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still having spark knock issues.

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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 03:18 PM
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Default still having spark knock issues.

heres where im at...
69 350/300hp 10.25:1

fresh tank of 93
checked the dwell, it was a little low at 26, set it to 30.
knocked off 3* of advance.
ran half a bottle of seafoam down the carb, and half in the gas tank.

i checked the distributer for play with the dwell meter., there was very very little. it shook back and forth a little inside the 30 the line, but never went out side of it.

im getting knock through all the gears when im heavy on the gas, from about 2000rpm and up.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 03:29 PM
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Unless it's a big secret, can you give us a clue what spark timing you're running?
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 03:38 PM
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33* all in before i knocked it back, so im going to say 30ish now.


im wondering if my springs are too loose and im getting too much advance too quickly.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 05:31 PM
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bump
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 06:10 PM
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Continue to retard timing in 2* incriments then test drive to see if you are still experiencing detnotation (spark knock) when the engine is under load.

Last edited by Oldguard 7; Oct 4, 2009 at 06:12 PM.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 06:59 PM
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Too high of heat range on the spark plugs could also promote detonation. Or carbon in the cylinders. Your seafoam should have taken care of that. (water would do it too and it's cheaper)
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 07:16 PM
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ive got colder plugs in it right now, 43s. ive been running these plugs for about 4 years now.

the cars been running good for the last 2 years now. i havnt touched the ignition in that time, but within the last 2 weeks, its started knocking.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by another-user
ive got colder plugs in it right now, 43s. ive been running these plugs for about 4 years now.

the cars been running good for the last 2 years now. i havnt touched the ignition in that time, but within the last 2 weeks, its started knocking.
Then something changed. My guess is the timing sliped or the distributer has someting wrong with it. Are you using the stock unit with points?
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 07:25 PM
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I would check your vac adv can and see if it still holds vacuum. It could be on it's way out, causing your pinging/knocking.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 07:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Jim_Harrison
Then something changed. My guess is the timing sliped or the distributer has someting wrong with it. Are you using the stock unit with points?
modified stock unit with points. my dad had a performance shop work it over 30 year ago. ive got a new balancer and timing chain/gear installed, but ive had about 300-400 miles on those and no issues.

I would check your vac adv can and see if it still holds vacuum. It could be on it's way out, causing your pinging/knocking
i was thinking about that. i replaced it a few years ago, but i was wondering if it was on its way out. im going to unhook it tomorrow and go for a drive.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 08:59 PM
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Default Try a colder thermostat.

A vacuum adv adds adv at idle or cruise with large amounts of intake vacuum - no adv at WOT. If it was inop it would not add any adv so disconnecting it won't tell anything even if its stuff in the adv position (never heard of).

Things that increase the chance of pre-ignition:
-low octane fuel
-hotter combustion chambers, carbon build up, hotter plugs
-hotter coolant water temps
-hotter intake air temps
-yes too much adv

It sounds like u testing all the right things and my guess is your dist has deteriorated but u should find out by reducing total adv a little each time. Heck some guys here have reported there dist adv plate frozen from corrosion.

Good luck,
cardo0
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 02:11 AM
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Back when I worked in gas stations, if you over ordered fuel it couldn't go back on the tanker truck, perhaps you filled up at a station who filled it's premium tank with regular fuel in a overorder situation? I would back-off the timing and buy some race gas or octane additive and see how the next tank performs. Your 350 has iron heads and high compression, I would probably install some stiffer mechanical advance springs in the distributor to delay the timing advance. This is easliy done by removing the rotor and changing the springs underneath. Try to find a quality kit as many are Chinese made JUNK now a days. Here is a link to Summit: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/AC...2/?image=large
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 02:34 AM
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i thought i had bad gas my self, but i topped off from a different station with 93 octane.

delaying the advance curve has come to mind, but the only problem is, its ran with this current curve for the last 2 years with out issue. its just with in the last 2 weeks ive started knocking.
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 02:45 AM
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Gasoline formulas change from Summer to Winter blends but, if the detonation is really severe, you could have a distributor or fuel mixture issue. Try adjusting your idle mixture by hooking up a vacuum guage at the headlamp vacuum port and setting mixture screws for highest vacuum reading at idle (while leaning out mixture from rich setting) then turning mixture screws 1/8-1/4 towards rich from this reading (shoud stay relativley the same.) Possibility that your distributor advance weight is sticking or a spring broke, you should look under ignition rotor and test movement of mechanical advance weights/springs. Maybe vacuum advance can is going bad? Process of elimination is what is required here, the penalty we pay for driving good looking older Vettes
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 08:03 AM
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Originally Posted by another-user
i thought i had bad gas my self, but i topped off from a different station with 93 octane.

delaying the advance curve has come to mind, but the only problem is, its ran with this current curve for the last 2 years with out issue. its just with in the last 2 weeks ive started knocking.
The gas is crap now-a-days. My ping goes away everytime I pour a full can of seafoam into the gas tank. Give it a try.
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 09:20 AM
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are you sure it's spark knock. could it be rod knock, bad bearings or piston slap?? just an idea...
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 03:30 PM
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its spark knock, im 100% sure of it. id get some audio of it, but my cars so loud in the cabin, you would never hear it.

anyways, i unhooked the vac advance this afternoon and capped of the vac line. it eliminated 90% of the spark knock. theres still some there, but very briefly and under heavy loads. seems to only be in 2nd/3rd gear now.

bit of interesting info i found out after unhooking the vac advance, my car will idle all day long at 450-500rpms. im at 650-700 normally, but i may have to knock it down a hair.
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 05:09 PM
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If the idle drops when you remove the vac advance, it is connected to full engine vacuum. Try it with the line connected to the ported vac advance on the carb. A different vac can or an adjustable unit may help also.
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 06:38 PM
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i moved the vac location but i havnt taken it for a drive yet.

what i did do was pull the distributer apart. looked a little dry in there, so im going to regrease it tomorrow. i cleaned up all the old grease this evening.

the springs look good and feel strong, the points look good but i did clean up the contacts on them a bit. and the weights looked good and were moving freely.


im going to put it all back together tomorrow and take it for a drive if its not raining.

if it still knocks... well, keep retarding the timing down. if that doesnt do it, ill dump 3-4 gallons of 110 in.
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 07:27 PM
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GM top engine cleaner works well to remove carbon from the combustion chamber.
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