Please help a newbie fix his first cam install

I also posted this over at the ******* forum

OK, this is the first time I have installed a cam and distro on my own and I have some issues. First let me tell you the problems.

I took out my old Comp Cam 270S solid tappet cam and put in the new Trick Flow roller cam and roller rockers. I also replaced the distributor with one that has a steel gear to match the cam.

Problems:

My car is idling rough.

When using a vacuum gauge the needle is swinging between 8'' and 12'' of vacuum at 900 RPM idle with 12 degrees of timing. The vacuum is measured at the drivers side vacuum port on the carb.

When I rev the motor, the vacuum picks up, everything is smooth and it sounds fine.

Using a timing light with the vacuum advance disconnected and the port plugged at the carb, the car wants something like 36 degrees of timing to run smooth. The timing light pick up was clamped over the #1 plug wire.


How I installed the parts:

The cam was installed “dot to dot”. The cam sprocket dot was at 6:00 and the crank sprocket dot was at 12:00.

TDC on the #1 piston was found by putting my finger over the #1 spark plug hole, waiting until it popped my finger off, putting in a maker (a thin bamboo stick) and watching it rise as I cranked the motor clockwise. I stopped when it stopped rising. The dampener show around 5 degrees.

I stuck the distributor using the EFI Initial Ignition Timing Calibration and Distributor Installation thread.

I set my intake valves by watching the exhaust valve spring start to open, then spinning the push rod and tightening the rocker nut until I felt a little resistance, then going a ¼ turn more and tightening the Allen head.

I set my exhaust valve by watching the intake valve open and waiting for it to start to close, and tightening the rocker nut until I felt a little resistance, then going a ¼ turn more and tightening the Allen head.


Trouble shooting:

I checked the order of the wires and they were OK.

Double checked TDC with the finger method.

Double checked the position of the rotor when #1 was at TDC.

Checked for vacuum leaks with starting fluid around the base of the carb.

Changed the wires so it would be 180 out and it wouldn't start and backfired.



My parts they are in a carbed 66 Mustang:

94 302 motor

Trick flow stage 1 cam using the firing order 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

Trick flow heads

Timing chain that has only one setting (no advance, only one dot)

Edelbrock 1405 600 CFM carb jetting set 1 stage richer rods and jets

Summit Racing Street & Strip Ready to run Billet Distributor (using a used MSD Blaster 2 coil ( was good when I took it off) and an ignition ballast resistor)

Hi-Po exhaust manifolds

Edelbrock Performer RMP intake


Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Alex

With the car running?

The valve springs are for roller rockers.

I called Trick Flow and they said it is ok. The heads are Trick Flow and the Cam is a Trick Flow stage 1.

Woodsnake- The springs came with the assembled heads when I bought them. How do I check the springs?

10secgoal- Besides spraying the intake with starting fluid, how else can i check for leaks?

Thanks for the help guys.