rexx78

I started my vette for the first time since October. Since then, I have replaced the plugs, wires, coil, and weights and springs on the distributor, and had the Q-jet modified.

It started with a huge backfire, and after a search of archived topics, I found the distributor was 180 degrees out. Now it starts, but runs really rough with heavy black smoke, it won't even idle.

I have to drive it out of the garage yet, so I don't asphixiate myself, and hopefully I can let it run until it warms up.

The books I have say it has to warm up to operating temperature before I can set the timing or the carb. Is there anything I can do to get it close enough so it will idle, or at least run better?

The Money Pit

Timing doesn't matter if the engines hot or cold. I set mine cold to avoid burning my grubby mitts.The black smoke is carb related,so whatever MODIFIED means,you may need to unmodify.

If you have an 8" balancer strike a mark 2 1/2" clockwise from the stock balancer timing mark.Turn the idle speed up to 3500 rpms and set the new timing mark to read 0 degrees on the stock timing tab.That should get the timing in the ballpark within a degree or two.