Re: 383 Initial Startup Problem
I'll have to check the fuel pressure once I get the gumption to get up and moving.
I didn't understand this. What are your floats set at?
when you set the floats (by bending the portion that contacts the needle valve center), you set both max height and drop. I set the max height at 3/8 which is a 1/16th lower than specified in the manual, it seems to help a lot with the tendency to push gas past the floats I have had a problem with for these carbs.
I have the tuning kit so I'll be able to do the needles and seats swap. And I'll move the accel pump to it's richest setting.
Great n tuning kit. those may not be just right for your engine, but they're working really well for mine right now. what are you running for heads?
I'm running a roller cam, custom grind from Chris Straub. I think you were the one who turned me on to his cams.
I've never personally used Chris so you must be thinking of someone else (I'll take that as a compliment), but he has a very good reputation and has obviously been succesful in the performance marine engine world and grinding cams for a good long time. To be frank, if he knows your set-up and spec'd the cam for you, I would lean toward trusting his take on it more than any of us. I'm seriously considering a cam with more duration and a good bit more lift this fall and he is one of the two people I'm planning to call and decide between to get it from.
The second purple wire does go to an oil pressure switch. I'll try bypassing it next time I go to try to start it.
It's funny because I actually went out of my way to get the fuel pump Merc makes for carbed engines, under the impression that I wouldn't have fuel pressure problems. I'll see if I can order a regulator today. Any particular one you suggest? Summit is not too far and I could probably have one in hand today.
It might be fine, I already had someone elses electric fuel pump and that's the one I had a problem with. If i were you I might wait and see if it was a problem, maybe invest 20 in one of the cheap fuel pressure gauges you can get at any auto sture and install it right in front og your carb where you can see it, maybe even wait and see if you have a problem before you do that. (can't remember the fuel pump brand name, it was a stock replacement or oem supplier marine electric). I used a very experienced performance marine builder for this last engine and he was the one that told me to use a mechanical pump...
is it firing at all? if you're seeing spark when you ground a plug, but it's not even firing, I would think about making sure you're getting enough fuel first, if it's doing some popping and firing here and there, I would think about the electrical and timing issues first. I will tell you that mine will not fire right up with just a squirt or two from the accellerator pump, it takes several good pumps, etc... I'm running a single plane intake which might make some difference in that respect, but is sounds like you're somewhat similar.
I'm with bt doctor on installing the distributor in the "correct" position and with the cap on such that the numbers are correct.
I'm curoius, what heads you're running and about what compression you've got and what you decided for an intake. if you're running decent heads you might need jetting something like I mentioned above or even fatter rods.
On the cam issues, I would get in touch with "the man" you bought it from if you want to know anything.
on setting valves... if I can't trust a machine shop to do that right, i sure as heck wouldn't trust them to blueprint / reference bore a block and all the other stuff that goes into a decent build...
last of all, don't get discouraged. everyone has had some frustration setting something like this up before. hang in there, pay attention to what you're doing and think about the grin you'll get later, once you finally get it set up dialed in and all the kinks worked out, and can let it rip...
hope you're out from under the weather soon! Cheers
