Hello list:
Well, I finally got around to changing the battery in the Midget, and since
the recent rain has washed away the snow and salt, I took the Midget out for
its first frolic of the season. Since it was only on the fifties in New
Jersey, I kept the hood up, and discovered that the car had acquired a
mysterious buzz from somewhere near the dashoard (Grrr.). No amount of
applying pressure to different areas of the fascia, fiddling with switches
or settings made any difference.
I noticed some interesting things, most related to putting a points and
condensor back in, in place of electronic ignition.
a) Aside from the fact that my starter is wearing out (it groans a few
times before turning), once it begins turning over, the engine is
essentially starting on the first try each time.
b) I am getting better fuel economy, perhaps 22-25 mpg, compared to 18-20
mpg with the electronic ignition. The trip was mostly on highways, and a
total of 200 miles.
c) There is less power in the mid-upper RPM range. Perhaps this is due to
the continuing difficulty in setting timing, which in turn may relate to
using an incorrect advance curve.
d) The Garden State Parkway is significantly more bumpy this season than
it was in October. At first I thought that my suspension had decayed over
the winter, but further investigation of other local NON-TOLL highways
disproved this theory. Must be poor management on the part of Governess
Christine Todd.
e) Despite the diminution of power at the higher RPMs, the acceleration
and responsiveness is significantly improved in around-town driving.
f) I am getting a slight shuddering when letting out the clutch in first
gear. First gear still has the same loud tone to it, and I'm not popping
out of any gears. Is this an early sign that I need clutch work, or could
this simply be a consequence of not driving the car for a few months? (I
did start it up two or three times per month.)
g) The idle is more rough compared to the old electronic system. In the
backfiring that ensued after the electronic unit failed, a few folks have
suggeted that the poppet valves in the carbs have been damaged. I acquired
some second-hand carbs with no poppets in the throttle plates, and I may try
to substitute these on the original carbs.
As for the timing and advance issue, since the '74 vacuum comes off of the
intake manifold and not the carbs, I am going to experiment with
substituting an earlier manifold. Thus there will be no vacuum advance or
retard at all. Does anyone have advice about how the timing shuld be
modified? How may folks have experience in modifying a stock intake
manifold (as per Vizard) in pursuit of higher flow rates? Is it recommended
or a street vehicle?
One of my destinations today was Toms River, NJ, where Frank was kind enough
to help me with some carb adjustments and vacuum advance tinkering. Among
other things, we passed the time by slicing a Sprite in half. What fun!
What a great way to get out your car-related frustrations!
Regards,
Charles
'74 Midget
'68 Sprite
cdsorkin@ix.netcom.com
Bloomfield, NJ
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