# cams



## Phillip Todd (Feb 18, 2011)

i have a 1965 gto 389 tri power with a lunati 292/490 cam and i cannot get it to idle, do i have too big of a cam or do i have carb trouble or a vacum leak some where


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Welcome to the forum, do you know the part number to the cam? is it a 00071? Is your car an automatic or a 4-speed? do you have manual or power brakes?


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## Phillip Todd (Feb 18, 2011)

That is the correct part number .it is a 4speed with power brakes


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

The 00071 has a 110 lsa with a 230 @ 50% duration, the vacuum needed for the power brakes will fade while cruising thru parking lots making the power brakes feel like manual. Lunati recomends headers, at least a 3.73 rear end and a CR of 9:1. If you are running a stock engine with a CR of 10.75:1 then mods will be needed to lower the CR which may require the use of high octane gas to get the car to run without knocking.

There is a guy on this forum named Bear who knows alot about cams, give him a day or 2 to chime in,


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## Phillip Todd (Feb 18, 2011)

I am not a top notch mechanic. having said that i will tell you when i bought this car the motor was apart and machine work was finished on the heads and block.its a 65 gto 389 block bored .30 over and the last two numbers on the heads are 77. i put forged flat top pistons in and the 292/490 cam and put the motor together. on the first start up it ran about 5 secs. and pushed 4 rocker studs out. i pulled the heads and had machine shop open clearences up to accommadate for lift on the cam and put in big block chevy screw in studs and roller tip rockers with locks. on sec. start up i cannot get the motor to idle unless i put my hand over the carb and at that it will idle at 1000 rpm removing my the motor will die...Help


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Sounds like it's starving for fuel, maybe a plugged fuel filter or bad fuel pump.


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## Phillip Todd (Feb 18, 2011)

The fuel pump, filter, lines and tank are all new. what is your opinon of the way the motor was put together and the corrections i made to the heads.are you saying that the cam is not causing the idle problem. i am running 65 model three duces


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## Phillip Todd (Feb 18, 2011)

I will change the cam if thats the problem but i would like to be sure before i go to all that work and maybe find out that it is not the size of the cam causing the idle problem. how can i get in touch with Bear or someone that has a good knowledge of cams


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## george g (Mar 26, 2009)

Are the valves adjusted right?Stock pontiacs get tightened all the way down while a chevy rocker gets set for preload.


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## Phillip Todd (Feb 18, 2011)

even tho i am running a high performance cam, big block chevy screw in rocker studs,and maguim roller tip rocker arms. do i still need to tighten the rocker arms all the way down. i also had to open clearences the acomandate for the lift on the cam.


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## Phillip Todd (Feb 18, 2011)

MY problem was the carb. I rebuilt it and car runs great. Thanks to those who responded.


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## Phillip Todd (Feb 18, 2011)

Does any one know what the oil capacity is on a 1965 389 gto and how long the dipstick is supposed to be?


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