Cam blowing smoke out the carb

[Grimpala]

Got a question for you guys.

My dad and I built a mild 383 for his Chevelle, vortec heads, all new parts, 400 crank, yadda yadda yadda. Here's the fun part, we used a Comp xtreme energy cam, and we're thinking that the cam was ground wrong. It'll run barely enough to keep running, and when it is running it spits some exhaust back through the carb(we're pretty sure it's exhaust, it smokes a bit out the carb and smells like exhaust) When you lash the valves to the thightness that they are supposed to be the car wont run at all, but when you set the valves(hydraulic lifters) like a solid lifter cam it runs like crap but it runs. As soon as you tighten one valve it sputters and dies. We are out of ideas, and was wondering if anyone on here might know.

Thanks,
Lynden

[JAKES INC.]

Sounds like whoever put the cam in, put it in a 180 degrees off when they installed it. That could mess up the cam timing alot make the motor not want to run and backfire. I have seen the same problem with a motor I got when I bought a truck. The guy put the cam in wrong and it was back firing through the carb but my motor did not want to run at all but just alittle. But you say it is exhaust coming from the carb and not back firing so I could be wrong but I would check to make sure. All it takes is to pull the timing cover off and make sure the timing marks on the crank and cam are lined up at some time when you turn the motor over.

Hope this helps some but not sure if this is your problem or not,
Jake