Went at her this afternoon.
First thing that I did was cleaned the plugs and got them back in. Then I had someone run the engine while I probed around the intake-related areas of the engine with a propane torch. Didn't find any leaks with that, also didn't find any with the carb cleaner that I used the other day. Checked the points and they weren't sparking in the right spot (they were sparking on the outside). Grabbed the new set of points and condensor that were picked up days ago. Turns out that the points weren't the same style. The new set doesn't have a hole for the lock screw (has a different style base). Found a new set that looked identical in the cabinet. Didn't work right. Put the new condensor in with the old bracket and screw, and put the old set of points back in it. Had someone else put the points and condensor in and set them while I was changing plugs and checking a cylinder on my MM. They set them so they sparked good. I'm not sure where they were set at, FWIW. Put the new rotor on as well.
Started it up after a bit of pumping and restarting. There was no missing at all, but I still had the slight popping randomly out of the exhaust, and the acclerator hesitation was still there. You can hear the carb sucking air (shhhhh noise) until it catches up. Doesn't do it with the choke on at all.
So then I decided to advance the timing, upon another persons opinion that it may be late. I loosened the screw and he turned the distributor, of which I would say it was a generous advance (but I don't know where I was to begin with). I would say that this made the most difference. The slight popping out of the exhaust diminished (but not fully) and the hesitation improved some (but maybe that is because the timing raised the idle up some).
I should note that there is no hesitation after idle. I have to think that it isn't the acual choking of the engine that makes it so it doesn't hesitate, but that the choke cam moves the throttle and increases the rpm. That's just my thinking. That all could be related to those balls in the carb either not in the right spot or the wrong size. Yet that could spell vacuum leak as well, but if I checked for leaks with propane and carb cleaner there shouldn't be any.
Then after I set the timing and locked it down, I was told to reset the air screw. I tried to turn it in just to see what happens, of course it made it idle worse. So I richened it up a bit.
After trying to drive the truck out of the shop around another vehicle, I managed to just touch the air cleaner on the floor with one of the rear duals and it crinkled it up (which i'm not happy about). I was told that it was clear to drive out, I was hesitant but I did, and as I was driving out I looked in the mirror and saw the air cleaner on the floor, and right as I saw it I saw it push the one way (which didn't give me a good feeling). Anyways, took it out. No missing or popping in the normal rpm range. I could definately hear and feel the points breaking up, but I was told that I didn't need to run the engine at that high of rpms, so the points in there should be fine. ??? I tryed to really load the engine up by shifting into 5th, holding the throttle down, and slowly applying the brake. Couldn't get the engine to miss. One time it bogged, but didn't miss at all.
So the missing seems to be taken care of for now. Popping is a lot better than it was, but is ever so slightly noticeable some times. Not quite as loud as it was before though. Still have that hesitation. If the throttle is eased into very slowly it won't hesitate. My Chrysler did the same thing when I wasn't running it with a pedal, just the rod out of the floor. After I put a pedal on it I don't think the throttle had to act as quick, so it didn't hesitate.
I never installed the coil. Was told today that the coil that was in the truck didn't work when the truck was bought by the prior owner (relative), so the guy went out back in the grove and pulled a coil off of another truck. And it's worked for 20 years. Coil that was in it is still in the glove box, no good of course.
The darned truck kicks over like a dream. Always has. Lately it's needed pumping of the throttle to get a good pump shot in it before it will start. Used to start up without the shot of gas. But as far as the starting goes, I would think that it has a good ignition system. Today after the work that I did, it starts different. It will kick over and act like it is running, then sound like it is stalling, then it starts running. All in the matter of a second or two. That's with no throttle. I think with the choke on and throttle applied it will fire right up and stay running without having that split second of hesitation. It starts up and stays running, just sounds like it's going to stall as it's starting.
What does it sound like I should do next? Get the check balls in the carb sorted out?
BTW, anyone have a reference to a number for a carb gasket? Does this application use one or two? The way it's set up now, it goes from the manifold to the square throttle bracket that sits on top of the manifold, to the carb spacer, to the gasket, and to the carb. That's the way everything sits? Does that sound right, or should there be a gasket in between the manifold and throttle bracket?
Thanks
