Need Help, Car Bogs down around 3800 RPM

I'm having trouble figuring out why my car Bogs down around 3800rpm. The car runs fine unless I punch it and when it hits close to 4 grand the car Bogs and I can hear a ticking sound coming from the engine. It will run like that for around 20-30 sec then the car will run normal again, with plenty of power! It almost sounds like a fuel , or timing issue but, I set the timing to 13 degrees and raised F/P to 40 from 38psi, but it's still doing this. Any help or ideas would be appreciated. Thanx !

By the way my engine combo is a 306, F-cam, edlebrock intake system, equal lenghts , GT-40 heads, 19# injectors, 70TB/MAF

have you pulled codes?

NO, I didn't try that ..... If it's a valve train issue , per say rockers, springs, or timing will it show up on the trouble codes ?

It's not a valvetrain prob cause it wouldn't cure itself or get better. looking at your combo I'd say it's a fuel problem or a lack of fuel problem. With your mods you need larger injectors or more FP and longer pulse width. Bump your FP to 44 and see if that helps at all.

Also see if you can, install a FP gauge so you can read it as you drive, I duct tape it to the DS windshield so I can monitor the FP while driving. This will show how well the pump is working and if the filters are clogged.


BTW is that ticking sound similar to a handful of ball bearings in a coffee can?

How about a spark plug wire arcing? Do you have an ignition box? There was a thread around here last week about a box failing the same way ... bad ground or heat.

I pulled codes last night, and only the EGR came up, all else was fine. The ticking has stopped, it sounded more like a loose rocker, but I had re-tightned them to delete that factor.
I do possibly believe it does have something to do with either the coil, wires, or fuel filter. Last night I lowered the timing to 10 degrees and drove the car, it will climb fine all the way to 5500 RPM at half throttle, if I put my foot in it , it falls on its face at about 3800 , and just stumbles like it's starving for either spark or fuel ! I guess I need to start swapping out stuff until I resolve the problem. I just put a new 225LPH pump it it about 5 months ago, I don't however remember if I replaced the filter. Would a clogged filter allow me to still climb up to 5500 RPM at half throttle ?

What year of car is this?