A newbie with questions (is there any other kind?)

[Guest]

The first car I remember is my Mom's '60 Thunderbird, and circumstances recently presented themselves to allow her to park another one in her garage. It's a beauty, with all the curves and lines we both remember, and has a musical idle (and plenty of oomph when the go pedal is pushed!).

However, at that mellifluous idle, it does tend to make the eyes water. Based on the pictures I've found on this site, it's got the correct 1960 carb (with the drilled choke plate). I found the idle RPM adjustment screw, but can someone help me find the screws to adjust idle air/fuel?

Also, all the external lights work admirably, but we discovered tonight that the interior and dash lights don't work. I'm hoping that this is only a fuse problem. Is this likely to be the case? Any quick diagnosis tips?

Thanks for any and all help -

JLW

[Alexander]

RE: A newbie with questions (is there any other kind?)

Congratulations on the new Squarebird. The idle adjustment screws are on the front lower part of the carburetor. They stick out quite a bit so you should have not trouble finding them. Lean is in and rich is out unlike the Holley's where is the other way around.

The dash lights usually don't work because the rheostat on the headlight switch is either burnt out or corroded. If you rotate the headlight switch back and forth, you may find a few positions where the lights come on. The headlight switch is available. It is a project to replace because it is difficult to pull it out from under the dash and because it has so many wires connected to it. There is a fuse for the dome light on the headlight switch.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Guest]

RE: A newbie with questions (is there any other kind?)

Thanks for the response - I found the idle screws, turned them all the way in, and then back out a full turn. At that setting (although they had originally been out over 3 turns) it still had visible exhaust, so I turned them in another 1/4 turn (for what should be out 3/4 turn). It was still smokey, but that may not be surprising since the car was still cold and the choke (which works!) was closed. Is there a setting that is recommended? The car is in Houston, which is humid, warm, and at-or-below sea-level. I don't want to asphyxiate bystanders, but I also don't want to make it too lean. Is there a way other than a/f measurements to know if it's too lean? The car idles very well, but would new plugs help?

Thanks again,

JLW

[Alexander]

RE: A newbie with questions (is there any other kind?)

You can set the best idle mixture by using a tach and a vacumm guage. The highest reading is the best setting. You wil need to go back andd forth between the two idle screws acouple of times to get the best setting.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top