Frustrations!!!!

[willitell]

Alright, my car has been off the road, since the last time it ran I've torn into it.

Everything on the top end has been removed and replaced. A set of good used heads went on, snugged down by a set of ARP head bolts. I checked the intake mani for cracks and bolted back down the edelbrock performer. I swapped out my swap meet rebuilt 570cfm, for a more modest (and reasonable) Factory Reman Holley 390cfm, w/ Vacuum Secondaries. the distributor has been pulled and replaced with an A1 Cardone Reman unit. The MSD, which I thought was the source of my problems has had all it's connections and wires to the box quadruple checked.

Here's what happens, The motor fires right up after a step on the accelerator pedal (to pump some gas in using the accelerator pump). Idles rough (and misses), but I am running open headers. then at maximum 30 seconds later it dies. One pump and a start and it fires up. Step on the accelerator while it's running and the motor just dies, doesn't rev up and doesn't even die immediately everytime. just keeps chugging along with it's lopey idle and then dies.

Here's what I know.
-Fuel pressure to the carb is in the holley's manageable range (5-7.5 PSI)
Timing doesn't help, I've undone the distributor clamp, and rotated it both ways as far as i can, no change for the better.
-Spark plug wires are on correctly, spark plugs are new and loaded with black carbon (they haven't gotten hot enough to clean themselves) plugs are delco R45TSX, gapped @ .030
-There was bad gas in the tank, i mean really rank stuff because the car has been sitting, but there are 10 gallons of regular in there now so good to bad ratio is at minimum 2:1, and I'd bank it on being higher maybe closer to 3:1
-no noticable vacuum leaks. The caps to all vac ports are plugged.
-carb and intake mani are torqued to specs, gaskets on both were installed dry.
-There is no emissions control equipment on my car. Edelbrock left no EGR provision, the evap system was shot and giving me problems when the car was stock, catalytic converters might never find thier way back onto my car, and the PCV hole in the manifold is plugged, and a big ass breather is in the valve cover for now.


I am FEARING a bottom end issue, but we're compression testing the motor today (sunday).

Someone please throw me a life line here.... I'm all out of ideas and just praying it's something stupid and simple that I missed.

Any ideas that could help me would be greatly appreciated.

-Will

[BlownV6]

Sounds like a fuel issue to me. What happens if you losten up the gas cap??
could be creating a vacuum in the tank?? Mike

[willitell]

It's possible I guess, I'll have to try that. I'm going to swap out a brand new fuel filter. I didn't get around to the compression test today, was helping a friend with his car.

But next weekend I'm doign the works, hooking up a tach, vac gauge, AFR gauge and seeing what I can figure out with those tools.

[Freddie's Buick]

Turn it on and carefully lean into the carb venturis and look as you lightly throttle up. See if fuel is squirting at a normal rate as you pump the throttle. I personaly think you should find a working Q-jet that you know works. Replace that Holly and see if it runs as it should. I think that rebuilt carb may be bad.

[charlief1]

Take a can of carb cleaner and spray it into the carb whiloe someone else starts the car. If it runs you have a fuel problem. If you plugged the evap lines it's very possible you have a created a vacuam in the gas tank.

[willitell]

The more I think about this, and the more you guys call it a fuel issue, the more I think I have some REALLY bad gas in the tank, and the 10gal of regular is just letting it limp.....

Wish I put Stabil in the tank (when I parked it). I don't think I remembered to . So I'm going to drain and flush the tank ASAP.

[willitell]

Just thoguht I'd share a followup..... Turns out it was the rank gas. pumped the tank empty, and she started right up.

Thanks for your help!

[charlief1]

Congrat and have fun.