Nice chart! I always have to page through my Bently book.
@MarylandGuy posted:Here is another video after I made a minor adjustment to get the idles aligned both at 8k. Much smoother and better sounding now. This video also has closeups of the sound by each valve cover. It's a bit clicky still but might be normal and how it was before. Too many recent changes with the new exhaust for me tell.
You’re there; it did fight you but you’re the better man for it and the car looks and sounds good now. I love that blue, by the way.
On the topic of setting my timing, I uncovered that I don't have a timing light. Got it close manually though.
Luckily I was able to find this little vintage new in box one local on Facebook marketplace for $10. Some guy bought a house recently and it was left in his garage.
I got about 60 miles in the car today with no problems, gave her a bath and put her to bed for the night.
Tomorrow I try out the new toy to properly dial in the timing to perfection, recheck the valves and then I think I'll be good for my trip to Ocean City on Saturday. Wife and kids are going in her car and following me.
Really great group here on the forum. I appreciate you all for having some fun with me on this.
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I really like this @MarylandGuy.
Go get 'em, man.
@Stan Galat posted:I really like this @MarylandGuy.
Go get 'em, man.
Me too. He asks for help, and gets it.
But here's the novel thing. Instead of being an eternal "ask-hole" he FOLLOWS the advice. Triumph over troubles and good-running car ensues.
AMAZING! And awesome too.
Love the vintage Sun timing light for $10.
@MarylandGuy posted:On the topic of setting my timing, I uncovered that I don't have a timing light. Got it close manually though.
Luckily I was able to find this little vintage new in box one local on Facebook marketplace for $10. Some guy bought a house recently and it was left in his garage.
What a score!
What a score !
@MarylandGuy posted:On the topic of setting my timing, I uncovered that I don't have a timing light. Got it close manually though.
Luckily I was able to find this little vintage new in box one local on Facebook marketplace for $10. Some guy bought a house recently and it was left in his garage.
I got about 60 miles in the car today with no problems, gave her a bath and put her to bed for the night.
Tomorrow I try out the new toy to properly dial in the timing to perfection, recheck the valves and then I think I'll be good for my trip to Ocean City on Saturday. Wife and kids are going in her car and following me.
Really great group here on the forum. I appreciate you all for having some fun with me on this.
Valves first then timing. The engine should be cold when doing the valves.
@Stan Galat posted:I really like this @MarylandGuy.
Go get 'em, man.
What really impressed me is that he said he was doing some of this "between meetings". So, I am assuming he is able to fit some of this into an already busy day.
All great qualities; able to troubleshoot, follow instructions, has a sense of urgency and is a hard worker. 
Appreciate all of the feedback. My wife and I do both work fulltime and have somewhat demanding jobs, but with the pandemic I've been temporarily virtual for about 18 months now since I'm in a global firm that is being really conservative about everything. With kids back in school fulltime this week, its been easier to squeeze things in between meetings and I just couldn't leave this car hanging... (or this captive audience).
I unpacked my new 1980 timing light this morning, and they surely don't make them solid like this anymore! This thing is sweet... I may try hooking it up to an original Nintendo later to see if it works on Duck Hunt!
Got my timing dialed in to perfection. It was a bit off. Put another 40 miles on it today (100 in total since running again yesterday). Everything is tight and running strong. The only thing that was not normal was maybe 3 times today post-timing adjustment I had a backfire when decelerating in 3 gear. I actually tried making it happen more but it isn't easily repeatable. I didn't touch my carb mix settings or anything, but maybe the new exhaust with different back-pressure has caused it to need a minor tweak...
I'm going to let her cool down for a few hours and then check the valves again tonight, but from all my driving I really think I'm good to take her to OC tomorrow morning, with all the proper tools of course.
Thanks again everyone. This group is really awesome and hopefully I'm earning some street cred before Carlisle next year.
It's best to let it cool overnight before checking the valves.
Sounds great. The backfires can be due to a little debris in a carb or something not tight on the exhaust; like a little leak, etc. I had that problem once and it was due to a little debris in one of the carbs. They were cleaned and everything was fine after.
I just gave the exhaust connections a good snug. Since valve check needs to wait for morning, I'm taking her out for another run.
