Hi Spridget friends:
An update on the progress of ironing out the small problems on my newly
acquired '79 Midget:
I pulled the Petronix electronic ignition/distributor, installed a good used
points distributor that I had cleaned up--new silicone wires, new platinum
plugs, set the points at .015, timed the system with both a Sun timing light
and my ear (emission stuff long since stripped off this motor, so the timing
marks didn't jive); and now the 1500 is purring like a kitten--lots of power
when accelerating. Idle is a little rough, but I will keep fine adjusting to
get there--maybe learn how to adjust the Weber carb. When I turn what I think
is the mixture screw it has no effect on the idle until it reaches a certain
point both ways, then it goes to hell. So I leave it somewhere in the middle
of those points.
I found out the hard way that the plug wires had to be reversed in the points
distributor--trying to start the car after installing the points distributor
produced a backfire not unlike a shotgun going off! My wife and son ran from
the house expecting to find me blown across the street. LOL. Turns out, for
other novices like myself, that the points distributor was made for the 1275
and the right side of the engine, while the distributor on the 1500 is on the
left side of the engine. To retrofit the points distributor, then, the #1
spark plug wire will be 180 degrees from the stock wire, then follow the
firing order counterclockwise, which fairly well reverses the original wire
order.
Lights work very well--shining brightly, brake lights, license plate lights,
turn signals.
Now I have to find an exhaust leak somewhere around the manifold and a "knock"
coming from outside the engine--sounding much like a tailpipe or muffler
banging against the frame--only thing is, I have checked all that--run my hand
between every inch of the tailpipe in proximity of the frame or body. Nothing
there. When I push down on the intake manifold, putting pressure on the
engine, it stops--when I pull up onthe intake manifold, it gets worse.
Anybody haveany ideas here?
Thanks for all your input, guys. You are invaluable.
-------David
'67 Sprite MKIV, aka, Vicky
'79 Midget, aka, The Taz
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