223 low idle and choke problems; What does your 223 idle at?
- Thread starter Renegade
- Start date
So a friend and I just attempted at tuning the carb/motor and it didn't really go too well. The engine didn't want to be advanced very much, so I settle where it sounded best when I backed down the idle. I can't gauge it but it's probably around 9ºBTDC, probably lower than that.
I then tried turning in the mixture screw, and to my surprise I was able to turn it about half a turn or more before the motor started running worse, so I backed it off and reset the timing. I REALLY hope it's not running too lean....It's dark, so I can't see if it puffs out a little black smoke like before.
Tonight is the night for setting the rings. :nervousashell: I'm in serious need of some :chill: :chill:
I then tried turning in the mixture screw, and to my surprise I was able to turn it about half a turn or more before the motor started running worse, so I backed it off and reset the timing. I REALLY hope it's not running too lean....It's dark, so I can't see if it puffs out a little black smoke like before.
Tonight is the night for setting the rings. :nervousashell: I'm in serious need of some :chill: :chill:
Thats great 
after you get a little use on it 500 or more miles you should be able to retune everything some more. 
after you get a little use on it 500 or more miles you should be able to retune everything some more. 
Hi Renegade.Outstanding.Leo
Lots work But now you get to use it 
But now you get to use it ^What kind of OD are you using in your '54? A T-86?
How can you shift in and out of overdrive? Do you shift like another gear--go to third, then clutch and pull the lever? Or can you just be in 3rd, going 50mph and randomly at any point pull the lever? Or can you only engage it when completely stopped?
I plan on installing mine sometime in the next year.
How can you shift in and out of overdrive? Do you shift like another gear--go to third, then clutch and pull the lever? Or can you just be in 3rd, going 50mph and randomly at any point pull the lever? Or can you only engage it when completely stopped?
I plan on installing mine sometime in the next year.
It's a 3peed the B&W R10 this is a lighter duty car type trans' but all the OD’s operate the same. There are a number of ways to shift them mine uses all the factory setup. So when you want overdrive you have the lever pulled out (some just leave it pulled out all the time) than its automatic shifting for OD both into or out of OD. You don't need to touch the clutch until you shift to a higher or lower gear (the OD is controlled by a governor it works in second and third). In second when at aprox. 35 MPH you let up on gas peddle it goes into overdrive. In third it also up shifts to OD same way by letting off the gas or pressing down to downshift. There is a switch under gas peddle you step down on it will downshift again (like in a passing situation) or at a low enough speed it downshift itself about 22 or 25 MPH (by its governor) is out of overdrive. One thing you will not have any eng. braking with the OD engaged and you need to set parking brake because it will roll away. There is also some custom wiring you can use if you don’t have all the stock parts I am going to do one this way on a 58 Ranchero soon it will be a floor shifter with a push button to control up and down shifts to OD.
Good for you getting your pickup running. Sometimes these little problems drive you crazy figuring out what is wrong.
There were three overdrive transmissions used on these older Fords. The top cover one was used on small engines and it is delicate to say the least. The second one the square bottom side cover one was used from at least 1949 on with flathead engines and some of the smaller overheads and was not very strong either. The round bottom side cover one, the T85,
was used on the more powerful engines from about 1955 or 1956 and later. Pickups used a larger 1and 3/8" by ten spline input shaft which was longer than the car ones used.
The over drive trans basically the same as the regular 3 speed trans with a 2 speed planetary trans attached behind. The planetary gearbox shifts are controlled by an electrical system consisting of a governor and solenoid attached to the planetary housing, a kickdown switch under the throttle pedal, an overdrive relay usually attached to the firewall and the various wires including one from the relay to the distributor side of the ignition coil to momentarily shut off engine torque so that the overdrive can down shift down for passing gear. There is also a boden cable hooked to a t handle under the dash which is pulled out to lock the overdrive out by a lever on the planetary housing so that the trans acts as a three speed only trans. When the t handle is pushed in (forward) then the trans will be able to access over drive when the governor senses 25 to 28 miles per hour. There is also a small push shaft inside the trans housing which locks out the overdrive when shifting into reverse. Make sure that the over drive solenoid and relay are 12 volt. Earlier ones before 1956 are six volts. but 12 volt ones fit in the same holes.
You can gain more control over the overdrive operation by splicing a 3 position (on off on)3 pole toggle switch in the wire from the governor to the kick down switch and mount it on the dash where it can be accessed when driving. The center pole connects to the kick down switch, one pole is grounded out, the other is connected to the governor. This way the switch fools the system into thinking the governor is working normally (switch in an end position), the governor is signaling under 25 mph, or the governor is signaling over 25 mph. Be prepared to move the switch to another position at times before backing up.
