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Location: North Australia | I think need some tips on tuning up my original 1960 Imperial engine.
I just put fresh fuel in it, I use 95. The fuel I took out was 10 months old and it was barely running. Bad move I know.
Car has a stock curve MOpar electronic distributor from Mancini, Cam is one stage up from standard (I think? I will check). Heads and in and out manifolds all matched up and mildly ported. Heads also have hardened exhaust seats. Carb is the original Carter gone through, same as the fuel pump. Engine has got around 5 K miles. Waldrons stock twin stainless exhaust. Stock air filter.
Car running much better with the fresh fuel. I will take it for a drive tomorrow.
What spark plugs are you using and what ignition timing do you set up to? My timing light failed tonight, but I saw it timed at 12 deg BTDC before it failed .
Any tips with the Carter? It seems good so far, I set it up 6 years 5 K miles ago, should I take it off and go through its tune?
I do have a vacuum gauge in the car but I dont know how to read it.
Any tuning tips on this old engine greatly appreciated. Its a fantastic engine and I want to try to get it running as good as I can.
Steve.
Edited by 60 Imp 2018-07-08 7:39 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 360
| pertronix ignition instead of points, electric fuel pump to fill the fuel bowls when the key is turned, the carb may need to soak for a bit because there are seals and gaskets in it that expand when fuel wets them. Its possible they shrink and do not fit the way they should and the carb now doesn't work like it should. I experienced this with an old carb after I rebuilt it. If the pedal is pushed when those seals are dry it could cause them to slip out of place and not reseat when fuel wets them and they expand. It was some plunger or valve inside that does this and is crucial to pushing fuel throughout the carb. That's why the bowls should be wet at all times in my opinion and electric pump be used to fill them before the pedal is pressed. I think modern carb addressed this but exists on the old carter.
AIR, FUEL, COMPRESSION, and SPARK are where your focus should be to keep an engine running. Usually the fuel or spark are the culprits for a stalled engine. Both are reasonably easy to check on older cars.
Sorry I do not know off hand what the timing should be nor the plug gap but that info should be available online. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 8947
Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA | my book says 10* BTDC but that can be played with some , plug gap .035-----------------------------------------------------------------later |
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Veteran
Posts: 242
Location: 33844 | At the end of it all - a test drive tells you what your timing should be -- advance until slight pinging on hard acceleration , then back a tad. |
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