Camshaft Recommendations?

[jasonmark1993]

If you're looking for more power Id get a bigger carb for starters I don't have any experience with a 304, but unless the runners and valves are super small, Id go with a 600.

I don't know though, Holley makes those for a reason.

[Niedhogg]

Originally Posted by jasonmark1993 If you're looking for more power Id get a bigger carb for starters I don't have any experience with a 304, but unless the runners and valves are super small, Id go with a 600. I don't know though, Holley makes those for a reason.

Well in all my researching that went into my carb choice, I found that the 304 simply just cannot use that type of cfm in most cases, especially in the rpm range most people use their Jeeps..

And it's too bad about the heads, not being able to upgrade the valves and all. No big deal, for now just a mild cam upgrade would have to be the cat's meow for these motors, probably wakes them up quite a bit.

My AMX was no slouch, back in the day, it was quick but not real fast. Think it topped out at around 110, and I'm pretty sure it was a 2bbl.

[jasonmark1993]

I think someone mentioned checking the timing; always a good place to start.

That can definitely make it feel sluggish; generally an overly rich or lean condition will cause bucking.

Aside from getting a wideband, you can pull a plug or two to see how its running. They should be a light golden color. Anything one way or the other suggests a lean or rich condition or some oil burning.

Good plan on checking the gearing, although power is power. At some point, you will be in higher rpms in a given gear and it should feel like it has good power.

[Niedhogg]

Originally Posted by jasonmark1993 I think someone mentioned checking the timing; always a good place to start. That can definitely make it feel sluggish; generally an overly rich or lean condition will cause bucking. Aside from getting a wideband, you can pull a plug or two to see how its running. They should be a light golden color. Anything one way or the other suggests a lean or rich condition or some oil burning. Good plan on checking the gearing, although power is power. At some point, you will be in higher rpms in a given gear and it should feel like it has good power.

Timing is something I was wondering about, I've checked it several times and I have it set at 12 btc, but I do wonder if the advance on my new distributer is working correctly, or even if my new carb is drawing any vacuum for the advance. If I unplug the vacuum from the distributer, I get no change in idle. Seems like every distributer I've ever worked on has had an idle change when the vacuum is taken away from the distributer. I know when I chose this distributer, which is an economical (Pro-Tech, I believe is the brand) version of the HEI style distributors, people were saying it may give me too much advance, but I don't think it is, how can I tell if it's working? Watch it with a timing light to see if it change with accelaration? or does it need to be under load to advance the timing?

[jeepboy45]

Originally Posted by Niedhogg Timing is something I was wondering about, I've checked it several times and I have it set at 12 btc, but I do wonder if the advance on my new distributer is working correctly, or even if my new carb is drawing any vacuum for the advance. If I unplug the vacuum from the distributer, I get no change in idle. Seems like every distributer I've ever worked on has had an idle change when the vacuum is taken away from the distributer. I know when I chose this distributer, which is an economical (Pro-Tech, I believe is the brand) version of the HEI style distributors, people were saying it may give me too much advance, but I don't think it is, how can I tell if it's working? Watch it with a timing light to see if it change with accelaration? or does it need to be under load to advance the timing?

You arent going to have vacuum at idle on that line coming from the carb that goes to the distributor....

You could try sucking on the end of the hose you removed from the carb. If the distributor is actually advancing, the idle should change. You will also notice that when that line is removed from the carb, there isnt any real sucking sound from vacuum. But if you idle it up, it should start to suck more.

[Niedhogg]

Originally Posted by jeepboy45 You arent going to have vacuum at idle on that line coming from the carb that goes to the distributor.... You could try sucking on the end of the hose you removed from the carb. If the distributor is actually advancing, the idle should change. You will also notice that when that line is removed from the carb, there isnt any real sucking sound from vacuum. But if you idle it up, it should start to suck more.

Ok, so the vacuum seems to be working fine on both the carb and the distributor. We'll be able to check the gearing tomorrow..

[jasonmark1993]

I cant remember if you said you had a tach on this jeep.

Unless you have really tall gears and are flooring it at idle, you're gearing isnt the problem. Lets say you have 3.73s with your 35s, I bet you can hit 35 in 1st gear MAX. You should feel like it pulls pretty hard once you get moving.

My 304 pulled hard up to about 2500; kept reving nicely but was clearly choked by the two barrel. It basically flatlined at 2500.

Im not sure what the 304 like for total timing, but Im guessing you should see somewhere around 30 degress.

[Niedhogg]

Originally Posted by jasonmark1993 I cant remember if you said you had a tach on this jeep. Unless you have really tall gears and are flooring it at idle, you're gearing isnt the problem. Lets say you have 3.73s with your 35s, I bet you can hit 35 in 1st gear MAX. You should feel like it pulls pretty hard once you get moving. My 304 pulled hard up to about 2500; kept reving nicely but was clearly choked by the two barrel. It basically flatlined at 2500. Im not sure what the 304 like for total timing, but Im guessing you should see somewhere around 30 degress.

I need to get back on this issue, sorry, I've been to busy to tinker with it and I'm still having a rich issue with this carb..

If I floor it, it does seem to have some power and shifts through the gears well, and has a pretty firm shift which I like, but you can't drive this thing anywhere without smelling like a gas station when you get there..

Like tonight, for instance, we hopped in it to run to town after our bike ride today, had a pretty strong head wind of, oh I'd say 20-25 mph, and it could hardly get to speed, unless I floored it, but I had to use a heavy foot to maintain speed. Got out of the store, fired it up, had a little backfire sneeze, and black smoke pours from the exhaust when I rev it, and I've seen this before.. on the way home with the tail wind all seems good, like a normal day.. and a very rich exhaust even still..

Do you suppose I need smaller jets, and maybe a lighter vacuum secondary spring? I'm pulling a couple plugs again tomorrow to check color, but last time I looked they barely had any color, couldn't say if it was running rich or lean, they were really clean with just a bit of light tan on one side, which I figured was pretty good, but the way it chokes us on eye burning exhaust fumes you'd think they'd be black..

Maybe a couple more degrees of timing with this hot distributor?

[mtnwhlr]

I think you need gears. you are running a 35'' tire so unless you have at least 4.10s you are bogging down that motor. It's like you are pulling around a anchor. All the tuning in the world is not going to fix this.

[jeepboy45]

Originally Posted by mtnwhlr I think you need gears. you are running a 35'' tire so unless you have at least 4.10s you are bogging down that motor. It's like you are pulling around a anchor. All the tuning in the world is not going to fix this.

I agree that he might need to re-gear.... That could explain the sluggishness..

However, even if the engine is working overtime to get the jeep to speed, (because of gearing) it shouldnt be running as rich as it is... There is still something else going on with carb, or timing.

I think you need to get the engine dialed in nicely before you start thinking about re-gearing.

My .02

brian