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Quasi-Traction "I have petals"

Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 3873 Location: stumptown
1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Derek, if you have scored an HEI, I can clip the ends off my Batt and tach wires before I send the 86 to the JY. How much length do you think you'll need to splice? |
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fiveoformula Member

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 1799 Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Hmm I guess that makes sense GM would cheap out and not use the gauge for the other tanks... how many wires are there going to the gauge sender? Is there access to it behind the seat? |
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chevymad Master B
Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 5477
1987 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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Just a single wire. Does your seat fold? most dont. If it doesnt you'll need to pull the seat to get to it.
It's not gm cheaping out either. GM only included the tank in the cab. The other tanks are dealer installed. You'll run into all kinds of different brands of side tanks and doors. |
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fiveoformula Member

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 1799 Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Quasi-Traction wrote: | | Derek, if you have scored an HEI, I can clip the ends off my Batt and tach wires before I send the 86 to the JY. How much length do you think you'll need to splice? |
Ah I'm not sure, I haven't picked it up yet, are they a special connector? |
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fiveoformula Member

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 1799 Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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| chevymad wrote: | Just a single wire. Does your seat fold? most dont. If it doesnt you'll need to pull the seat to get to it.
It's not gm cheaping out either. GM only included the tank in the cab. The other tanks are dealer installed. You'll run into all kinds of different brands of side tanks and doors. |
Looks like the seat doesn't fold but atleast its only 4 bolts. Is that one wire a ground? That must be open between the gauge and the sender somewhere? |
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chevymad Master B
Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 5477
1987 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes.. grounding it will make it move one direction and open will make it move the other. Most likely cause is the sending unit or perhaps a fuse. If its a sending unit I may have one. |
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fiveoformula Member

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 1799 Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 10:44 am Post subject: |
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Well I found a carb to use. Since the 2bbl now does nothing but flood itself... its a 600cfm double pumper. I know its not totally the best for a truck application but well see how it works.. it also came with an edelbrock torker manifold... don't think ill bother using that, I'm on the look out for a performer.
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chevymad Master B
Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 5477
1987 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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Another cheap option for a good aluminum manifold is the 80s stock lg4 manifolds. They're nearly the same as a regular performer. Just put an EGR block off plate on.
However.. wont work for your holley without adapter..  |
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fiveoformula Member

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 1799 Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Hey that might be an idea, chris just offered up an old LG4 manifold! I actually might throw that torker on there with the holley and see how it goes. Its just a stock 400 but seems pretty strong! No chevy salute or any noises or anything, other than the gaping hole in what might be the original muffler.. I also found a good deal on some decent used headman headers for it so hopefully it'll be running and sounding good soon! |
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Quasi-Traction "I have petals"

Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 3873 Location: stumptown
1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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have you checked the float on the old 2G Rochester? sometimes the needle that the float pivots on can come out, and that causes the thing to choke itself off, as it allows too much fuel to enter the bowl, and it coughs gas out of the vent tube.
Not that it matters much, since you have a holley now....but just something simple that could solve the problem with it. |
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Quasi-Traction "I have petals"

Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 3873 Location: stumptown
1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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| as for the HEI, Its just basic "weatherpack" single blade clips. You'll probably need to use the old points coil wire and splice in the "batt" clip for the Distributor. Your truck probably doesn't have a tach, so you might not need the second wire, but I'm not 100% sure about that. |
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chevymad Master B
Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 5477
1987 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Do NOT use the points wire.. You need to trace that wire back until the wiring bulkhead and replace it from that point. The points wire is a resistor wire and will burn up trying to power an HEI. |
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aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 1:36 pm Post subject: |
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| chevymad wrote: | | The points wire is a resistor wire |
You can't mix and match when going from one to the other. That's how I cooked that Pertronix. The wire may be marked as a resistance wire. |
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chevymad Master B
Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 5477
1987 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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| I've allready been there done that.. It works for a short time then the wire gets hot and drops the voltage.. truck quits etc.. |
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Quasi-Traction "I have petals"

Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 3873 Location: stumptown
1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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Good info there guys. |
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fiveoformula Member

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 1799 Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks that's good to know. It shouldn't be to hard to trace back right? Or any key-on power source should work right? |
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fiveoformula Member

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 1799 Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 9:25 am Post subject: |
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Well I had the truck running nice and smooth yesterday. I say "had" because I had just adjusted the floats and the idle smoothed out, then I gave the throttle a quick snap and it popped thru the carb. Instantly died and now runs like crap. Probably blew out the power valve is what everyone keeps saying. Lol _________________
'88 FORMULA |
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Quasi-Traction "I have petals"

Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 3873 Location: stumptown
1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta
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Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 9:39 am Post subject: |
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It does sound like PV, but some of the later holley's had a modification to save the powervalve from blowing on a hard backfire. Don't know how old yours is.
might also check if its the standard 6.5hg Power Valve. If its shot you might want to experiment with a couple different vaccum levels to see what gives ya the best results. (IIRC, I changed mine to a 5.5hg) |
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aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 10:56 am Post subject: |
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In general if you have low idle vacuum (i.e. choppy cam) you need to lower your PV, and if you have high idle vacuum (stock cam) you want a higher one. With the autotragic you will want to base this off of your in-gear idle vacuum.
Intake backfire when you snap the throttle on a cold engine is a sign of a pump shot not working properly. Make sure the cam and lever are adjusted properly and the shooters have a nice stream. With the 400 you may want bigger shooters. Those carbs are often tuned for a 302/305. |
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Quasi-Traction "I have petals"

Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 3873 Location: stumptown
1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta
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Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Intake backfire when you snap the throttle on a cold engine is a sign of a pump shot not working properly. Make sure the cam and lever are adjusted properly |
Also, one thing to note is that with a smaller numerical squirter, your pump-shot will be longer, with a higher number it will be shorter. I know the 4776-x I was using on my engine, had dual #25's which I changed to the "nozzle type" #28's. If you rolled into the throttle from a dead stop, no problem, if you drilled it from a dead stop, you got a slight bog (going from pump shot, to WOT)
again, dude, if you wanna fiddle around with it, I got 90% of a holley trick-kit sitting on a shelf.
aaron, I would think even with a fairly mild 400sbc, he'd be pretty okay with the #25 or even #28 squirters. |
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