Re: wheezer? 68' american

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 speedyjeeper@xxxxxxxx wrote:

> It looks factory original but the housing only has a hole with
> the breather hose out the front going to the valve cover and thats
> it.  I came to the conclusion that the wee carb draws its air from
> the gap between the housing lid and base..all of about 1/16".
> seems very retrictive to me, she runs great but is sluggish.  I'll
> try out the lift filter but the hood is very close already to the
> top of the housing.

It's amazing how strangled this big (3.8 litre!) engine is with
that tiny Carter YF, terrible air cleaner, and soda-straw exhaust.

An improved air cleaner and a better exhaust will get more power
not hurt mileage and will cost nothing (if you wait 'til you need
an exhaust anyways :-).

You will hear more carb sucking though. I think that's why the
restrictive air cleaner; it sure shuts up the engine compartment.
I've got a Weber with K&N open filter and it's surprisingly loud.


The factory exhaust I had on my Hornet for 15 minutes (and old
rusted junk thing I'd saved, to bolt on long enough to get to the
exhaust shop) not only is 1.5 or 1.75", it's got a zillion bends,
and flatted spots (makes the pipe "D" shaped) that have GOT to
strangle it terribly.

I got a custom 2" exhaust, over-the-axle but with far, far fewer
bends, for $160, drive in drive out (with tax and chrome tip). The
muffler I got from Summit, the Summit brand "all welded" about
$40.  It's louder than stock, rumbly but not sharp. Dead stock 258
except for a very small Weber carb (32/36 two-barrel, the primary
throat is 1.25"!) on a 1981 factory water-cooled aluminum
manifold, a tall 2.73 axle, and it PULLS LIKE HELL with a broad
flat power band. 60 - mph accelleration is just great too.
It breaks the tires loose unless I feather the throttle. Good enough
for me!

Just starting to measure mileage now that I've got the carb
working 100%.