Car barely takes off after cam install

[72GrabberMav]

After i put my crane cam, long tube headers, high rise intake and 600 cfm carb on, my car seems to have absolutely no low end torque whatsoever. A honda civic could beat me. What is the problem? Gears, Stall? After it hits about 5000 rpm it hauls ass, but until then, just nothing. And it seems like it takes for ever for it to rev up in gear unless you spin the tires first. It will slowly wind up then all of the sudden the tach jumps way up.Any suggestions?

[lx mike]

umm.. how about some info on your car. what engine, auto or stick, what cam, rear gearing.

[Hozer 88GTConv]

Without any info, I'd guess timing or cam installed retarded by a tooth.
Also, what is your distributor like?

[72GrabberMav]

Yeah, guess i should have at least listed the engine, i just got carried away typing. Sorry about that, anway the engine is a 73' 302 with the major mods listed above. Here is a complete list of performance mods:

Edelbrock 600 cfm manual choke carb with 1 inch spacer
Edelbrock single plane aluminum high rise torquer intake
Hooker long tube headers with 3 inch 1 chamber flowmasters
Crane cam hyd. flat tappet, 296/300 adv. dur. with new lifters, new pushrods, stock springs for now, stock rockers
Stock flowing heads for now
Cam bearings, crank bearings, and main bearings installed
Stock type points distributer with autolite plugs and accel superstock wires, new cap and rotor
some other stuff i can't think of

Rebuilt racing c-4 trans with mild shift kit
stock stall for now
Stock rear, previous owner claimed 8.8'' with 3.73's but it don't feel like it.

Future plans are 3000 rpm stall and 4.11's. Also, plans for head porting this summer

Friend at work said the timing needed advanced, so im gonna try that. It just is not running worth a crap right now, no acceleration whatsoever. It needs tuned bad. Hopefully with 2800 lb race weight, a tune, 3000 stall and 4.11's i will be running mid 13's this summer. The valvetrain also needs adjusted, the other day a rocker arm came loose so i tightened it back down but am not sure if it is correct. Any help on the slow acceleration would be greatly appreciated.

[Idhomustang]

You need someone to help you this is to big for email, I have a bout 50 questions just on what you have posted. Get with a knowledable friend, and beg him/her to help.

Timing and valve adjustment seem suspect at this point, both with give you the problems you have discribed. A slow or improperly timed motor would have no power when first accelerated and would gain, rpm and power as it winds up.

A loose valve train would do the exact same thing, basically move your power to the top end while robbing your low end. I would get the valves adjusted asap, go to Comp cams web site and read there adjustment procedures, even print it off and follow the instructions carefully. I adjust mine while idling, but I'm kind a old school. I back them off until they rattle and then tighten 1/2 turn. But like I said I'm old school.. Check your oil after you have finished. Ear plugs help if your hard of hearing like me ! EeeH? What ya say?

The timing would come next, put in some light springs in the distrbutor and see if that helps. I would do this after comfirming the TDC and timing are correct first. Hopefully you installed the timing mark correctly when installing the cam. You should run about 10 degrees btdc maybe even 12-14 degrees with atotal of around 28-34 degrees depending on a multitude of factors.

Adjust only one thing at a time until you have verified each as right, in other words don't adjust everything and take if for a drive. One thing then drive, then adjust something else. Sounds like you have many gremlins to work through, but this is how we learn I'm sure you will prevail, I have faith. Mac

[Jeff Chambers]

Mis-matched components, that's the problem. The single-plane Torker intake with a 1-inch spacer is much too big of an intake for a 600 cfm carb and stock heads. You've got no port velocity. On the back end, the 3-inch exhaust is way too much for stock heads as well. You've got no torque with the combination. That cam has way too duration for the heads as well and I would suspect too much lift as well.

Basically, the changes you've made all decrease the torque but raise the high-rev horsepower. You're gonna see the low end grunt go away.

[72GrabberMav]

Thanks for the info guys, Im going to do what "idomustang" said and then probably try to save up for some roush 200 heads. I think the duration on the cam is not quite that high, sorry about that, i think it is closer to 288/292. Thanks again.

[RoadWarrior]

I was about to say the same as Jeff did. A torquer intake makes power from 2500-6500 and it will kill low end performance if you dont have the rest of the motor to match. Im betting that if you went to a performer youd notice a big difference at low end. But if you plan on a set of heads and a high stall it will probably be a good choice to stick with what youve got. They will compliment the intake alot better than stock heads.

[MiracleMax]

Originally posted by Jeff Chambers
Basically, the changes you've made all decrease the torque but raise the high-rev horsepower. You're gonna see the low end grunt go away.

Ohhh...not to mention a razor thin crapola powerband as the intake, cam, and exhaust come into there range and the heads sputter out and then there is the torque converter.

[blue oval 50h]

not to mention a razor thin crapola powerband

What are the rest of the #'s on the cam?

[72GrabberMav]

Ok guys, i admit i sucked at engine building last year and by no means am an expert yet, but im getting better. Those parts i got were dirt cheap, i bought the used so i took what i could get. I only have about $1000 invested in the whole car and it is pretty nice. i know is that it is a crane powermax 290 adv. dur. and 484 lift, hydr. flat tappet.. I know i did not know what these parts meant at the time i just took them and wanted a lopey idle. The highrise intake looked cool and the 4 barrel carb was what i wanted. The headers came with the car. Im just asking for help to get the most power out of the car i can with what i got instead of going down to a smaller intake or whatever. If it is heads i need, then i will get heads/stall/ and gears. What heads do you reccommend?

[RoadWarrior]

I think that the biggest thing would be to ditch the intake and buy yourself a performer or a performer rpm. If you did that and a better convertor you would most likely notice a HUGE difference in how the car performed.

[72GrabberMav]

The intake has that much to do with it? Well then, please help me decide which one to get the performer or performer RPM with spacer or without. Im on a low budget and don't want to mess up and buy the wrong one for the engine. Also, which converter would you reccommend?

[RoadWarrior]

If your on a budget id just go for the performer. I ran one for a long time and it worked great. As for a convertor im not as sure since i havent done one personally since mine is a 5spd car. But with a stock motor with those things do as a safe bet though a 2000-2500 stall. If i recall correctly the stock stall is around 1500-1700 so that would give you a nice improvement.

[blue oval 50h]

These are just my opinions:

650 Holley DP
Performer RPM Intake- No Spacer
3500 Stall Converter
Spintech/UltraFlow Mufflers- 2 1/2"
1 5/8 Old School Mac LTHeaders* only if you have 1 3/4 now

Im sure there is more......

[RoadWarrior]

Looks like a good combo but i think the 650 DP is alot mroe carb than needed.