Alf

What kind of bolts are you using? Are they threaded all the way up or do they have some type of shoulder? I know the stock starter bolts have a shoulder with a cross hatch pattern on them that fit tight in the starter housing and hold it from moving anywhere. I think if you go get some regular starter bolts your problem will be solved, unless the starter was machined wrong.

Why would it blow black smoke if it didn't have enough fuel? I have never heard of a car that was leaning out blowing black smoke, its usually the other way around. I don't understand why this pump would not suply enough fuel for my engine, the engine is stock. I had my Camaro in the 12's with a $10 AC Delco replacement pump, and thats a bigger engine. I guess I'll hook the guage back up and try a few different scenarios. Thanks for the help so far.

Here are a few more things to think about. I hooked up a fuel pressure guage and took it for a ride. At normal driving the highest PSI was 5.5, and about 3.5 PSI when it hit the "wall" at about three grand in every gear. I think we can rule out fuel pressure as being the culprit because the engine spits black smoke when it hits the "wall", so it seams to have enough, and not too much fuel. Another interesting thing I just discovered is that if I run through the gears using only the front two barrels it will go as high as I want, just really slowly. I already know that the carburetor is too big, and it should be a vacuum secondary too, but I have never heard of an oversized carburetor doing anything like this. Has anyone experienced anything like this? I have a Holley 600 spread bore vacuum secondary, but it has serious problems, I think internal vacuum leak or serious warpage and the engine doesn't run half as good with the 600 VC than as the 650 DP. As I said earlier I roughly checked where the valves were opening and closing with the TDC mark on my balancer, and found that the exhaust valve was closing about 40 degrees before TDC and my intake was opening directly on TDC. From what I've read this is too far advanced. I think I may have two seperate problems here. But the advanced cam timing just seams to add up, car runs better than expected in the low RPM range and has snappy throttle responce, but seriously dies off in the top end. It sounds like it has a big cam in it at idle, but performs like stock, and its running hotter than it should. This would also explain why my timing and carb adjustments were useless. I bought a timing gasket set and it was only $8 so if I do take it apart and find that the cam is timed right, I won't loose anything but a few bucks and some time. What do you guys think, am I making sense?

It just ran smoother throughout the RPM band up untill 3,500 RPM.

We named my Z "The Freak" because it is the biggest modge podge of different parts you've ever seen. I named my 69 Camaro "Jane" only because it was a base model when I got it(plain jane).

I have already gone the fuel pressure route with no succes. I origonally was running the car with the stock in tank 85 300ZX electric fuel pump wich didnt work out that well. So i dropped the tank and tossed the electric pump and made a new sump for the fuel pick up. Then I put a stock replacement mechanicle fuel pump on the engine and it helped a little, but it still hit the wall at three grand. The filter is nice and clean also. I just went out and pulled the driver's side valve cover to watch when the valves were opening and closing in relation to the TDC mark on my balancer. I found that the exhaust valve closes about 2.5 inches before TDC on a 6" balancer, I'm guessing this is about 40 degrees? The intake startes opening directly on TDC. I went on the Crower cams website and was checking out some cam cards. Part number 00236 is a small cam for the SBC, under .400" lift, so I took the numbers from that which should be comparable to what is in my engine. The specs on this cam are as follows: Intake opens -18 degrees ATDC, intake closes 18 degrees ABDC. Exhaust opens 28 degrees BBDC, exhaust closes -24 degrees BTDC. I'm not sure what the - means, does anyone know? By looking at these specs it seams my cam is advanced by 10 to 20 degrees. What do you guys think?

I would bet my life its not the carb, I have tried everything. The carb is a Holley 650 spread bore double pumper(its too big for the engine but it should run past three grand). Right now I have it set to Holley specs besides the primary jets which are 65's, 83's in the rear(sounds huge to me but it is a spread bore and thats what Holley says should be in there, plus I ran it with 67's and it did the same thing). it has a 8.5 pv in the front and a 7.5 in the rear. It is a SBC and I know about the pan, but what are you gonna do. I have never pulled a timing cover off while the ehgine is still the car, but my buddy installed a cam in his vette while his engine was in so we can do it. I just want this thing fixed, I don't mind taking it apart if that will solve my problems. What exactly are the symptoms of too advanced or too retarded cam timing?

Hey guys. Ever since I freshened up my 307 it does not run right. I received this engine for free from a fellow Camaro enthusiast, so I never heard it run before but he said it was rebult not long ago. This past winter I decided to pull it apart and was totally surprised to find fresh hone marks, 30 over pistons, and basically a good to go engine. So I cleaned it up, installed new rod and main bearings, new timing chain, set of fresh 882 heads I had laying around, and buttoned it up. For some reason I did not remove the camshaft to check its condition which was just plain stupid since I did just about everything else. After setting the engine in my car and hooking everything up, we started the engine and it fired right up and sounded great. Unfortunetally I had to drive it 1300 miles back to school only a couple days after first firing the engine so I couldnt put my super tune on it, but it was tuned. The first thing that gave me an idea that something was wrong was the gas milleage, I was getting ten miles to the gallon which is horible. This engine is basically stock so I was expecting at least 15(my stock, worn out 305 got 20 on the way home). Now about three months later and tons of fidelling I have it running decent, but it still isn't right. For all the time I've spent it should be running tens, haha. The engine will run up to about 3,500 RPM and then it just hits a wall, it sounds like a rev limiter, but my car doesn't have one. My ideas were; not enough voltage to coil(jumper wire did nothing), pertronix ignitor went bad(replaced with points, does the same thing), way off timing(its not, 11 initial, 36 total), way off fuel curve(I have tried every combonation I can think of and am wearing out the threads on my poor Holley), weak valvesprings, flat cam(lifters looked okay), leaking intake manifold, and the one I think is correct: one or two teath off on my timing gear hence wrong cam timing.( I can't remember installing the timing set, I think I did it right, but then again that was the same day I didn't pull the cam) Anyways I'm going to be heading back home in about three weeks and I don't want to hurt this engine. Is there anyway I can diagnose this problem without pulling the engine apart? Anyone have a similar problem? I've tried all I know, and any help would be greatly apreciated. Thanks.

