Well, I went and did it. I bought a 57 with D code engine. This is my first foray into the world of Y engines (I have a 59 and 60 with 430 MEL engines). During my test drive of about 15 minutes, all at fairly low speed, the engine stayed cold with the guage needle staying on the low end dot below the running range. The engine idle dropped off to nearly nothing and did stall until it warmed up even to that point. Then it ran very nicely. My guess is a thermostat issue of some sort or an automatic choke issue (probably both). One modification I did for my squarebirds was to install electronic ignition in the distributor. Are there any quirks with these engines along the lines of low idle speed when cold? Is the electronic ignition a good idea?
Thanks, Vern
Thanks, Vern
Comment