Adjusting the idle mixture screws

[Larry Jones]

I own a 62 t-bird convertible. A stock 4100 autolite carb. Last year I was playing around with the two screws and it appeared I got the car running smoothly. Now this was in the winter time inside of a garage. I used attach and was getting 700 rpms. Now recently I took it out last week and I noticed there was a little vibration in the stering wheel when it was just idling.I continued too play with the screws and the main idle screw until the stering wheel didn't vibrate at all. The idle was now about 625 rpms. Would you say that did it or do I need to be more concern about something else that I ve overlooked. Thanks Larry ps The car has 58000 miles on it all orginal with a new shor block installed last year.

[simplyconnected]

...The car has 58000 miles on it all orginal with a new shor block installed last year.

Oh my, how time does fly eh, Larry?

You posted in May of 2010 that you bought a 390 from John Draxler, your wife's brother assembled the engine and you drove it. (Three years ago.)

I was wondering... How did the original engine get "several cracks" in it? Did it do battle with one of those Ohio winters without antifreeze?

I'm building a 390 right now for Penelope (and broke a piston ring last night while filing the end gap). But you had an oil leak with yours. How did that ever get resolved? I'm asking because I want to avoid all oil leaks and you may have valuable info I should heed. - Dave

[KULTULZ]

I own a 62 t-bird convertible. A stock 4100 autolite carb. Last year I was playing around with the two screws and it appeared I got the car running smoothly. Now this was in the winter time inside of a garage. I used attach and was getting 700 rpms.

Now recently I took it out last week and I noticed there was a little vibration in the stering wheel when it was just idling.I continued too play with the screws and the main idle screw until the stering wheel didn't vibrate at all. The idle was now about 625 rpms.

Would you say that did it or do I need to be more concern about something else that I ve overlooked. Thanks Larry ps The car has 58000 miles on it all orginal with a new shor block installed last year.

The carb (and choke) will need adjusting throughout the year to allow for differing ambient air temperatures.

That being said, you first get the fuel mixture balance correct (idle mixture adjusting screws). You then set the curb idle to specs. You may have to vary from specs to get a smooth idle while in gear.

This is (was) done while the car was idling in gear. Make sure you don't go high enough on curb idle as to cause torque convertor drag or hard to stop @ idle. Be extremely careful in the process (read runaway cars thread here).

[Larry Jones]

idle screws

Thank You Kultulz. As for Simlpeconnected. I really don't no how the cracks got there. I purchased the car from the owners wife and at the time there wasn't any issues until one year after I owned it. The lady was trying to settle there estate and he passed on. He owned the car for 18 years and had a lot of documentation on the car as for servive records that came with it. Larry

[simplyconnected]

...and the oil leaks???
Hey I realize this purchase was four years ago but it does seem like last year.

I was just piecing the events together from my recall. So the previous owner had your car for 17 years with only 58k miles. That's like a new engine and it should run just fine. Then after you owned it for one year, the block developed several cracks.

The car was built in '62 and the engine survived fifty years! Something went drastically wrong. If you don't know what it was, then your new short block will be in jeopardy as well. I would want to prevent that. - Dave

[Ian M Greer]

Larry makes me wonder if the previous owner had it in a heated garage and you stored it an unheated garage. With antifreeze not sufficent for the cold enviroment ???Ian (REMEMBER NOT ALL BIRDS FLY SOUTH)