Mopar 383 help please

Hey, I was wondering if someone could be a miracle and help me with a couple things on my engine. I had just put a new distributor, intake manifold, plugs/wires and coil into my car. I did this because my car had a vacuum of around 5 (the needle wiggles fast around 5) The electrical stuff was just because. Now my car still has a vacuum of 5 (intake bolts are tight) but start, runs and revs. When I adjust the idle mixture screws I dont get any more vacuum and hardly get any less. The only thing I hear wrong with it from ear is that on the drivers side I hear a click click click. I checked around the manifold but everything looked clean and couldnt feel any crazy air leaks. It sounds like the noise is coming from the valves over either the 5 or 7 cylinder. Also sometimes I can hear a very slight rev in the engine rpm I thought maybe my very old carb has some fuel distribution problems but maybe its the loose push rod? (If that is what the noise actually is) Any ideas? Also, does anyone have a good webpage or information on tightening the pushrods/lifters? I did it on my K5 blazer years ago in HS but dont quite remember the sequences and steps.

So is my 5 vacuum bad if the engine runs well? Could the lifters be contributing to this?

intial timing is a little less than 10 degrees and my distributor has a limit of 24 factory. Also have a vacuum advance.


Hey JungleCrow,

What did it end up being?