I was stymied last weekend because I could not adjust the distributor enough to line up the pointer on the flywheel housing with the timing mark on the flywheel. I thought I would have to remove the distributor and rotate it one tooth - a tricky operation.
I posted my problem on the Stovebolt.com forums and it turns out all I needed to do was loosen the clamp that holds the adjustment scale and recenter it. I did that this afternoon and timing took about 10 seconds.
I reconnected the vacuum advance, made sure everything was returned to its operating condition and took her out for a maiden voyage.
With Sharon and the kids watching, I took her around the block and back into the garage. She ran like a dream.
Then, even though she doesn't have seat belts, we loaded the whole family inside and took another swing around the block.
It was awesome.
We have a running truck and I have a permanent grin on my face.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Close but no cigar
Last weekend I ordered a new fuel filter, distributor cap and a full engine's worth of new gaskets. I was worried after last week that part of the problem with having to run with the choke closed was due to a lack of gas getting to the carburetor. I replaced the old filter with a new paper filter unit and the difference was immediately noticeable. Gas was SHOOTING into the filter.
After using full choke to start the cold engine, I noticed that it started running rough and was threatening to die. I was confused at first, until I realized I might have been right :-) I pushed in the choke valve, and the engine smoothed out and roared to life. After adjusting the the idle valve and the throttle set screw the truck idled well with no choke at all. Mystery solved.
* Note: It is at this point that I should point out that Carter warned me that he thought the carb was not getting enough gas weeks ago. He thought it might have been the fuel pump, but I have to give him credit. It looks like it was the old degraded gasket on the fuel filter limiting fuel flow into the carb. *
Then I got realy excited to finish the timing. I pulled the Subaru's battery again, and clipped on the timing light. The first thing I saw was the Triangle that I had cleaned and painted last weekend. Yay! I figured I was golden.
But when I tried to adjust the distributor to line up the pointer on the flywheel housing with the ball in the flywheel I ran out of adjustment before I could get there. Argh! I could see the "C" and part of the "U" of the "IUC" mark, but could not get to the ball.
I'm not sure if the problem is with the distributor or something else, but I will have to do some research this week to see if I can figure out what the problem is, and try to solve it next weekend.
After using full choke to start the cold engine, I noticed that it started running rough and was threatening to die. I was confused at first, until I realized I might have been right :-) I pushed in the choke valve, and the engine smoothed out and roared to life. After adjusting the the idle valve and the throttle set screw the truck idled well with no choke at all. Mystery solved.
* Note: It is at this point that I should point out that Carter warned me that he thought the carb was not getting enough gas weeks ago. He thought it might have been the fuel pump, but I have to give him credit. It looks like it was the old degraded gasket on the fuel filter limiting fuel flow into the carb. *
Then I got realy excited to finish the timing. I pulled the Subaru's battery again, and clipped on the timing light. The first thing I saw was the Triangle that I had cleaned and painted last weekend. Yay! I figured I was golden.
But when I tried to adjust the distributor to line up the pointer on the flywheel housing with the ball in the flywheel I ran out of adjustment before I could get there. Argh! I could see the "C" and part of the "U" of the "IUC" mark, but could not get to the ball.
I'm not sure if the problem is with the distributor or something else, but I will have to do some research this week to see if I can figure out what the problem is, and try to solve it next weekend.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Small amount of progress
This weekend I got about 3 hours of work in on the truck. I tried to fix the doors so that they shut and latch, but was only partially successful. I adjusted the door hinges and was able to get the driver's door to partially latch, but could not get the full latch. Oh well, at least now it will not swing open on a right hand turn.
I also pulled the flywheel cover and cleaned the fly wheel. I found the timing mark and the letters that I couldn't find the last time I tried to time the truck. I am a little confused though because the timing mark has the number "2" next to it and the letters "IUC". I'm not sure if the number 2 means that I am supposed to time the engine off the number two spark plug wire? And I'm not sure what IUC stands for? You can see what I'm talking about in this picture:
Nice camera work from under the truck huh?
The triangle is the timing mark for Top Dead Center. The ball embedded in the wheel is the timing mark for the correct advance of the spark. You can see someone put some orange paint on the ball at one point. I put white paint in the lettering and white on the ball. I will hopefully get a chance to try to time the engine again next weekend.
It also looks like most of the engine was once blue. Currently everything under the truck is black, but when I cleaned years of accumulated grime off the flywheel cover a blue matching the engine was revealed:
Who knows what the rest of the engine and drive train will look like once I clean it!
I also pulled the flywheel cover and cleaned the fly wheel. I found the timing mark and the letters that I couldn't find the last time I tried to time the truck. I am a little confused though because the timing mark has the number "2" next to it and the letters "IUC". I'm not sure if the number 2 means that I am supposed to time the engine off the number two spark plug wire? And I'm not sure what IUC stands for? You can see what I'm talking about in this picture:
Nice camera work from under the truck huh?
The triangle is the timing mark for Top Dead Center. The ball embedded in the wheel is the timing mark for the correct advance of the spark. You can see someone put some orange paint on the ball at one point. I put white paint in the lettering and white on the ball. I will hopefully get a chance to try to time the engine again next weekend.
It also looks like most of the engine was once blue. Currently everything under the truck is black, but when I cleaned years of accumulated grime off the flywheel cover a blue matching the engine was revealed:
Who knows what the rest of the engine and drive train will look like once I clean it!
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