[iceman411]

What color on the plug-porcelein am I looking for jetting at the track? 110 octane leaded fuel. 472", 300cfm E-headed, solid roller Comp 254/262@.050, 583/574 lift with 1.65's, Victor intake with Pro systems 950(4150 style), Unilite dist with Crane digital box, 38° total timing-all in by 2800, Doug's headers, 3.5" collectors, Dr. Gas X pipe-3.5 into 3" to Pypes Violator mufflers dumping at the axle, 3500 converter, Th400, 3.55 gear with Hoosier 275/60 15 DR's. 1.6-65 60's and 11.25 @118 in the quater. I think this combo has another two tenth's in it. All wraped up in a '69 GTO that has everything it left the factory with. 3850#'s with me in it. I know I need more converter-4500, just think the jetting is off a little bit and need to know what to look for in color of the plugs. This is a CITY car run late at night and the track on occasion. Car ran 11.37 @119 last season with wore-out DR's and a POS 850 Demon with the head gaskets pushin' out of it. Spent alot of $$ and am in the same boat. Getting frustrated and am also wondering if I'm out of head flow/cam and need to upgrade to CNC port head and bigger cam...Just a little frustrated right now. I'd love to see a high ten before I put the sauce on it......Here Chevy, Chevy......Any ideas? Thanx ahead of time.

[Walter Lansing]

Here is some good info on reading plugs

http://www.angelfire.com/fl4/pontiac...Readplugs.html

Walter

[Ron H]

http://www.dragstuff.com/techarticle...ark-plugs.html

[71 Ventura II]

Originally Posted by iceman411

What color on the plug-porcelein am I looking for jetting at the track? 110 octane leaded fuel. 472", 300cfm E-headed, solid roller Comp 254/262@.050, 583/574 lift with 1.65's, Victor intake with Pro systems 950(4150 style), Unilite dist with Crane digital box, 38° total timing-all in by 2800, Doug's headers, 3.5" collectors, Dr. Gas X pipe-3.5 into 3" to Pypes Violator mufflers dumping at the axle, 3500 converter, Th400, 3.55 gear with Hoosier 275/60 15 DR's. 1.6-65 60's and 11.25 @118 in the quater. I think this combo has another two tenth's in it. All wraped up in a '69 GTO that has everything it left the factory with. 3850#'s with me in it. I know I need more converter-4500, just think the jetting is off a little bit and need to know what to look for in color of the plugs. This is a CITY car run late at night and the track on occasion. Car ran 11.37 @119 last season with wore-out DR's and a POS 850 Demon with the head gaskets pushin' out of it. Spent alot of $$ and am in the same boat. Getting frustrated and am also wondering if I'm out of head flow/cam and need to upgrade to CNC port head and bigger cam...Just a little frustrated right now. I'd love to see a high ten before I put the sauce on it......Here Chevy, Chevy......Any ideas? Thanx ahead of time.

Fuel system? Just getting the 60' down with a better matched converter will get you close to the 10's. What's your converter slippage factor now? I'd like to see an ATI 8" Tree Master in you car, it's listed as a 4400 converter and works great with our Pontiacs. IMHO you have more than enough head, cam, and engine to run in the 10's your just missing a few elements. JD

[prostreet64]

I think all the basics are there; like 71 Ventura II said, a better 60' will make a huge difference. Your e.t. is very good considering a 1.60-1.65 short time. Are there any traction issues? Seems like even your current converter should be enough to hit the tires pretty hard; what launch rpm? As to plugs, you will need to make a full throttle pass and then shut down right after to get an accurate reading. A spark plug light works best but you can tell a lot by how clean the outer electrode is and the soot ring or lack thereof around the outer rim of the plug. Plan 2 is to jet up one or 2 sizes at a time until the car slows down; then go back to the previous size. Plan 3 is to install a wideband a/f ratio meter. We put one on the Bird a few months ago; almost takes all the fun out of the guesswork. But not quite!

[iceman411]

fuel system....140 GPH pump, stock tank, 1/2" line to regulator,.08 line to the carb. I ran the stock line with a holley blue last season. I too think it should hit harder off the line. Hooks well with less than a rotation of spin(looks like a 12 sec leave-almost pullin' the tire). I get my best 60' by bringing the motor off idle to 1500-1700 and let the converter flash and do it's thing. If I bring the converter up to 2500 on the leave, it slows down on the 60'. The converter is a low-buck pos jegs and I think it's holdin the car back. I've heard about the ATI's and may have to look int them. Car has a complete Edelbrock rear suspension with adj uppers and stock springs. When I put fresh plugs in and run the car to the 1000 ft and shut it down(no bar/cage) and pull a plug on the return, they still look new as a little color just starting to form-light brown/tan-ever so lightly. Tthe last two passes at every trip, I pull the trigger and run it out the full quater and going thru the traps(MPH) it's hitting 5600 or so. I'm done with the car and only want to sort out the motor /trans combo as it's going into a 77 TA with a full cage, fuel cell and all the safety requirements for next season. Thanx for the articles and the converter ideas. Although I'm a little frustrated on getting this thing ironed out, I am having a blast!!

[Scott Stoneburg]

best way to jet is for MPH. make at least 2 passes to get a base line then go up or down in jetting. 2 in front and rear then make at least 2 more passes. do this until you have reached max. MPH and your done. i think reading plugs is very difficult with an upgraded ignition. at least for me. also where is your cam installed at? that could affect how it pulls from a standing start as well as it pulling on the top. unfortunately one cannot expect the "dot-to-dot" method to be actually straight up. if you did its a guess. i know from first hand experience. good luck and keep tuning. it should have 10s in it with those parts.

[SLICK1]

Originally Posted by Scott Stoneburg

best way to jet is for MPH. make at least 2 passes to get a base line then go up or down in jetting. 2 in front and rear then make at least 2 more passes. do this until you have reached max. MPH and your done. i think reading plugs is very difficult with an upgraded ignition. at least for me. also where is your cam installed at? that could affect how it pulls from a standing start as well as it pulling on the top. unfortunately one cannot expect the "dot-to-dot" method to be actually straight up. if you did its a guess. i know from first hand experience. good luck and keep tuning. it should have 10s in it with those parts.

Everything Scott said, plus I'd put 3.73s in there and a Dominator on it, you'll be in the 10s then! Also if you suspect the converter, use one of the calculators and base it on your MPH -vs- trap RPM. (nice combo & car you got there, Good Luck!)