On a fresh 331 (.030 over 327) that has run great for about 600 miles, I decided to look at the spark plugs and they're fouled with soot as is the exhaust pipes. Even the insulator is black and powdery.

I'm guessing there's a prob with the power piston in the Q-jet...perhaps the spring is too stiff, though I'm running a mild cam (.447 and 222 @ 50%).

1) Is there anything else that could cause this rich condition.

2) Would a hotter plug help?

Thanks in advance for your input!

[This message has been edited by Sleepy-69 (edited 06-26-2002).]

Put a new set of plugs in and run it for a few more hundred miles then check them again alot off times on a fresh engine it will take a little while to seat the new rings and this will make it hard to read what the engine is doing by looking at the plugs.
If the plugs still look bad when you check them again then start troubleshooting if the plugs come out black and sooty or wet with a gas smell then your running it rich and carb adjustments will have to be made. Hope you find the problem
Jeff