Great point; tight exhaust valves will get you backfires too.
only backfiring i ever had was burnt exhaust valve..
I had a manifold leak once that required removing the manifolds and putting new gaskets on to solve the backfiring issue
Backfiring: the easiest thing to start with is to check the mixture screws (Danny P would call them “volume screws”) for each throat of the carb. They may be a tad too far out and running a little rich.
One throat at a time, turn the screw slowly in until the engine just starts to stumble, then back out 1/4 turn. Do this adjustment on a fully warm engine. Always good to eliminate the easy stuff first.
Ok, so next on the docket is to adjust the carb mix settings this afternoon per Gordon's formula and see if where I land after that is any difference from where it was to start.
Then tomorrow morning when I check the valves I'll be able to see if any were too tight and causing the backfire.
Please please no burnt exhaust valves at this point... it's prime driving season here fellas and I've been under this car for a week and a half!
I had a little popping so I took the jets out and shot a little carb cleaner thru them and some air smoothed it right out. Good to go!! 15 minute fix might give it a try.
@Gordon Nichols posted:Backfiring: the easiest thing to start with is to check the mixture screws (Danny P would call them “volume screws”) for each throat of the carb. They may be a tad too far out and running a little rich.
One throat at a time, turn the screw slowly in until the engine just starts to stumble, then back out 1/4 turn. Do this adjustment on a fully warm engine. Always good to eliminate the easy stuff first.
That's not how I set them. And they ARE volume screws.
I set them to peak rpm. I don't know what carbs Paul has, but on Webers 1/4 turn on an idle VOLUME screw is a lot.
Weber idle volume start position: 1.5 turns from bottom.
The same for Dellortos: 2.5 turns out. Dells have a much finer pitch to the threads.
MarylandGuy has new Kadrons on the 1776cc. I use a wire type feeler gauge on the center of the butterfly so that they have a matched base line then turn the idle screws out 1-1/2, also preset the aka mixture screws are 1-/2 and go from there with a snail.
I have the idles balanced up perfectly at about 8.5 with my snail. Just checked it again today. I'll recheck the valves again early tomorrow morning to make sure I don't have any too tight and will error on the side of slightly loose if in question.
Hopefully it doesn't come to having to mess with the carb air/fuel mix adjustment... I can't imagine I can get lucky with a special tool for that one again. Like I did with the timing light.
As long as my valves are set good, I'm considering it set to make the 2.5 hr drive to the Ocean in the morning, but equipped with my tools just in case I need to tweak something or rescue a beetle along the side of the road.
MG- I live at the top of a pretty big hill. I know my Dellortos are just about perfect when I leave my apt with a cold engine and my exhaust burbles and pops a little on trailing throttle going down the hill. Any big backfires and I know it’s too lean.
If your valves are set right and your timing is spot on, you should be good to go. Watch your temp gauge. If you’re running lean your temp will be a little high. ( given your valves and timing are right. All three can cause hot runnings).
ps: I have to congratulate you: you did better than I did. I pulled my rockers yesterday to verify I have steel push rods, (I do, so my valves have been too loose for a while) and I suffered a brain fart when I was putting them back on, got the towers upside down and broke one. Waiting on a replacement from CB as we speak.
Checked all the values. #3 and #4 had a little play which is why I had the clicking from that side on a cold start. I make sure that the push rods spun freely on all of them but minimal play, so I think I'm good on valves.
I'm not going to mess with the carb richness at this point and will monitor the backfire on my drive this morning. Given I put a new exhaust on in this process and we had to do spacers and really work it in there tight, I feel like that is likely something to do with it... I made sure its all tight though.
Wish me luck. Hoping to get some good pictures on the trip. 3 days ago I would never have thought I'd be able to get her on the road for this trip, but with the amazing help of everyone here, we are good to go! Thank you!
Safe Travels!!
Arrived safely with no issues. 157 miles and averaged 24.5 mpg -- Engine sounded smooth and cool the whole time. Only one mild backfire decelerating in 4th gear, so whatever it is seems to be very infrequent and hopefully diminishing, but will keep an eye on it.
I feel great about the car and enjoyed every minute. Thanks to all of you we get to enjoy out beautiful little speedster this weekend at the ocean.
