Sounds alright, did you get a dial-back light? Sometimes it's hard to read those timing tapes...

You checked with the vacuum advance disconnected yes?

Yeah I got a dialback light but I didn't use that feature, I just read the tape. My engine builder also marked the timing at 33 so I know for sure that the full advanced timing is 33. I'm interested in learning though, so how would I use the dialback feature?

whatever you dial back the light to, thats what the zero mark on the balancer is.

say yo want to check or set for 33 degrees advance. dial the light until it reads 33 btdc. look at the balancer and when the 0 line on the balncer lines up with the 0 mark on the timing chain cover, you are at 33 degrees advance.

if the 10 btdc mark on the balancer lines up with the 0 mark on the cover, youre at 43 degrees advance

Bullit:

The timing seems about right. Sorry you had to go through all that to find out, but it had to be done.

You're sure you can't lean the idle out with the mixture screws, right? First, check that again. Just as a test, screw them in until the engine starts to stumble, then back them out ONLY until it smooths out, and no more. This isn't the preferred way to set the idle mixture, but it will determine if perhaps the idle mixture screws can fix the problem. If it can, we can work on that. If not, we know to look elsewhere.

Next, go back to post 8 or 9. CKJ440 posted a good picture of where the throttle plates are supposed to be in relation to the transfer slots at idle. Pull the carb, be sure the choke is all the way off (so the fast idle is not set) and be sure the throttle plates only leave enough of the transfer slots exposed so that what you see looks like a square. If it looks like a rectangle, that could be part of the problem. Check the secondaries for the same problem. This is usually a problem on larger/more radically cammed engines, but like the timing, the basics must be covered first.

How old is this carb? Is it fairly new, or has it been sitting around for a long time? Is it time for a rebuild?

Is the carb clean? Spray some carb cleaner down all 4 idle air bleeds. If they're blocked it can cause a rich idle. If you don't know where they are, and if no one else comes to the rescue with a good picture (hint hint), I'll find one and post it tomorrow.

Jim

I'd like to know what an AED carb is and what they've done to it.

Second can you get us some general info?

Could you go around to each idle screw and turn them all the way in lightly and count the turns? Bring them back to where they were after...

Could you do the same for the curb idle screw (the front blade stop screw on the drivers side)? Back the screw off until the throttle blade stops moving and count the turns while doing so. Make sure the choke isn't connected in any way shape or form...

AED does performance fuel systems of various kinds and also custom built carbs like mine. I think they are out of Virginia.http://www.aedperformance.com

Here are some pictures of the carb. It might be 2 years old now. There is no choke. This carb is a 750 dp with 71 fronts and 82 rear. Engine is mild 360 with CompCam's 224@.050, box stock eddy heads, headers, 4.30 gears behind a FMVB 904 and 2500 stall. Could this be too much carb for my application???

Coke Bottle Kid:

After I had him check a couple more basics, I was going to have him pull the metering blocks off and measure the idle feed restrictions, if he's comfortable doing that and if he has/can borrow some gauge pins or a set of numbered drill bits. Like you, I had wondered what AED did to modify that Holley carb, specifically the idle circuit.


Bullit:

In your first picture, as you're looking down into the top of the carb, the idle air bleeds are the things that look like miniature jets, and the ones for idle are the 4 outboard bleeds with larger orfices. I'm pleasantly surprised that your carb has screw in air bleeds. Can you read the numbers on them? If not pull one from the front and one from the back and tell me the number on it.

Jim

The outer bleeds are 75 and the openings appear to be way larger than the inner ones. Couldn't see the reading on the inner bleeds but if I need to pull them to get a better look just let me know.. BTW, I've got more jets from where I've done some rejetting on this carb. Will these jets interchange with these bleeds? I've got 70's, 72's, and 73's I believe.

Okay, I read the tuning page there again and if I'm reading it correctly, it states to check the throttle plate relationship if you have a lean condition causing a stumble and off-idle hesitation. Then it recommends checking the float levels and then the power valve for an excessive rich idle situation. I've been wondering if that could have anything to do with my power brakes not feeling exactly right??? How do I vacuum check the power valve?.....Thanks

ive used the mityvac aspter to test PVs before. it can be tricky. make sure you have a good seal to the cup or it will look like you have a leaker. maybe use a little grease around the rim to seal it better when testing

Bullit - Based on the info that you have shared so far, I cannot help but to think we're missing something. Someplace in this thread you may have already answered these questions and I just missed them.

1. When was the engine built.
2. Was it run on a dyno?
3. When was the engine first run in the car?
4. What carb was on it then?, and how did it run?
5. Has it ever run correct with this carb?
6. Did you buy the carb new from AED?
7. Why do you believe that the smell is from being rich?
8. Does it smell idling in neutral as well as when its in gear?
9. What is the neutral idle rpm?
10. What is the idle rpm in gear?
11. 1/4 turn in and the idle deteriorates, but how many turns out (from being seated) are each of the mixture screws (I think someone asked this)?

Also, check the ignition timing while the car is idling in gear (obviously you'll need someone to help.) and report that back to us.

Finally, your throttle cable should be hooked up on the carburetor side of the carb throttle extension bracket.

Ya just like Jim says I was going to suggest going right to the IFRs (idle feed restrictors) in the metering blocks. Obviously that carbs been played with a bit, good chance the IFRs are too big. Do be sure your throttle plates are right tho, please do as I described earlier and give us a count on all the idle screws and the throttle stop...

Not sure about the throttle stop but all four corners are exactly 4 turns out each

You sure you weren't counting half turns? 4 is extreme....

set the mixture screws to get the best vacuum at idle. 4 does seem like a lot

Four quarter turns out = one complete turn out on each idle mixture screw. Is the throttle stop the same as the idle adjustor?