So I got the new adjustable valve installed. I followed the directions that came with it to the letter. For now, I'm going to call it a success!
I fired her up and checked the vacuum and got 19.5". Then I set the idle circuit per the instruction table. In this case, it called for lightly seating the idle screw, then backing it out half a turn.
Next was performing the initial setup for the cruise circuit. The directions stated that the screw was to be set flush with the top of the valve body then backed out 9 turns. The directions state that it's shipped that way from the factory, but I re-did it anyway because that's just how I am. Once that was done I had to pull out the channel blocking screw and insert the vacuum port.
Next was to install the thing with the vacuum gauge connected to the port I just installed. The directions call for the cruise circuit to be tightened until the gauge jumps from 0-1" to ~3" and then to back it up until it's back on the idle circuit, then an additional 3/4 turn (if memory serves me correctly) from there. This was a little odd in doing. As soon as I hit the cruise circuit, man did the engine idle rough. And getting it back onto the idle circuit wasn't something like "just dial it back a hair and done". It took a few turns. So I just dialed it back may 2 turns till it hopped over, backed it up the prescribed amount, and let it go.
I did throttle up and down a few times with this all setup and watched the vacuum gauge jump when it throttled up so everything seemed to be working just fine.
This morning, I took it for a drive around the block to warm it up then decided it was time to break out the gauge again and re-tune the carb. When I fired it up, I noticed that I now am idling with 21" of vacuum. I don't know if this is because of the valve or because I did a better job of warming up the engine or not, but she is driving very smoothly. Idle is nice and clean with no real jerkiness to it. Acceleration is smooth and pulls nice under load and up hills.
I'm going to drive it a bit to see if this resolved my issue with oil in the distributor or not. Time will tell.
Now, if I could only get that new head on and get rid of that POS Holley 1940 and let her really run....
I fired her up and checked the vacuum and got 19.5". Then I set the idle circuit per the instruction table. In this case, it called for lightly seating the idle screw, then backing it out half a turn.
Next was performing the initial setup for the cruise circuit. The directions stated that the screw was to be set flush with the top of the valve body then backed out 9 turns. The directions state that it's shipped that way from the factory, but I re-did it anyway because that's just how I am. Once that was done I had to pull out the channel blocking screw and insert the vacuum port.
Next was to install the thing with the vacuum gauge connected to the port I just installed. The directions call for the cruise circuit to be tightened until the gauge jumps from 0-1" to ~3" and then to back it up until it's back on the idle circuit, then an additional 3/4 turn (if memory serves me correctly) from there. This was a little odd in doing. As soon as I hit the cruise circuit, man did the engine idle rough. And getting it back onto the idle circuit wasn't something like "just dial it back a hair and done". It took a few turns. So I just dialed it back may 2 turns till it hopped over, backed it up the prescribed amount, and let it go.
I did throttle up and down a few times with this all setup and watched the vacuum gauge jump when it throttled up so everything seemed to be working just fine.
This morning, I took it for a drive around the block to warm it up then decided it was time to break out the gauge again and re-tune the carb. When I fired it up, I noticed that I now am idling with 21" of vacuum. I don't know if this is because of the valve or because I did a better job of warming up the engine or not, but she is driving very smoothly. Idle is nice and clean with no real jerkiness to it. Acceleration is smooth and pulls nice under load and up hills.
I'm going to drive it a bit to see if this resolved my issue with oil in the distributor or not. Time will tell.
Now, if I could only get that new head on and get rid of that POS Holley 1940 and let her really run....
