Before I start I must admit that you guys provide some good valuable advice. Now here is my problem, I have a 74/454/4spd/headers, numbers match. It's pretty much all orginal except for the Radiator, WP and elect. fans that I had installed. That took care of my running hot problem.
My problem is this, the car doesn't run as well as i know it can. I've had the q-jet rebuilt, the dist, converted to elect (module)have Taylor Spiral wires, and AC Delco Rapid Fire plugs. The car seems to run on 2 barrels until I disconnect the vac hose from the carb and block it off, then car runs really strong but has a slight miss when you first step on it. I also have some slight popping thru my exhaust. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

|UPDATED|9/17/2004 7:24:52 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Hello, sorry to interrupt a thread, but I also have a 74 big block, msd wires, new ac plugs, msd billet distributor, msd ignition box, hooker headers, and for a while I had it running just perfect, it would smoke the tires through second and it's an auto. But now I can hardly get them to light. Not that this is my main goal for the car, but it's just a little sad when a big block can't light up tires. I ran the car on a dyno a couple weeks ago, stomped out 270 hp at the rear wheel, and 350 torque. Good??? Anyway, this was when it was not running nearly as well as it has. I checked my timing and it was at 6 degrees advance, is this about right?? or would someone suggest more advance?? The dyno guy said I was running pretty well as far as the o2 readings he was getting out of the exhaust. I ran it at a corvette show here in minnesota and man did she ever get some looks, never realize how sweet they sound until you're outside of them. Also, my max hp was at 4700, do you think I could get a significant increase with a cam change?? Thanks for all the help guys.

cam change.. possibly... are you running stock

inital timing at 6 BTDC is very conservative in my opinion

the engine has never been rebuilt and it has 53,000 miles. So as far as i know it has the stock cam. I will try advancing the timing. thanks

After Shark,
Thanks for your advice, I discovered a couple of problems, the floats were off, the throttle was set wrong and the timing was way off. It's now running great.
My biggest problem is that I picked the wrong Corvette "expert" to do a lot of my repairs, I've spent over $4,500.00 with this service and I'm discovering that he's not really good at many repairs, and he doesn't back up his work. I'll be meeting with him in a few weeks to see if he'll make up for it. Otherwise, I'll put a post out to warn our members not to use him.
(He's in our mechanic directory)

well the popping means it is probably running rich and the unburnt fuel is detonating in the exhaust..

what do the plugs look like ??

what is your timing set to ??

The plugs look fine, they've only been in since last week. I must admit that between the plugs and the wires, it has been running better.
I'll check the timimg during the week and check carb adjustment again.
Thanks a mil

Most people don't know how to read their plugs. Actually thats not right either, they are reading their plugs at the wrong time. Let me explain.

If your out driving around and then comeback to the house to get a plug reading then your reading the wrong carb fuel circuit.

If you turn down your street and cruise along at 30 mph and turn into your drive and then shut your car off, you have just marked the plugs with the idle fuel circuit and any reading you take on the plugs are will show signs of how the idle circuit is functioning. Ever notice why most people when asked how their plugs look they say fine. Its because they are only getting the reading from the idle circuit, not cruise and wide open throttle.

To read those circuits its a little more tricky and requires taking along some tools and finding the right area. The best way is at a race track or drag strip.

What it takes is for the engine to be warmed up. For cruising take it for a 10 minute drive, now heres the key, while cruising shot the car off while your foot is still on the accelerator at cruise speed. For a stick car this is easy in an automatic its a bit more challenging. Once the engine is shut off you will need to coast it to a stop. So doing this on a busy highway is not wise. But on a good country road can be idea, just need to have a good pull off area. Now get out you tools and pull your plugs. Your plug reading you are getting at this point will tell you if your rich or lean under cruise.

For wide open throttle all that you need to do is go to the local drag strip and do the same thing, except your going to go through the traps at Wide open throttle, and then shut your engine down. Remember, don't lift the foot before shutting it down. Coast to the end of the track and into the turn around lane. There you can take the reading on your plugs.

Hope this info helps.

Thanks,
I'll take her for a ride this week and try your suggestion
Thanks,