The wiring and various parts of this system are sometimes hard to find and the solenoids and governors are sometimes bent and ruined on transmissions by rolling around pickup beds, trunks, and garage floors or having the transmission dropped or thing dropped on the trans. All older American cars with overdrive transmissions used the same components. I used to get most of the stuff off of old Ramblers, many of which had the od trans and no one wanted stuff off them any how. Also Ford, Gm, And Chrysler vehicles.
There were three overdrive transmissions used on these older Fords. The top cover one was used on small engines and it is delicate to say the least. The second one the square bottom side cover one was used from at least 1949 on with flathead engines and some of the smaller overheads and was not very strong either. The round bottom side cover one, the T85,
was used on the more powerful engines from about 1955 or 1956 and later. Pickups used a larger 1and 3/8" by ten spline input shaft which was longer than the car ones used.
The over drive trans basically the same as the regular 3 speed trans with a 2 speed planetary trans attached behind. The planetary gearbox shifts are controlled by an electrical system consisting of a governor and solenoid attached to the planetary housing, a kickdown switch under the throttle pedal, an overdrive relay usually attached to the firewall and the various wires including one from the relay to the distributor side of the ignition coil to momentarily shut off engine torque so that the overdrive can down shift down for passing gear. There is also a boden cable hooked to a t handle under the dash which is pulled out to lock the overdrive out by a lever on the planetary housing so that the trans acts as a three speed only trans. When the t handle is pushed in (forward) then the trans will be able to access over drive when the governor senses 25 to 28 miles per hour. There is also a small push shaft inside the trans housing which locks out the overdrive when shifting into reverse. Make sure that the over drive solenoid and relay are 12 volt. Earlier ones before 1956 are six volts. but 12 volt ones fit in the same holes.
You can gain more control over the overdrive operation by splicing a 3 position (on off on)3 pole toggle switch in the wire from the governor to the kick down switch and mount it on the dash where it can be accessed when driving. The center pole connects to the kick down switch, one pole is grounded out, the other is connected to the governor. This way the switch fools the system into thinking the governor is working normally (switch in an end position), the governor is signaling under 25 mph, or the governor is signaling over 25 mph. Be prepared to move the switch to another position at times before backing up.
The wiring and various parts of this system are sometimes hard to find and the solenoids and governors are sometimes bent and ruined on transmissions by rolling around pickup beds, trunks, and garage floors or having the transmission dropped or thing dropped on the trans. All older American cars with overdrive transmissions used the same components. I used to get most of the stuff off of old Ramblers, many of which had the od trans and no one wanted stuff off them any how. Also Ford, Gm, And Chrysler vehicles.
Studebaker also used pretty much the same setup.Leo
Still, more problems.
I discovered some white trails from water/antifreeze coming from the rear of the head a week ago. Sure enough the head gasket is actually leaking water. There is no water in the oil or vise-verse.
I was advised to retorque the head bolts, so I did it by the book and basically none of the bolts moved so they were pretty torqued down already. Nothing. It magically didn't do it for one day, but it seems to have started again, but it's not leaking visual drops like a few days ago, now you can feel some wet spots by feeling, but no more drops.
I have been told to use a good type of stop-leak stuff called "Bars leak"......
.....but.....godddangit!!! This engine is brand new(on a rebuild) with only 500 miles! I know it took me a year and a half(from rebuild) to get it on the road, but this shouldn't be happening!
I am beyond frustrated(almost pissed). And a little scarred.
Any advice for what can cause a brand new head gasket to leak?
After my next car is on the road, I'm never touching a 223 again, this motor has been hell for me the whole time, never given me a break ONCE. Garbage.
I discovered some white trails from water/antifreeze coming from the rear of the head a week ago. Sure enough the head gasket is actually leaking water. There is no water in the oil or vise-verse.
I was advised to retorque the head bolts, so I did it by the book and basically none of the bolts moved so they were pretty torqued down already. Nothing. It magically didn't do it for one day, but it seems to have started again, but it's not leaking visual drops like a few days ago, now you can feel some wet spots by feeling, but no more drops.
I have been told to use a good type of stop-leak stuff called "Bars leak"......
.....but.....godddangit!!! This engine is brand new(on a rebuild) with only 500 miles! I know it took me a year and a half(from rebuild) to get it on the road, but this shouldn't be happening!
I am beyond frustrated(almost pissed). And a little scarred.
Any advice for what can cause a brand new head gasket to leak?After my next car is on the road, I'm never touching a 223 again, this motor has been hell for me the whole time, never given me a break ONCE. Garbage.
Hopefully they did chase all the blocks head boltholes with a bottoming tap. 
Is it a steel shim head gasket or a composite? If it were just a little seepage some KW Block seal would probably fix it.
If you decide to pull it out to put in a V8 (hope you don't) but if you do I have some fresh 351 W and 460 parts.
Is it a steel shim head gasket or a composite? If it were just a little seepage some KW Block seal would probably fix it. If you decide to pull it out to put in a V8 (hope you don't) but if you do I have some fresh 351 W and 460 parts.
Similar threads
