Interjected comments below...
Tyson Sherman had this to say:
>I followed a timing spec for around 65-70 and set
>it dynamically at 20deg BTDC at 1000rpms. The car
>is FAST with the timing set at that....
Is that with or without the vacuum advance connected? From your next
statement I assume you drove it awhile. Anyway, if it didn't knock under
load it's probably OK.
>
>I checked for air leaks many times spraying stuff
>at every possible location and can't seem to find
>one. However, I can't get the car to idle lower
>than 1400rpms. The idle adjustment screws are not
>even touching the carbs and there's about 3/16"
>clearance between the part of the throttle linkage
>that touches the choke linkage (if that matters).
>
This just shouldn't happen...hmmm. When it's idling, lift one of the
pistons wide open and check the position of the butterfly -- maybe the
linkage was assembled improperly when you got the carbs. Just flailing
here.
I assume you've got oil in the dashpots and that the idle remains high
when you put the air cleaners on. How are the throttle return springs?
Have you tried pushing the throttle linkage closed? Sometimes it's very
reluctant to return. When I mess with the carbs I find I have to blip the
throttle frequently to make it return to idle. But, boy, I just don't
know... can't think of anything else.
>Fast idle is about all that is keeping the poor
>car off the road. The insulation made a good bit
>of difference in terms of noise. Hopefully it
>will keep engine compartment heat out too. The
>engine sounds happier w/the SUs also. However, my
>exhaust is just too darn quiet. It has an OE
>manifold and downpipe and a single pipe all the
>way to a single muffler in the rear. The muffler
>must be too strong or something (has less than
>10000 miles on it) because I can't even hear the
>exhaust. What should I do about that?
>
Hmmm, can't imagine that a stock exhaust would be too quiet. Mine is
practically inaudible at idle, too (except for that darn water pump --
have to get around to that). But accelerating with any verve at all, it
makes a totally excellent ripping sound, which echoes off of freeway
center dividers, parked cars, etc. You don't mention the front muffler --
mine is at least 15 years old and I suspect it plays the part of a
resonator. Possibly your exhaust system has been replaced from the
headpipe back with some kind of generic Midas setup, designed for a small
sedan (meaning quiet).
good luck
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
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