I do get the popping on deceleration, but eh noise I am hearing is more like a PUFF PUFF noise, it doesn't quite make the ticking noise of an exhaust leak. It is pretty quiet and I would probably not have noticed it if it had been making this noise every time I ran straight pipes.
PS- you guys should not suggest people do things that will cost large amounts of money
just joking
brad

 

I agree with willowbilly3 check your dwell. Off the top of my head I think I set mine @ 28 deg. If you don't have a dwell meter just play around with the feeler gauge. Although that is a crude and inaccurate method. Do you time your engine to the book? That's a no no. I think I have mine a 10 deg. btdc I forget though. I can check for you though. If your getting a hesitation on acceleration and your ignition is dialed in correctly its probably your accelorater pump timing. Check for sloppy linkage. When you open the throttle the pump should squirt just as soon as your throttle plates START to open. If not then it's starving for fuel. I don't know if your carb has a plastic cam on your pump linkage but if it does it may be worn. Those are cheap. (Jegs) Check for an intake manifold leak too. It's simple. Here's how you do it. Remove your oil fillier cap off the valve cover. Remove the pcv valve out of the other valve cover. Make sure they are both off. Then start the truck and with a single sheet of toilet paper or news print hold it over the oil filler port and see if there is suction. If there is you have an intake manifold leak. Do it on the other pcv side next. Make sure you rev the motor a tad while your checking them. One last thing. I also agree again with willowbilly3 about the vacuum gauge. They are cheap and are the most valueble diagnostic tool the backyard mechanic can have.

 

For some reason it is human nature to just go for the carburator when ever we have a drivability problem. Unless it has an obvious problem like fuel leaking or loud vacuum leak, the proper way to do the process of elimination is to make sure everything on the ignition is up to snuff before atacking the carb.
I can't count how many times I have seen guys run out and buy a rebuilt carburator when all they needed was some distributor work. Everyone works with the knowledge they have and it is just like a tool. If throwing parts at your truck is all you know how to do then you will sometimes spend a ton of money and still have problems or quite possibly have worse ones.
One of the best diagnostic books was the companion book to the old Sun engine analyzers. I don't know if you can still get it though. And speaking of Sun scopes, you can find them cheap or free since they are of little use on newer cars. If you can get your hands on one and have room for it they are invaluable for finding problems and fine tuning. Some of them even have a gas analyzer. Check with your local garages. Sometimes they have one collecting dust and will be glad to get it out of the way. Besides having all the functions of individual hand held meters like dwell, if you get the hang of reading an oscillascope you can pinpoint an ignition malfunction in minutes that would take hours otherwise. Another great resource is the FTE, Thanks to all.

 

I too have the popping under deceleration. I have a pertronix, so if it is the dwell, how would I change it, and it does this with both the original motorcraft 2bbl and an old holley 2bbl (like this one better- extra go on the interstate and only 1.5 mpg less), but I have noticed that it is not nearly as bad with the motor cold. Probably should have started a new thread, but while we are somewhat on the subject...