Can't get the idle right

[Growley bear]

Originally Posted by Tom Endy

One thing you might want to check is the gap between the tip of the rotor and each of the contact points in the distributor upper half. Many of the repos are notorious for not being even. Each gap should be the same. I have seen a number of gap values stated, however, I think it is more important that they all be the same. Find the one that is the furthest away and file the contact point down on the others to match. Somewhere around .025 is nominal.

Tom Endy

This is very good information from Tom. Many times carburetor problems are ignition related. There is an amazing difference in idle quality with even rotor gap vs uneven gap.

Chet

[JOES31]

Tom
Thank you. I put the other zenith on that I rebuilt and the idle was better. Then I checked the rotor gap and yes they were not even. I set the largest gap to the correct gap and had to file the other contacts to match. It idles much better but somehow the timing has changed as now the full retard position doesn't lope the engine. I'll re time her tomorrow and see how she runs.

Thanks everyone for the great advice.

[Tom Endy]

Originally Posted by JOES31

Tom
Thank you. I put the other zenith on that I rebuilt and the idle was better. Then I checked the rotor gap and yes they were not even. I set the largest gap to the correct gap and had to file the other contacts to match. It idles much better but somehow the timing has changed as now the full retard position doesn't lope the engine. I'll re time her tomorrow and see how she runs.

Thanks everyone for the great advice.

Check that your points haven't closed up. New points tend to close up more during the first few hundred miles. During the first hundred miles they can close up to half what you set them at. Set your points fist, then the timing. I set mine at .020. When the points close up it will change the timing and the car will run poorly. When you reset the points to what you previously had them at when you set the timing, the timing will return to the previous setting.

Tom Endy