More Questions - Rough running, What am I missing? Options

[NotLance]

My new engine is in, but I continue to have issues with rough running - and its gotta be something that was retained when i swapped the short blocks, as the behievor is similar to what I witnessed with the other engine too. Engine is good above 3000rpm, so I think the main circuit of the dual webers is good, but at lower rpm it surges on light-med acceleration, consistent on foot down acceleration. backfires out of exhaust on decel and at idle. All of that said, when I pulled one plug after 300 miles, it was very carbon fouled so leaned out that one to hopefully fix... it did not. Resyched and tried tuning carbs per factory weber procedure but still cant get it happy. I also can't verify running conditions at higher than 3500 rpm becuase I'm still breaking in the brand new block.

Fresh plugs and ignition coil, advance on 123 distributor set properly, theoretically timing set to the mark on the fan housing (27* i think), I do not suspect vacuum leaks due to the engine not picking up speed after spraying everywhere with starting fluid... STE reads synchronous airflows on all carbs

Plugs I pulled seemed out seemed okay, not super carbon, oily, or anything.

Maybe I just can't tune dual carbs to save my life? Or they need a rebuild or something (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) I've got it going to a shop friday just to attempt to tune the carbs for me becuase I don't know what else to do...

Consulting the 914think tank to see if there is something obvious I'm missing because despite pretending to know a bit about fixing my car, im just a kid (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I dont have a timing light, can you rent one from somewhere so I could verify timing? I trust the people who installed my engine but starting to pull out my hair so trying to eliminate any variables possible

Its a -4 cyl GA case, dual weber 40 idf carbs and a 123 distributor set to curve 1. BR6ES spark plugs

[NotLance]

Also new stroke of paranoia has hit - if my fan is not a 2.0 fan, but was timed using the mark on the fan at 27*, what are the chances that its not actually 27*... could that cause the above symptoms


I've read there is a mark on the flywheel, is it visible with the naked eye or mirror?

I'm sure these are simple questions but trying not to be embarrassed by the lack of knowledge I have - got to learn somehow!



EDIT - after reading your post emerygt350 which I was writing this it seems to indicate timing off of a flywheel, which would be great - what exactly is the play for finding that and once I have a mark which is TDC how would I go about timing it to 27* using only the TDC mark