Rods and Hangers for my Quadrajet.

[Jeff K]

The car is a 69 el Camino SS396 (454), th-400 2.73 standard Hypoid gear set.
Its pushed by a untouched, mint condition, 15,000 mile, 1978 Chevrolet 454 truck engine,
781 heads.
It came with a factory Quadrajet #17058212  1218 BJA..  Using D.H. rods hung on a L hanger.

I recently swapped a  Melling 22216 hyd cam, factory style chain and gear into it, everything went as smooth as silk.



I want to put a good secendary hanger and better rods in it. It came with an I hanger and DH rods.

I have:
-L hangers.
-J hangers.
 
-CH rods
-DP rods

[Kenth]

I would cut the stop for the airvalves for full flow. 35 mm is max measured from edge of open valves to rear of choke-blade housing.
Then i would use Chevy BB secondary rods AX with any hanger I -L.

The Motorhome 454 Quadrajet are lean calibrated primary circuit, 71-72 main jets and 38L rods, for starters i would either install a .070" insert in the upper main air bleeds in air horn OR pull out the lower .066" main air bleeds in float bowl and install 77-78 main jets with 48K primary rods.

[Jeff K]

Thank you Kenth...

Another issue is I'm getting a slight ping at full throttle. I think the new cam raised the compression slightly, the timing is at 38 by 3000.

If it still pings after they take the methanol out of the gasoline in May, I'll re-adjust the mechanical timing stop down to 35.

[Kenth]

Ping at full throttle indicate too much centrifugal ignition advance too early.
With a properly tuned carb there is seldom if ever a need to alter the factory ignition settings.

[novadude]

That's an unpopular opinion about ignition timing, as magazines have preached for years about the "all in at 2500-3000 rpm" curves.  However, I agree completely. 

With my Chevrolet engines, I typically look at what the factory was doing in the mid-60s pre-emissions era.  Duplicating those curves with just a few more degrees initial in some applications seems to work best every time.  Usually these ramp-up quick to 2000 rpm, than it's a gradual increase to 3500-4000 rpm.  Mid-60s 203 distributors are almost free, and they work pretty well in mild street applications with a stock curve.

[Jeff K]

Today I'm going to try some different springs and weights. I have a set of #37 weights that came from a 1962 Corvette 327 dual point distribuitor. Thats my ultimate distributor...