The coil and distributer were bought new when the motor was put in. I pulled and checked them to make sure and they all look new.
The fuel lines do run really close to the exaust through all of what I can see but I'll check in the little crevices too. The fuel tank vent hose that's supposed to be hooked up to the charcoal canister is just sitting in the engine bay, but not much chance that's causin anything.
The advance... well, the thing with the advance, is that the morons at pepboys, aside from not tightening anything, didn't put a timing tab on it so I'm pretty much screwed over with that part of it... I've been trying to time it by ear but it's not very accurate at ALL and I need to get a tming tab for it. BUT, it will cough and sputter if it's in third gear at about 55mph and I punch it supposing it doesn't down-shift. When it's winding up it waited to between 3500-4000, but normal driving it will start between 3000-3250... I'll check fuel pressure, line routing, and I'll pull the copper fuel filter that's built into the Q-jet and check it... I had forgotten about that thing...

 

sounds like something to do with your fuel gettin to the engine.
check
fuel pressure
fuel filter
fuel pump
run a cleaner throught it
or cloged carb.
so idle maybe be off.

 

I'll run a fuel system cleaner through it. both fuel filters were just replaced (the one on there was clogged beyond all reason) so they are good. I checked the vacuum just for the heck of it and it's good. I was just going to check my fuel pressure when FedEx showed up with my exhaust parts for my truck, so I'm off to check fuel pressure now. Been putting that damn exhaust on for like an hour and a half now, and I'm got a fun knot on my head from tryin to get the exhaust pipe out of the muffler.Anywho, I'm off to check fuel pressure! From the look of it, it's not getting as much pressure as my truck is... it doesn't feel or look like my truck's fuel line does when it's being pump through rubber line...

 

OK, we just checked the fuel pressure... at idle it's 6psi steady, but when it's revved to right about when it starts bogging (3250-3500rpm) when I'm driving it, it jumps to 10psi. Isn't it supposed to stay between 6-8psi? could it be flooding the motor out?

 

does it get any black smoke (too rich) when you rev it up or drive???

 

actually if anything it has white smoke. I thought that was jsut the cat thought cuz it doesn't do it all the time and the cat makes it smoke a bit unless I'm mistaken... all the other 80's cars with cats on em smoke that I've seen. I'll get a fuel pressure regulator if I need to, I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be at 10psi at any point....

 

10 PSI is up there, but its not whats causing your problem. You said you just replaced the fuel filters, did you re check them? Mine's been eating fuel filters like no other, the tank still has a bunch of crap in it and it's needed a new fuel filter every couple of weeks.

 

I did just check them, and it had a little bit of junk in there but it didn't seem to be enough to hinder anything.... 10psi was right on the carburetor side of the filter. I can grab a new one again though if I need to, and I'll run a system cleaner ASAP....

 

OK, I got a fuel pressure regulator and a new filter... we're supposed to get it registered today so we'll see how it does and I'll let you guys know. Thanks for all the help so far, and let's hope this works!the Idle sounds better one way or another...

 

good luck man! my question is if they had to replace the motor why not dump a 3fiddeh in it...lol