Hey Joe, its nice to get some conformation on that number, as yours are pretty much right on par. Is your car a 2+2? Did you retain the a/c or any of that stuff?

Hey guys, just here to gloat a little, haha. I had the chance to weigh my car today while going into the local solid waste dump and the results were very pleasing. The car: 85 300ZX 2+2 Lightening measures: dumped the VG30e and five speed, rear seat, seat belts, rear carpet, a/c compressor, condensor, lines etc., front bumper, bumper shocks, horns and horn brackets, and in tank electric fuel pump Weight adders: added carbed, iron headed SBC with aluminum intake manifold, rams horn manifolds, single 2.5 inch exhaust with Flowmaster muffler, Saginaw three speed, custom drive shaft with replaceable u-joints, and street sign air dam/ radiator inlet The car was weighed with me and my friend in the car (about 300 pounds, we're skinny) and about 3/4 of a tank of gas. The scale said 3300lbs, Which dry should come out somewhere in the 2900's. I'm not sure how precise the scale was or what increments the scale used (25, 50, 100 lbs) but either way I am pleased. Look out all you guys with the older, smaller Z's, I'm on my way down, haha.

I say Camaro/Firebird They are fast, reliable, get good milleage, have huge aftermarket support, and the biggest reason of them all, LS1 + T56.

With that engine combo you should basically destroy him if its tuned decent. I would race him at a track, safe, easy, and no dispute on who won.

Whats your engine got in it? I can smoke stockish cobras with just a basice flat top 355 and a comp cam XE274 in a car that weighs about a thousand pounds more than your Z, I say go for it, you should take him.

It may just be the check valve. If the booster is leaking air that means your engine has a vacuum leak, is it running differently? Try disconecting the hose and putting a cap on the carb port and see how it runs, if its the same its probably not the booster.

Hey Jeremy, this is what I ended up with. http://album.hybridz.org/showphoto.php?photo=7102&cat=615 I mounted it on a new turbo radiator ,with some simple brackets, and it cools my V8 nicely. I think the fan is something like the Black Magic fan, I bought it at a swap meet for $15, the guy said he was going to use it for a Toyota truck.

364753 L 305,350,400 76-80 pass, camaro, malibu, monte carlo log style with no supports

Do you know where Swedesboro is?

Trevor, did you start your 300ZX swap yet? If so got any pics?

That is wrong in so many ways.

If anyone in the South Jersey area is looking for a v8 Z, I know where one is for sale for $2,000. It has some serious body mods, flared fenders ect. I'm not sure what year or model, it looks to be a Z and not a ZX. It's got a 350 SBC but hasn't ran for a while. If anyone is interested I could give you directions to the place. BTW this is not my car, just thought I would clue you guys in on a Z.

Thanks for all the replies, there's alot of usefull information here. I made a mistake about the header tube size, they are 1 5/8". I'm getting excited for summer now, I can't wait to get done school, go home for the summer, and tinker with my lonely 69. The good new is that I am planning on pulling the engine out when I get home due to a blown head gasket and a leaking rear main seal(I can't stand leaks). Hopefully the head and block are okay. More good news is that I have a Victor Jr. manifold just laying around. I plan on using the manifold and one of the cams Grumpy suggested, is one better than the other? I also understand that I am a far way from the 11 second barrier, but these times were recorded on an extremely humid and hot day, so I think she has some more in her. Hey MikeC, are you talking about the cowl induction air cleaner and hood? If it works that good i'll have to look into it because I have the hood just not the air cleaner setup. How similar is your car? Here is a link to a 12.90 pass on the same day, just to give you guys a visual. Constructive criticism is encouraged. http://videos.streetfire.net/search/69+camaro/0/510C02F0-FC89-44B0-83B6-F96D054FD907.htm

Thanks, this setup works great, I agree about the brackets, i'll fab up some new ones when i get back home.

I think your gonna love that car. I love mine, it's so comfortable and roomey. The engine bay is a little tight but not bad, the spark plugs aren't easy to change though. I've never heard anything bad about those engines except the timing belt, which most cases are just neglect. The engine in my 85 had 142 thousand miles on the clock, it ran, but a fire melted 50% of the engine harness. Is that a 2+2 or a two seater? All in all they are nice little cars, and if you need more speed you can drop an SBC in rather easilly.