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The smile says it all. Enjoy the rest of your trip.
that IS the Chesapeake Bay Bridge,,been over that many times growing up..Im so old they didnt have a bridge,,ferry only,,then they built the bridge and then a 2nd bridge,,,its like 7 miles long and WAY up there so that ships can get to Baltimore..last went over it in2015 to see my sis in Crisfield,MD..
First of all @MarylandGuy, congrats on sticking with it and getting the payoff! You rock!
My dad was an engineer on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge project. The artificial islands for the tunnel in the middle was a civil engineering first at the time. He had some wild stories about the used Navy boats they bought to transport the construction laborers out to the work and back every day. The hulls were supposed to plane, but didn't making for a really rough ride (and a cheap price!). It was pick up the workers in the city, then go to the site and off load the workers, then hose out the interior of the boat. Same thing at the end of the day. Land lubbers, every single one one of 'em and based on what they were hosing our, more than a few tried to treat sea sickness with Natty Boh.
Natty Boh are National Bohemian beer, squatty brown bottle,guys round face w stash,my dad turned me on to them when I was 14 after cutting the lawn in 100 degree heat and 99% humidity..about 1960
Just to close out this saga with everyone... We made it safely home from Ocean City last week, however it ended up being a pretty brutal 4.5 hour drive (should be <3) due to accidents on Rt 50 that lead to detours all the way to the Bay Bridge. That was a long ride in my little speedster in the sun, but I survived.
Only issue I ran into was a slight exhaust leak as everything settled in which is now fixed, and a messed up back (almost fixed). Best part is continuing to experience my speedster and learn how to fix and maintain it from everyone here.
Again, a big thanks to all of you who chipped in with help and ideas that got me quickly back on the road for a nice weekend at the beach.
Below is an unrelated photo from today after I bathed off all of the salt and bugs from the trip... so pretty!
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That's awesome; over the years I have learned to always wear light colored clothes and secure hats (they will fly away if not) and sunscreen. You will always get sun burnt (even with the top up 
. What do you mean about messed up back?
I found that for long, multi-hour interstate slogs I was more comfortable with the top up.
I've dealt with lower back issues, and the accident in my truck last month didn't help.... The drive back was so long that my back spasms were back in full force for a couple days. All good now and its something I'm familiar with managing.
Speedster seats aren't exactly the best for lumbar support.
@MarylandGuy posted:Speedster seats aren't exactly the best for lumbar support.
I have a little lumbar cushion I bought on Amazon and I find that alternating with/without keeps my back from getting sore in long trips. Beaded seat covers also help enormously.
@MarylandGuy posted:I've dealt with lower back issues, and the accident in my truck last month didn't help.... The drive back was so long that my back spasms were back in full force for a couple days. All good now and its something I'm familiar with managing.
Speedster seats aren't exactly the best for lumbar support.
Oh; I get it. Also, in these cars being that you’re slumped down on the seat it’s also quite uncomfortable for the legs in longer trips; almost like you don’t have a place to rest them; especially the left. Sometimes my left foot rests sideways on top of the floor pan while cruising on 4th gear.
i had roadster seats in mine, sit higher..more cush for the tush, more like a seat in and older beetle..
Roadster seats would be nice but I'm 6'2" and already in need of getting my seat a little lower, not higher.... I think that was also part of the problem because I naturally want to hunch forward when driving to get behind the windshield. Here is some evidence from pictures my son took from the car beside me while I was going over the bay Bridge.
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@MarylandGuy , it looks like you've got an inch or two of hair sticking up over the top of the windshield. Be patient, and this will no longer be an issue in a few years. Most Speedster drivers aren't handicapped in this way.
Congratulations on surviving your first multi-hour slog. A lot of folks who own these cars for years never attempt such a journey, and you now know why.
Back in the '70s, I once found myself in Cape May, NJ on a fine Sunday morning in August, having to get back to Arlington, VA that night. Looking at the map, it seemed the quickest way would be a ride on the ferry to Lewes, and local highways the rest of the way, including US 50.
I finally made it, but it was the longest three weeks of my life.
Party on.
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@MarylandGuy Not sure if you've done this already but some of the taller people, not me, have lifted the front of the seat with washers to lean it back some. This lowers your head a bit so it doesn't stick over the top of the windshield so much.