Guys - Took the day off and flogged on the Track Roadster one more time. Swapped in the new coil & condensor; reset the timing. Went back to the 51 jets on the center carb - and added the back carb as a progressive. Pulled the rear end; yanked the outer bearing race and removed the old seal. Swapped in a new seal, re-installed the race and dropped the bearing in. While at it - I cut the splines back so's the speedo gear lines up right with the walnut on the side of the TQ tube. Since the snap ring didn't line up just right, I used a couple of orings to index the speedo gear off the U joint. During normal operation, the thrust of the speedo drive gear is towards the u-joint...According to Dick Spadaro, the gear's supposed to float so the rings oughta allow compliance. Bolted it all back together and went for a ride... Well several of them, actually. It's NICE having a driveline that works! Issues now: 1) engine is still running hot - but not all that bad going down the street; 200-210. I'm not likin' it, but it's driveable. This is on an 85 degree day - high humidity. 2) Back carb is allowing air into the intake tract - she'll get hot sitting at idle...225 after a couple of minutes of sitting. It's useable, but hot. I'm gonna try staking the plates to reduce bypass airflow on the rear carb and reduce the temps in the process. I'd stabilized the temp B4...she's now climbin' again. 3) The motor is STILL breaking up on the top end - but the point of breakup has moved north on the rev band. I'm guessin' I can wind to about 3500-3700 B4 she starts to miss, and she'll backfire at 4000 RPM. I've added some PSI on the regulator - a chromie Holley - and I'm not seeing any vapor bubbles in the fuel lines (clear reds) at any speed. It really feels like spark blowout, but fresh plugs don't solve the issue. Thoughts? I'm starting to think the lifters ain't following the lobes - but I can't hear it like I could in some of my M/C motors. PS - I REALLY appreciate all the help folks have given (bruce, dick, kev, pete, jim and others...) it really helps to talk this thru. We're makin' headway, guys...I can see light at the end of the tunnel! Had the car out at the Woodward Shell (13-1/2 and Woodward) and had a good 20 guys around it at the same time. 500 inch vettes; 10 second drag cars; perfect sixd figure Mopars, and a leetle flattie roadster drew the attention. enjoyed shooting the shit with the oldsters (70 and up crowd) got a few raised eyebrows now and agan when a kid (if 40+ is juvenile) had command of the trad rod specs. Couldn't have made it to the gas station W/O your help - thanks! Youre the BEST!
Umm...do a search under my posts; there's prolly 200 pix of the car out there by now - along with a couple of vids. Ryan featured it on the front page about two weeks back, man.
Glad to see you're properly root cause and solving some of the break in issues. You're gonna be a great source of info and experience for me on my closed driveline when I am piecing it all together. Hope to see you on Woodward soon. I'll be out there in a green '69 Chevelle SS for this year anyways. Later, Mike
Even more info: Got up early today, yanked the rear carb and pulled it apart. Plugger power valve was leaking, and the amount of daylight around the throttle plates was signficant. Took a punch and staked the edges of the plates - forcing the plate edge to conform to the bore. Got rid of most of the daylight thataway. Lit her off - idle much improved. Dialed in some more advance; temps dropped a bit. she now runs about 215 at idle, and 200 - 205 down the road. Gettin' better!
Great to hear that you are starting to get the bugs figured out... cant wait to see it in person. -Joe
I've seen the pics, now I HAVE to see this thing in person. Last night was the first time I haven't been at the Shell station in weeks......figures! Anyway, we'll be up there tonight and every other weekend...hopefully I'll see it soon! Oh, and I'm finally getting around to cutting up and fitting those cycle fenders!
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