429 idle settings and adjustments?? What does it need to be??
 

I have my 429 up and running and the flat tappet cam is broken in. I am looking to fine tune the engine and I am pretty sure that the "motorhead" at the shop knows how to set everything but I was relying on him for alot of things he failed to do so I ask:

What is the ideal idle setting in a high performance 429 475HP+? And is that with the vacuum advance off? And if so what should both of them be with the advance conneccted and diconnected?

How many quarts of oil is full for a 70's 429 truck motor, adding 2x 3' oil color hoses #10 and an oil cooler plus an independant oil filter and 2x 1' #10 hoses to that? So a stock motor holds how many quarts? Plus 8 feet of #10 hose and an oil cooler?

My "motorhead" has the perfomance wires seperated to do what ever it is they do (stop arcing or something) and they do not touch near the valve covers or intake but they are laying all over eachother on the distributor?? Why would you seperate wires near the intake and valve covers if they are all touching on the distributor cap? Am I missing something or is he an idiot??

Lastly, my engine after breaking in the flat tappet cam and only running it up to temperature that time, all of the other time have only run it for a few minutes. I get smoke off of the right/paseenger side of the engine. Is that the ceramic headiers breaking in or is that oil that hasn't burned off due to me not running it up to temperature more than once and there is still something down there that hasn't burned off completely??

Thanks in advance for any help! Ryan

hello ryan

set your idle with the vacuum advance hooked up. when you set your timing you unhook the vacuum advance.

you can set your idle with whatever you are comfortable with. it could be anywhere from 750-1200rpm.

oil level-start with what is recommended with the pan and add 1 or 2 qts. if the lines do not drain back into the crankcase when the motor is shut off you can measure off the dipstick. otherwise you'll have to use best educated guess.

ref the smoke-you are prob burning off residue. make sure the valve covers are not leaking.

good luck.