Faulty vacuum reading 308

The marks on the cams are assembly marks, not timing marks. They are there to ensure no valves are bent if the cams are removed and replaced and the cam caps are being torqued down.

 

Not easy to get a meaningful intake vacuum reading on a carb 308 with no plenum -- where are you connecting the gauge? To the small tube network(s) on each US intake manifold?

(Assuming you've already verified that you have spark on both banks) All of the cam marks should line up when the crankshaft is at PM1-4, but mounting the distributors is more involved:
1. When the crankshaft is at PM1-4, and cylinder #1 is at the end of the compression stroke (both valves fully closed - this can be checked by looking in the oil filler opening on the 1-4 camcover) = the 1-4 distributor rotor should be pointing at the red notch in the 1-4 distributor rim (i.e., pointing at the #1 cylinder contact inside the 1-4 distributor cap).
2. When the crankshaft is at PM5-8, and cylinder #5 is at the end of the compression stroke (both valves fully closed) = the 5-8 distributor rotor should be pointing at the red notch in the 5-8 distributor rim (i.e., pointing at the #5 cylinder contact inside the 5-8 distributor cap). From the crankshaft position in step #1, this crankshaft position is found by rotating the crankshaft 90 deg CW as viewed at the crankshaft snout end.
Did you follow this procedure too?

 

Jonas- Over 40 some years, no telling how the cams were timed. What you basically did was a lock and swap. Go to the 308 section and look for cam timing instructions, also called degreeing the cams. You make your own marks doing that.

 

These two master experts are giving you some input, the cam marks ARE close enough to run, but not to tune to Factory spec.

Steve is trying to get you to check you distributor insertion, those marks are on the base of the unit inside the cap.
It does indeed sound like you have a bank "off" there.....against the firing order.

It's really an engine split in half, and it will run weakly with one side contributing nothing.

 

Need some clarification -- do you mean that you installed both distributors with the crankshaft at the PM1-4 position? (That would be bad.)

 

You line up PM1-4 mark, line up all four cam shafts to their assembly marks, then line up the distributor on bank 1 to point its rotor to cylinder number 1.

Then, you turn the crankshaft 90 degrees to arrive at PM5-8 mark on the flywheel side. Then line up the other distributor to point its rotor to cylinder number 5.

Then you do the cam timing thing if you are so inclined.

 

Glad that you got it sorted -- we need all Ferrari running on all cylinders!

 

The neighbors seem to appreciate it.....