[SRT8-X]

Quick update (sure, as you all can tell, I'm not quick)...

I lowered the idle to 650 RPM or so, set initial to 12° (it was confirmed only the 4° off from my initial 16° setting so timing was accurate anyway) and 36° at 3000-3200 RPM.

I ran the engine at various RPM in the garage while working on this and getting to operating temps. This was likely 25-30 minutes as I was doing a few other things, looking at vacuum (dropped about 8-10" due to idle speed) and then adjusting the idle mixture screws after timing. I also tested the accelerator pump with the engine off and its squirting plenty on the front barrels of the carb. I was checking plug wires in the dark, underneath the truck, etc. and no arcs were noticed. It could be my head but it did seem the misfire at idle changed when moving some of them although I couldn't see any arcing.

I left the vacuum advance unplugged for the test drive as I wanted to see how it drove based on the total timing alone. I also left the air cleaner off. Oddly enough, here's where it gets funny, I backed out of the driveway, then put it in drive and went down the street for a few stop and go take offs. It did absolutely wonderful with mid-full throttle off the line starts as well as minimal throttle off the line. Ran like a champ, smooth and misfire free....for about a mile. As soon as I took a curve, it began to act up bogging and hesitating. It did this a few times but for the most part was running better. To me it seemed like curves or turns were worse than straight take offs. Not sure if this means anything. About 5 minutes later and a few more turns, it was bogging and hesitating like it's been doing. Coming home after a 15 minute drive in traffic, it would hesitate intermittently at off idle speeds. As noted previously, it always ran fine when the kick down was activated. Some turns and take offs whether light or mid throttle were OK, others were not. Full throttle did nothing more than light throttle. Not sure if any of this means more or not, just thought I'd report it.

Still going to look at the valve adjustment, the float settings and the jets. I found the .101 jets in my kit so no need to buy one just to test the richer settings.

After thinking about it more while driving and listening to feedback, its seeming more and more like a lean setting and starving for fuel unless in the mid to upper power band. I'm not ruling anything out yet however.

Thanks again for everyone's input. I'll keep trying.