67 RANCHERO 289, WHEN I ADJUST THE VALVES THE WAY THE BOOK SAYS, IT WONT START AND HAVE ZERO COMPRESSION, IF I BRING EACH CYLENDER TO TDC THEN INJECT AIR INTO CYLENDER I CAN ADJUST THE ROCKERS UNTIL I HEAR AIR ESCAPING INTO THE MANIFOLDS THEN BACK IT OFF UNTILL IT SEALS, THE ENGINE STARTS AND RUNS, (STILL NEED TO ADJUST THEM WHILE RUNNING THOUGH TO GET RID OF SOME CLATTER) I SET THE DISTRIBUTER TO WHERE IT WILL RUN AND THE TIMING LITE SHOWS I AM AT 30deg BTDC AND MY MANIFOLD VACUUM IS AT 8-12psi WITH THE NEEDLE VIBRATING, I THOUGHT THE HOTTER CAM WOULD CAUSE SOME DROP IN MANIFOLD VACUUM BUT NOT THAT MUCH, I HAVE NO MANIFOLD VACUUM LEAKS, (UNLESS THE PCV IS PULLING TO MUCH FROM VALVE COVER = ITS HOOKED UP TO THE PORT UNDER THE SECONDARYS ON MY 1850-4 HOLLY, I HAVE THE IDLE MIXTURE SCREWS TURNED
WAY OUT AND THE PRIMARY THROTTLE BLADES CRACKED OPEN TOO MUCH SHE IS IDLEING AT 1100 RPM AND STALLS WHEN ENGAUGING DRIVE OR REVERSE - I AM NOT SURE WHAT I AM DOING WRONG HERE THE MOTOR IS USED AND I REPLACED ALL THE GASKETS AND BEARINGS, LAPPED THE VALVES THE CAM IS NOT THAT HOT - ITS A ERSON 110RV, WONDERING IF IT HAS THE WRONG TIMING MARKS ON DAMPNER BUT WHEN I AM AT TDC THE DAMPNER SHOWS I AM AT TDC...? IS MY DISTRIBUTER STUCK ON ADVANCE, SPRINGS TO WEAK AND I AM ADVANCING TO QUICKLY, COULD I HAVE THE CAM OFF BY ONE TOOTH AND CAUSE THIS CONDITION...OR SHOULD I JUST GRAB A CAN OF GAS AND POUR IT ALL OVER THE CAR AND WATCH HER BURN

 

Check things one at a time. First, get the valves adjusted. What way were you trying to adjust them that didn't work? After you get the valves adjusted, Check timeing. Check both the baseline timeing and the total advance. Also, check where the advance begins. Check to ensure the vacuum advanc is working.

 

chilton & other sources states to divide the balancer in 1/4s marking a/b/c/d/ a being #1 tdc b=#5 tdc through the firing order - tighten the rockers on intake & exhaust until you no longer can spin the push rod easily with your finger tips, then give it 3/4 turn more - no start, no compression, backed off the rockers 1/2 turn, then started but ran real uneven, and some were clacking, i then came up with my own adjustment
same procedure except use compressed air injected in cylender to see be sure that when i tighten the rocker i dont open it ( by hearing the air escaping in the manifolds) this worked it runs better, starts nice and easy, still need to fine tune the adjustment for noise in some rockers while running, but why the low manifold vacuum, vibrating between 9-12?
installed the distributor by being at #1 tdc drop the dist in with rotor in the correct area, turned the ignition on, moved the distributor until it sparked and used that as my starting spot, once it started though it shows #1 sparking at over 30deg btdc. should it not be at 6 then advance to 30-36 ?

 

STARTED IT LAST NIGHT,ran like junk, i cracked the secondarys too far and fouled the
plugs, readjusted the carb, cleaned the plugs, started, would not idle below 1100 rpm, advanced the distributor to maximum vacuum at 14,(needle vibrating fast between 14&11 - rpms were around 1850, adjusted the primary throttle plates to lower the rpm back to about 1100, vacuum read 9-11 and vibrating on acceleration the pointer goes as high as 20 and is smooth and steady, - checked my timing - i am still 35 deg btdc..?

 

Ok!, The Manuals Are Wrong, No Matter What Way I Adjust The Valves I Loose Compression, But Again, I Brought Each Cylender To Tdc In Firing Order And Used Compressed Air Injected Into The Cyledner To Adjust The Rocker, - I Have Over 115 In Each Cylender, She Is Running Real Good, Idles A Little High At Times But Thats Cool. I Adjusted My Timing Without The Light This Time Because It Only Confuses Me To See It 30+deg Advanced, I Used The Vacuum Gauge - Its A Little Low But Steady At 16. - Im Done!