Troubleshooting a miss, etc

[ULYCYC]

Squirt some oil in the cylinders and see if it changes. Also try the compression tester on a good car and make sure it's ok. When I see numbers close like that on a old car I like to double check.

[Pyro6]

I didn't see where the vacuum was just low, or low and fluctuating. Key info.

Seemed to be consistently low, but also bobbled at times as I recall

So if it was low and fluctuating, the 3E lifter would really be likely. But, just low vacuum: valve timing, clogged exhaust, vacuum leak.... or am I missing something?

[Steve Wood]

there are too many unknowns to draw solid conclusions... when I hear that a lifter is noisy and takes a long time to become quieter, I get nervous...I don't think this car has run properly for a long time remembering conversations on the other board.

As I said earlier, I suspect there is more than one thing that is not right and we have been chasing our tails trying to find just one.

[TurboCajun]

timing chain has about 8,000 miles on it. when I get back from Nashville I will pull the timing cover and check things, I am also picking up another harmonic balancer from a freind in Miss. , If my rings were worn wouldn't it be smoking?. I had the engine out of the car about 4 months ago and intake off, I did a mic test on the whole cam to check lift and all lobes were within .005 of the spec intake and exhaust. so I will pull the timing cover and go from there.

[Steve Wood]

you better find out why you have a noisy lifter

[TurboCajun]

changed out lifters with some slightly used known good ones. pulled timing cover and checked chain, its is good and marks are in line. still an issue with low vacuum, the only way is will get to 20 is in park at 2000 rpms. so at idle it is still at 15. i am trying to find someone local with a smoke machine.

[Steve Wood]

You put used lifters on the cam?  That is the guaranteed way to destroy the cam.....Makes me want to cry

I was concerned about a bad lifter throwing a pushrod more than being the cause of the vacuum....

[Pyro6]

Holy hell Steve am I ever sorry I threw my 2 cents in. I didn't realize it was an on going issue. I tend to tackle cars that have been to 5 different shops before they get to me, but this sounds like a land mine. You mentioned several times already, step back and review what you've found. You gotta admit, he gets thing done.

[Steve Wood]

  it's one of those deals where there are so many conflicting bits of info that it makes it hard to know where to dive in....

[Pyro6]

Like a smorgasboard.

[TurboCajun]

yes I did, I know its not the right thing to do but I am just trying to find the problem and also eliminate others, when I look back at the money and time I have spent on this issue alone it really just makes me want to give up and just run it like it is. and when it finally gives up I have a new 502cbb sitting in my shed.

[Steve Wood]

Might be cheaper to just pull it out now and do a swap because 99.9 percent of the time, a wiped cam is in your future

[earlbrown]

changed out lifters with some slightly used known good ones.

Oh shit. Go ahead and pull the engine.

[earlbrown]

I did a mic test on the whole cam to check lift and all lobes were within .005 of the spec intake and exhaust.

It should be closer than .005" when measured with a mic.

[TurboCajun]

changed out lifters with some slightly used known good ones.

Oh shit. Go ahead and pull the engine.

400 miles on lifters that you could not tell that they were ever in an engine and cost me $0.00. I do have plans on getting a new cam and lifters but not untill I find out what my problem is.
I am just trying to get by right now and not spend anymore money this year, I have a wedding, graduation and tuition to pay for this year.