cc pistons. Do you know what cam is in it?

 

There is a governor in the transmission that controls the RPM it shifts at. There are different springs that will make it shift at different RPMs. It is accessible without removing the trans or pan.

 

Im not sure if its a ccc carb the numbers on it are 17085594. I will try adjusting the timing but how do you calculate total timing my markings look like they only go up to 14 degrees. I just decoded the intake i thought was the original but it turns out it is not. Is there a way of determining if it is a originally a 4bbl? on the block all i could read is 30m19-9 I cannot see the rest. I did not rebuild the motor I but the piston part #s they used are trw 332np30. The camshaft is a cs1024r trw. Thanks

 

That's not a good thread, because it still has unresolved issues, but it does go into detail on what needs to be done. You need an adjustable dial back timing light to check total timing or a timing tape on your harmonic balancer.

DoubleV - I don't believe the modulator is not going to give that much change. It's going to need some adjustments to the governor. Normally we see this with a T400.

Read this link:

http://yarchive.net/car/transmission.html

 

I figured his stock ( ? ) tranny was calibrated for higher shift points from the factory so I thought perhaps his modulator was not adjusted properly, but yes, the governor is the biggie when normally dealing with shift points. I have a 2004r, so I'm not well versed on the specifics of the the older trannys.

 

Just look at it. Does it have provisions for an elecrical connection on the top and one in the front? If so, then it's a CCC carb.


I didn't realize the engine was rebuilt. If it was, then all bets are off on what could be wrong. Sorry, I don't have an encylopedic knowledge of part numbers so I don't know what those pistons are. I'm assuming they are big dished cast replacement pistons that are short on compression hieght. If so, that's probably your big lack of power problem. Your cr is too low. I would do a compression test to give you a baseline on what's going on.

 

You did not realize it because the OP did not state it. Frustrating. If these are the pistons,
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sl...ake/oldsmobile

Your compression ratio is around 7.5 to 1. That is the issue and is a VERY common problem.

 

Ill do a compression test that is upsetting if that is the case. Thanks for the input

 

You can use a marker to draw a line on the balancer for the total timing. I have read multiple posts about how far from the original mark the line should be for 36º but I can't remember the measurement.

Anyway, you can use your timing tab to determine where to put a new mark:

- Turn the engine over by hand until the line on the balancer lines up with the 10º mark on the tab.

- Mark a line on the balancer at the 0º point on the timing tab.

- Turn the engine until the line you just made on the balancer lines up with the 10º mark on the tab.

- Mark a line on the balancer at the 0º point on the timing tab. You now have a line at 20º (10 + 10 = 20)

- Repeat this until you have lines up to 40º.

Now when you set the total timing with the engine running, start counting at the original mark and move the distributor until you get to the 30º line, then set that line beside the 2, 4, or 6 mark on the timing tab to get 32, 34, or 36 degrees total advance.

 

Here are some pictures of Sealed Power 332NPs, from this guy's thread.

photo-1633.jpg

photo-388.jpg

As Jim alluded to, these are deep dish pistons and will yield a low compression ratio, and it seems as though the 332APs he linked to are their successors. Just how low the CR will be will depend on details of machine work and head gasket.
ASSuming the ubiquitous FelPro 0.046" head gasket, I agree that your CR is about 7.5-8:1.

The Sealed Power CS1024R cam is has a 280/290 advertised duration (204/214 @ 0.050"), .448"/.472" lift, 112°sep, and 107/117 CL, so it looks kind of RV-cam-ish. On the one hand, it should work better at your low compression than high performance cam, but on the other hand, it's not a high performance cam.

Why this choice of rebuild components?

- Eric

 

I think most (including myself before I knew) used those pistons because they advertised 8.5 to 1. Why they chose to make a 23 cc dish over the 14 beats me. Add in the p/h (mine sat .053 in the hole, YIKES) and a fat gasket, you are at 7.5 +/- Also, while the specs are mild on that cam, it is lazy and does not build cylinder pressure. So, let's recap; crappy compression + lazy cam that might even be retarded + timing retarded = pig

This is actually a VERY common scenario, it happenned to me. I dissassembled, milled the deck .050, milled the heads to 60 cc and put in am Engle 210/216 cam. Ran great, but better pistons in the first place would have been much better.

 

The good news is you can run on regular.

 

... or kerosene.

- Eric

 

Thanks for the outline of how to time properly. I had no input on what they used for they rebuild, I bought it in 2010 and they rebuilt it in 1998. I guess my lack of performance is a little more than a bad tune.

 

Even if it's not a race car, it's still a nice car. A simple gear change will make your butt dyno happy.