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First Drive

graham

graham

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Took the truck out for it's first drive and found that it was starving for fuel and the pluge was bad 1,2,5,6 pulgs was black and 3,4 was clean.
I put a Pertronix ignition system on it and ran new 3/8 fuel line and new filter to the carburetor now it starts with out touching the gas now.
But i found that the compression was down to 90 and 60 on some of the cylinder. What are some things i should try before i think about rebuilding it?
It runs good and don't smoke.
 
Tuning Old Engines

Break out the dwell / tach and timing light , set points to 33° dwell then timing to dead nutz ball on pointer @ 500 or lower idle speed, open the spark plugs up to .040" , set the valves with the engine hot and run it hard a bit , it'll last this way for years and years , you must remember to check and re gap the valves a few times before they'll settle in and remain in adjustment because they carbon up and once it's properly tuned they'll close up a bit as the carbon blows out .

Does it smoke upon initial startup , idling , de acceleration or when you're accelerating ? .

WHEN it smokes is very important to proper diagnosis .
 
It smoke a little when you hit the gas but I know its a little rich.I think the valves might be to tight the truck is quit when its running.
 
First Things First

You'll find these old Stovebolts can run very well indeed even with only 65 # or so compression but , you need to address each thing in the proper order .

Valve adjust is always # 1 and most folks skip it .

Then points gap/dwell , followed by bang on timing , spark plugs properly gapped , at LEAST to .035" , I use .040" when running points , you'll notice an immediate increase in power and smoother idle from running wide spark plug gaps .

If the smoke is black , that's rich running , after you've tuned it and adjusted the carby's hot idle and driven it a bit , open road driving , not just revving it in the driveway , then if it still seems too rich then and only then , you can lower the carby float a *tiny* bit to lean it out .

Follow the steps in the proper order and you'll be happy and not waste time chasing your tail .
 
What should i set my valves at i have seen .006 intake and .016 or .018 exhaust but then i have seen .010 intake and .020 for the exhaust? Is there any pictures for how the valves are in order on the motor.
The motor is a 54 235
 
I believe the firing order is stamped on the head. Nate posted somewhere on here what he recomends the gaps to be. I'm sure he'll post as soon as he gets his 'puter warmed up!
 
Valve Adjust

http://www.speedprint.com/deves50/valveadjust.php

O.K. , here's the one I worked up for Deve some time back , follow it to the letter , do this first then the tune up stuff .

BTW : the firing order is CASTED (raised numbers) into the intake manifold's front runner is : 153624 and is simple to remember if you think about Women :

15 is too young

36 is too old

24 is just right

I hope this helps you out .
 
Yup, that's what I said~ "Intake manifold"... ;^)

Sorry, it was early when I posted that...
 
Thanks for the info as soon as i get a chance to i will. Right now the truck is quiet when it running no noise at all.
 
Quiet Valves

Are NOT Happy Valves ! :eek: .

Ignore this basic and simple adjustment at your peril .
 
Thanks guy. I re gap the plugs to .40 and adjusted the valves about 5 or 6 were to tight now the truck feel better.
 
O.K. , Now :

Go DRIVE IT , open road , like out to dinner not just 'round the block , get it good and hot & the built up carbon will flake off in 100 miles or so , then you'll need to re adjust them again as they close up a bit , you'll prolly notice some hot idle misfires as they close up , once all is well , they'll only need adjusting annually or every 10,000 miles , unlikely many here will put that many on annually .
 
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