At last, I have started my car for the first time since I've possessed it. Overall, it went pretty well. No engine components were destroyed and ejected from the block. In fact, I didn't even have leaks!
I do have several questions though, now that the first and perhaps most stressful part is done.
1. The only real problem I had with startup was with the fuel pump. Eventually I got it to work by drawing fuel through it with a hose and then cranking. It works now, but on the side of it there is a little hole that squirts fuel out with a fair amount of frequency. It looks like this hole is supposed to be there. What is it for, and why is it squirting fuel all over the place?
2. The engine doesn't seem to run very smooth. Listening to the exhaust, one side makes a sort of chuffing sound while the other is quiet. Both sides will "putt" periodically, at random. I have set the timing and dwell angle within spec and adjusted the mixture as best I know how. My 1977 Malibu idled far more smoothly; I was expecting this car to idle like that one. Is this the difference between points ignition and electronic ignition, or??
3. My distributor vacuum advance doesn't seem to work. At idle, if I unplug the vac. advance line, nothing happens. The engine does not miss a beat. I can feel a very light suction with my finger on the end of the hose but that's it. Where do I look for the most likely culprit?
4. My generator light stays on. The whole time I ran my car, it was jumper-cabled to another running car. Replace, rebuild? What's the best route to take?
5. I set both floats carefully to the same level but my secondary venturis were slowly dripping fuel the whole time the car was running. What to check?
6. At idle, I could could not bring engine speed below maybe 550 rpm. Normally, if I adjust a car's idle screw out far enough, it will stumble and cut off. I couldn't do that with this car. Likely causes?
7. Warmed up, the temp gauge needle was around 65% of the way to the H. Normal?
Those are the major questions. I was a bit disappointed with how the car ran given all the new internal pieces and new ignition components, etc. but I hope addressing some of the things on this list will get it more like I want it. Thanks for getting me this far!
I do have several questions though, now that the first and perhaps most stressful part is done.
1. The only real problem I had with startup was with the fuel pump. Eventually I got it to work by drawing fuel through it with a hose and then cranking. It works now, but on the side of it there is a little hole that squirts fuel out with a fair amount of frequency. It looks like this hole is supposed to be there. What is it for, and why is it squirting fuel all over the place?
2. The engine doesn't seem to run very smooth. Listening to the exhaust, one side makes a sort of chuffing sound while the other is quiet. Both sides will "putt" periodically, at random. I have set the timing and dwell angle within spec and adjusted the mixture as best I know how. My 1977 Malibu idled far more smoothly; I was expecting this car to idle like that one. Is this the difference between points ignition and electronic ignition, or??
3. My distributor vacuum advance doesn't seem to work. At idle, if I unplug the vac. advance line, nothing happens. The engine does not miss a beat. I can feel a very light suction with my finger on the end of the hose but that's it. Where do I look for the most likely culprit?
4. My generator light stays on. The whole time I ran my car, it was jumper-cabled to another running car. Replace, rebuild? What's the best route to take?
5. I set both floats carefully to the same level but my secondary venturis were slowly dripping fuel the whole time the car was running. What to check?
6. At idle, I could could not bring engine speed below maybe 550 rpm. Normally, if I adjust a car's idle screw out far enough, it will stumble and cut off. I couldn't do that with this car. Likely causes?
7. Warmed up, the temp gauge needle was around 65% of the way to the H. Normal?
Those are the major questions. I was a bit disappointed with how the car ran given all the new internal pieces and new ignition components, etc. but I hope addressing some of the things on this list will get it more like I want it. Thanks for getting me this far!
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