I need help!

[AMCLOVER258]

I'm all game for fishing! actually just ordered my 2 year old her first fishing pole!

[eaglescout7]

sweet, well the ice is melting now!

someone in the new england area come spend a sunday helping me with exhaust manifold r&r and smoking out some vacuum leaks!?!? once again, the offer stands, ill buy the beer, and let you pick parts off my 85!

[eaglescout7]

so I'm up at 430 am scratching my head. I started this thing with ZERO knowledge. I tried to study and prepare for each task and have come to find that nothing makes sense until you're under it with a wrench.  So far I've done the radiator, hoses, thermostat, water pump, power steering pump, alternator, valve cover gasket and swap (got rid of the plastic one, new v belts, cap, rotor, plugs, wires, and started learning about timing (embarrassing I know).  So I ordered a kit from gronk which I received in the mail today, and thought for sure that this would solve my high idle inconsistencies as well as this wretched WHISTLING that is driving me crazy... which it didn't.  I can't digest the idea that its the base gasket of the carb, and am thinking this HAS to be a vacuum leak or something with the intake manifold.  I am truly effing clueless, and cannot get my head outside of the box any farther.  I'm beginning to lose sleep over this which probably has a lot to do with a lack of know how. ANY ADVISE!?!?  Also, there is a discernible difference in throttle response with the new carb, but low rpm in 1st and 2nd is puttering and not delivering fuel then immediately rectifies itself...this didn't happen before the carb swap.

Seriously though, any guidance would be greatly appreciated. I'm going it alone, with my bird in the mud here. no pun intended.

[DAVE]

have you tried spraying carb cleaner or wd40 around where vacuum leaks may be, while engine is running if there is a change in how it's running when you spray you have found a problem area

[amcfool1]

hi, don't lose sleep over this! We were all there once. Sounds to me like you are doing pretty well. I don't have the Gronk kit, but I ran a MC2150 for over 15 years, put it on in 2000. One thing you have to realize, is that on your 86, the computer controls BOTH the distributor and the carb. You no longer have the original BBD, but do you still have the original distributor? Your best bet is to replace it either with a 78-80 stock distributor, or an HEI upgrade (which is what I did) I recommend the DUI, expensive, but IMO worth it. Others have had good luck with the cheap knockoffs such as Skip White, not me.
Gronk knows what he is doing, and I'm sure your carb came calibrated real close to optimal, but probably not right on. Sound like you have an off idle stumble, running rich. Before you do anything else, the car has to be timed correctly. If the computer is still hooked up, it is trying to control the dist, and the now absent feedback carb, so I can't see how it will ever run right. Try a ECM Test bypass. I have never done this, but others here can help you with that. BTW, the computer is behind the pass. side kick panel.
As for the whistle, can't tell from here! (southwest VA), but sounds like a manifold leak. Try tightening all the bolts, there are 14 of them, paying special attention to the ones at each end of the manifold(s), which are actually studs. Could also be air cleaner seal. good luck, gz