Motor Running Like Crap
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 861
Likes: 0
From: WNY
Motor Running Like Crap
I am unsure where to go from here on this problem, so I thought I would ask.
I dropped a 383 stroker in march and just in the last two weeks its started giving me hell.
It is a flat tappet .500l/500d cam, eagle rods and crank, speed pro piston setup with a 750 edelbrock carb, mallory street/strip HEI distributor, RPM performer intake, lightened flywheel, 4 speed car.
Anyways, my issue is that it wants to die at idle. I can crank up the idle and it will run fine for a while, but after I take it for a spin, it starts acting up again. The idle will just keep dropping slowly no matter how high I set it.
I have also noticed that it is absolutely lacking in power. It feels like it has no ***** at all now.
Ive checked timing, checked for vaccum leaks, checked voltage at distributor (which was a tad low, so I ran a new wire to a different spot in the box), and I cant think of what to try next.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Im thinking of calling the builder and having him check valve height on it next to see if maybe something settled wrong?
I dropped a 383 stroker in march and just in the last two weeks its started giving me hell.
It is a flat tappet .500l/500d cam, eagle rods and crank, speed pro piston setup with a 750 edelbrock carb, mallory street/strip HEI distributor, RPM performer intake, lightened flywheel, 4 speed car.
Anyways, my issue is that it wants to die at idle. I can crank up the idle and it will run fine for a while, but after I take it for a spin, it starts acting up again. The idle will just keep dropping slowly no matter how high I set it.
I have also noticed that it is absolutely lacking in power. It feels like it has no ***** at all now.
Ive checked timing, checked for vaccum leaks, checked voltage at distributor (which was a tad low, so I ran a new wire to a different spot in the box), and I cant think of what to try next.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Im thinking of calling the builder and having him check valve height on it next to see if maybe something settled wrong?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 861
Likes: 0
From: WNY
Forgot to add - Fuel pressure stays between 5-7psi range.. usually around 6psi at idle and the under hood temps just seem to be really high - my temp gauge isnt showing the motor as any hotter than normal (usually 185-200 or so), and it is not over heating, but it sure does seem warmer in the engine bay.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 889
Likes: 0
HOws the alternator and battery?
I had a 72' Triumph Tiger that acted the same way. Replaced everything. still sucked. Guy came by to look at it and put a deposit on it. Came by the next day with money and a bag.
"What's in the bag...?"
"A new battery."
He put it in and 1st kick it started - sounded awesome - and he rode off. Left the shi**y battery on the driveway.
Or you have a weird vacum issue.
I had a 72' Triumph Tiger that acted the same way. Replaced everything. still sucked. Guy came by to look at it and put a deposit on it. Came by the next day with money and a bag.
"What's in the bag...?"
"A new battery."
He put it in and 1st kick it started - sounded awesome - and he rode off. Left the shi**y battery on the driveway.
Or you have a weird vacum issue.
Last edited by mar; Sep 1, 2010 at 10:05 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 861
Likes: 0
From: WNY
HOws the alternator and battery?
I had a 72' Triumph Tiger that acted the same way. Replaced everything. still sucked. Guy came by to look at it and put a deposit on it. Came by the next day with money and a bag.
"What's in the bag...?"
"A new battery."
He put it in and 1st kick it started - sounded awesome - and he rode off. Left the shi**y battery on the driveway.
Or you have a weird vacum issue.
I had a 72' Triumph Tiger that acted the same way. Replaced everything. still sucked. Guy came by to look at it and put a deposit on it. Came by the next day with money and a bag.
"What's in the bag...?"
"A new battery."
He put it in and 1st kick it started - sounded awesome - and he rode off. Left the shi**y battery on the driveway.
Or you have a weird vacum issue.
I may try that.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 861
Likes: 0
From: WNY
I'll double check that tonight. I dont think that I have changed anything around recently - It was running great for a long time and I have those decorative wire looms, so it makes it very hard to get it wrong.
If the battery doesnt fix it I may do a compression check.
If the battery doesnt fix it I may do a compression check.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Instructor
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 172
Likes: 3
From: Hesperia California
have you changed, coil, plugs
Different coils, different voltage, requires different plug gaps and heat ranges. Allot of guys overlook this when replacing carbs coils and plugs or re jetting cards. Big difference in power range with plug gaps to close or to far apart with the wrong coil, plug gap and heat range need to match coil output and carb jetting for max performance.
