>
>
> I have a few questions about ColourTune that I should have included in
> previous message. Anybody who has owned one and used it can probably help.
>
> 1. I believe that you can set the mixture using the flame colour. Is there
> any claims as to how accurate this is? ie. Can I tune the car well
> enough to pass emissions testing or does it just tell you when your
> mixture is widly off?
On my 68 B, the front carb takes three flats (on the SU jet adjuster nut)
to go from a full blue color (indicating lean; CH emission only)
to a steady yellow (rich;
the soot particles are giving off black body radiation), but the back
carb does it in one flat.
>
> 2. I like the colortune idea because you can see how each cylinder is
> doing independently. Is this true in practice or does the fact that
> colortune is a different than a spark plug mess things up? ie. that
> cylinder doesn't burn as well throwing off engine balance. I would
> think it would be really usefull for multiple carbs.
It is, and I wish I had two color tunes. It would make things go much
faster.
>
> 3. Is it usefull for tuning at speeds other than idle or are you limited
> to that? ie. Does the spark plug hold up under higher rpms, temps,
> pressure etc?
>
You can run at any revs, but only for a short time, until the plastic
bits start to heat up too much. You do get to see the transient response,
which is nice.
> 4. I am planning to first use colortune on my VW rabbit to help me diagnose
> a slightly erratic idle and then onto various british beasts. Are there
> any limitations on which vehicles it will work? I am thinking of
> spark plug reach in this case.
>
You can get adapters to make it fit other thread patterns, but the reach is
not adjustable. I have an adapter for the 289 in the Ranchero, but it doesn't
work very well because the plug is set back too far.
> Any and all comments welcome. Thanks for your patience. --rod.
>
Using the color tune after sunset or in a dark garage is much easier than
daylight open shade.
I do recommend the color tune. It's part of my standard tuning procedure
now.
-Jean H.
> --
> Rod Barman, Dept. of E.E., University of British Columbia
> rodb@salmon.ee.ubc.ca
>
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