Re: Mooing Rambler - BACKFIRING - timing chain wear check...

["Brian Hagen" <brian.hagen@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim,

Ill reply one by one to your many suggestions:

Mixed plug wires - triple double triple superduper checked. Rechecked gap on 
plugs, and that the wires were firmly on the plugs and the rotor.
Balancer slipped - if your referring to the ones in the distributor, could 
very well be since i put it together myself
Wingnut - currently running (not driving) without the air cleaner on til i 
get it right. Wingnut safely tucked away
Sticking valve, bent pushrod, broken rocker - maybe... anyway to test 
without removing valve cover?
Pull wires one by one.. Ill try this, may not get it to run since it runs 
like crap right now. I could hook a spark test light up to the wires 
individually and "see" if i can time the backfire to the light
Flooding - carb looks like junk, the butterfly movement is very 'scratchy'
Change coil? Yes, new Pertronix unit - not sure what you mean about the 
resistor?
Old Gas - ran straight from a can for about 10minutes.. maybe i should run 
it longer
Dwell meter - not yet, coming soon

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Blair" <carnuck@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, December 06, 2004 1:04 AM
Subject: Re: Mooing Rambler - BACKFIRING - timing chain wear check...


> A: Sure sounds to me like either mixed plug wires or that balancer slipped 
> a
> long ways and it's time for a new one. (if the motor runs smooth 
> otherwise,
> it's just too much gas going in and causing it to miss) Are you missing 
> the
> wingnut for your aircleaner by any chance? Sticking valve maybe? Bent
> exhaust pushrod or broken rocker (when you did the compression test, I'd 
> say
> it was one with the highest reading) Try disconnecting the plug wires one 
> at
> a time then start the car. Whichever one makes the backfire go away is 
> your
> culprit. Flooding can make it do that as well.
>   Did you change the coil? If there is no resistor on a regular coil there
> will be misfire. Old gas can cause misfire till it's burned off. Try
> spritzing a little wd40 down the carb while it's running. It could also 
> mean
> you need an idle mixture adjustment. Do you have a dwell meter? I'd check
> the points adjustment and then use the RPM gauge to set the idle mix
> (alternatively, you could use a vacuum gauge to set the idle mix.) Set it 
> to
> highest manifold vacuum or highest RPM. If the RPM goes too high, adjust 
> the
> idle back down and readjust the mix again. Do NOT turn the needles in too
> tightly or it will ruin the carb!

>