HELP! I don't know WHAT is wrong with this car!!

[stevebfl]

Before you get too thrilled about this let me point out that the secondaries are not responsible for your hesitation/backfiring condition. These cars drive just fine without the secondaries, AS LONG as they aren't open when they shouldn't be (mostly an idle problem). They won't have good power but driveability will be fine (of course the vacuum leaks through the broken diaphrams will have some effect, but this won't happen off the line. At full throttle the vacuum probably doesn't get big enough to open the secondaries till the engine is going 2500rpms or more (they will come open slowly as the velocity of air through the primary venturi cause enough venturi vacuum).

The rear diaphram housing can probably be removed without removing the carb. I doubt that the front can, as the screws are low and will be between the carbs (not much room).

How bout that timing

[bachlauter]

Here's the delimma....I don't know HOW to DO the timing! (pathetic!)

Can I just move the distributor and try to guess? Is this timing thing HARD???

~Christy

[stevebfl]

I was told that your were instructed how to use a timing light.

I don't think you should adjust the timing without a light. With it you can eventually get it. I wouldn't trust myself to time it by hand (well maybe, I would never do it without eventually double checking the beginning or end readings)

[cth350]

Here she goes pleading chicken again... (and there's no clucking icon for it).

1. Read through those 5 books with all the pictures and how-to stuff.
2. Get used to reading the timing with the light.
3. Loosen the bolt on the base of the distributor.
4. Rotate it a bit one way or the other WHILE watching the effect with the timing light.

Practise step 2 until you're comfortable, the other two steps are easy.

If you wanna be REAL conservative (or real chicken), prior to step 3, hand crank the motor to TDC and remove the distributor cap. Record with a bit of white out, where the edge of the rotor is in relation to the body of the distributor. That will get you close, should you screw it up royally.

-CTH

[bachlauter]

Ok Guys...

I did nothing with the timing...yet....

But...I DID do the front carburetor secondary diaphram! I totally did it without taking the carb off of the manifold..no problem! It didn't JUST have a hole or tear in it, but was completely DETACHED. Fixing that MIGHT come in handy down the road....

Btw..NO ONE actually SHOWED me HOW to use that timing light. It'd be NICE if my husband would show me.....

Think of it like this....how about I throw you a spool of yarn and a crochet hook and a book and say..."Make me a sweater"...it 's the same difference....I have the tool, a book and you're all saying "Go time your car"...

~Christy

[cth350]

Which is why I wrote you that REALLY LONG email about what you're going to "see" under the hood. If my instructions turn out to be half decent, let me know.

-CTH

[bachlauter]

I know I know...

This timing thing will be just fine....now it's only a matter of getting out there and trying it.

It's just that it'd be so much more fun to DO IT with a PARTNER.....

~Christy