Well, I finally got dirty, and by gum, it paid off. Thanks to all who offered
suggestions. This post actually also contains input into the timing/vac thread
that Randall Jesup (sp?) recently commented on.
As I detailed earlier, Amanda was pinging nastly off the stoplight, and
in general making unhappy mixture noises. After royally confusing myself by
looking under the hood while trusting that the engine and body were of the same
year as the pink slip (hah. Suckah.) I found that she has a vacuum retard-only
distributor. The vacuum line was disconnected, apparently deliberately, as it
had been twist-tied to some other bits near the front carb. I worked under the
rear carb and found that it was indeed supposed to attach there, but that there
was a piece of broken plastic wedged onto the post that accepts it - enough to
prevent the line from attaching but not enough to block the hole, so there
was air flowing in. I cleaned it off and attached the line, and presto,
an 850 rpm idle (bang on in fact) and much much much less pinging under accel.
In fact, her engine sounds much, much cleaner.
I understand the vacuum retard was put in for emissions, but in my case, it
appears to have upped power a bit, as the pinging was so bad without it that
I was essentially dumping gas uselessly. Does this mean I need a tuneup? After
reinstallation, she's running much smoother.
-loving a ragtop,
-JB
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