Poor performing 383

[DHenry]

Hi Dave,
Have you got a vent in your dizzy cap? You may be getting cross firing due to the air inside the cap ionizing due to loads of spark energy,If you havnt got a vent, try drilling a 1/8 th in hole in a convient place to let the ionized air out.
Regards
Dave Henry

[Guest]

Thanks for the tips - I was looking at a new valley pan from fel-pro which came complete with 4 intake manifold gaskets - one for both faces of the valley pan on each bank - that is why I thought the gaskets were missing - Well you learn every day.
I took one rocker cover off last night - and found the umbrella seals for every valve lying in small pieces inside the valve springs - so that explains the oil inside the intake runners of the head - however two runners were oiled right up to the gasket face (while the intake runners were completely dry) this leads me to believe there is an internal vacuum leak.

[Pete]

I had an air leak (vaccuum leak) internally from the runners to the valley on my 360 Barracuda.

It ran apaullingly at low rpm (mind you it has a .590" lift cam & 1.6:1 Roller Rockers, and an M1 Single Plane Manifold!!) and got to the point that it blew oil out of the exhausts (1 bank only) like the smokescreen in a James Bond Movie.

However, at higher rpm it worked OK, as the effects of the leak were "watered down".

I am not convinced that this is your "only" fault, though it may well contribute to the poor driving experience.....

Just my 10 cents worth.......