Hi David,
I normally only check these items if the engine seems to be faltering.
Otherwise, (for the most part) I generally leave these things alone until
they do. If the engine isn't running quite like it did in the fall when you
stored it away, then it may be the petrol has soured a tad bit. Nothing else
should change while the car is sitting idle. Do you use a fuel preservative?
If so, and all else fails, then I usually suspect the carburetors to be the
problem first. The carbs seem to be the first to cause trouble, and
generally need to be fiddled with on a regular basis, especially where I
live in the Midwest, where temperature and humidity varies on a daily basis
(adjust mixture, idle & balance). The solution to any engine running problem
largely depends on what the engine is or isn't doing correctly, so it isn't
an easily thing to include in a few paragraphs.
Once I know the carbs are in good order and the engine is still faltering,
then in many cases I check the plugs, timing and the dwell angle (once you
change the dwell angle, the timing will need adjusting). If the timing or
dwell aren't up to snuff, then I pull the distributor cap and check the
point gap (following the directions in the workshop manual) and adjust the
gap if needed. After changing the gap, you'll need to check the dwell angle
to make sure it's within spec. Once you know that it's in spec you can
adjust the timing while the engine is running.
I have some very good tech articles available on this subject (via the
AHCUSA tech article archives) that I can send to through the club if you
wish.
Scott Helms
Historian - AHCUSA
www.healey.org
----- Original Message -----
From: "davidwjones" <davidwjones@cox.net>
To: <healeys@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, May 27, 2005 4:24 PM
Subject: Adjustment Sequence
> Hello all,
>
> I had so much trouble last fall with adjustments of all sorts on my
tricarb,
> that as I start out this season, I want to go back to square one and set
> everything on the engine control....
> Can someone please give me the best sequence for checking / adjusting
>
> Timing
> Gap
> Dwell
> Mixture
> Idle
> Anything else? (HS4 carbs)
> Also, can you indicate after mix is set, do you recommend further
adjustment
> after the (stock) air cleaners are back on?
>
> Tools available: gap tools, timing light.UniSyn, Color-Tune. (Can borrow
> anything else recommended)
>
> Also, once done, which would you "go back" to check?
> Seems pretty basic, but I have seemed to be going around and around with
this
> entirely new / rebuilt setup.
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