Surging idle

[rwhite65]

I just put Windsor SR Aluminum's on the car this spring. Thought the engine might be surging a little at idle, but ran great. Thought maybe that was the new combos way of idling, didn't think much more of it.

Was driving the car about a month ago and I noticed a slight hesitation in the throttle, under part throttle with a load on the car (usually in od, around 40 mph. Couple days later, it is more pronounced. By the time I got it home, the car was back firing under any kind of a load. I have been redoing a house so it got parked.

Just went out and fired it up, starts right off the bat. Good fuel moving thru the see thru fuel filter.....bout 7 psi at idle fuel pressure. Just put new plugs and wires in it this year. After it warms up, dang
thing still surges real bad, maybe even worse than when cold. Put my vacuum gauge on it, and it idles back and forth pretty consistently right around 11-14, but every once in a while will surge down to 10 and right back to 15, then it will even out around 13 for a few, then start the process all over.

If I crack the throttle, I am getting a slight back fire thru the carb. Oil looks good, no smoke to speak of...and haven't checked the coolant yet, I tried spraying carb cleaner around the intake and carb gaskets, cant find any leak.

A buddy suggested I readjust my valves, seeings as the problem appears to get worse once the car is warmed up. He thinks I set them to tight since I went about 3/4 of a turn instead of the usual 1/2. I am gonna check my intake bolts, but after that I am really not sure where I am gonna go with it at the moment. I am open to suggestions.

fairly fresh 5.0 roller, all blue perma fel pro gaskets, a holley that was just dialed in and rebuilt last year for the old combo, TFS-1 cam

Thanks,
Ryan