69' 302 has rough idle

Heres the deal, Just got a 1969 torino, runs like a rat, actually runs out great but barely will idle, Has headers and a holley 2 BBL, tried a tune up, same, has 125 lbs compression across the board, figured the holley was maybe too fat, replaced it with a autolite 1.08, jetted to

50 in the primary, new carb. Still rough idle, seems like vacuum leak...kinda goes up and down at idle, so put new gaskets on intake to go along with the new gaskets on carb and spacer, capped off all vacuum tee's, tried pvc valve. still rough idle....tried air screws in out up down, no help..advancing the timing helps, but idles like a rat...anything less than 900 rpm it will just die, pulled distributor, has slight wobble at points but not sloppy.....runs great when on the gas pedal, but crappy ratty idle....what next? Timing chain? distributor? HELP
Reply to
mggjkg
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how's the spark? have you tried a hotter coil?

Reply to
vince garcia

Have you thought about valves sometimes burnt valves will cause eratic idle. Try the plug wires, they will cause this if old. Check plugs maybe wrong ones. Did the previous owner tell you he put in a cam and if so what is it. Did you check the points as well if spoted and old it will cause this as well. Hope this helps you.

Reply to
69 4spdposi

Others have given some good ideas. Tell me about your Torino. Any tag numbers you need decoded?

CobraJet

Reply to
CobraJet

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com (mggjkg) wrote in news:6a86e26a.0312190207.2009f9b9 @posting.google.com:

Did you try testing the coil?

Reply to
rparker_spam_

what's the vaccuum reading? what kind of cam? where's the static timing? Chip

Reply to
Chip Stein

Guess I will try coil next, but would that cause rough idle, as soon as you touch the gas pedal it runs awesome, has excellent power, has quick throttle response.....Did new plugs, cap, rotor, points, and has newer 7mm plug wires, no sparking of plug wires in the dark. The vacuum is bouncy just below normal. Thought about burnt valves, but compression is 125-130 across the board, the inside of the motor was clean as a whistle when I changed manifold gaskets out. Thanks for all of the help on this one....Mike

Reply to
mggjkg

The only thing that might be the problem could be the low idle or primary system in your carb. The other is the cam and timing. I had a car that would not idle, and found it to be the carb settings , and restricted low idle and primary system in carb blocked up by old gas sludge build up. Good luck and let us know what you find.

Reply to
69 4spdposi

It might be a good idea to take it to a tune-up shop. I think we all forget that there are diagnostic machines for our older cars. It might save you some time and money to give it a shot.

In the meantime, for what its worth... You mentioned changing the manifold gaskets. You might check for a leak in the manifold gasket.... did you use the rubber seals or silicon to seal the front and back of the manifold? The rubber seals are notorius for leaking at the corners... most people just throw them away and use a healthy bead silicon which will ensure a good seal.

Reply to
Mustang_66

I swapped out the old crusty manifold gaskets because the problem seemed to be a vaccuum leak....the motor ran the same before and after the gasket swapout so I know the problem was not the intake gasket..but it did cure the oil leak......thanks for the input...I will call around and see if I can find a shop with the older diagnostic tools.

Reply to
mggjkg

Well I cracked into this motor and after a 2 hour fight with a siezed up bolt in the water pump which had to be cut off with a sawzall I found a loose as a goose timing chain, purred like a kitty when I got it back together....Thanks for all the help. Mike

Reply to
mggjkg

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