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Spit not running

To: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Subject: Spit not running
From: "Terry L. Thompson" <tlt@digex.net>
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 15:13:47 -0400
I'm at my wit's end over this...

About 2 weeks ago, my car started to choke out and die. It eventually left
me stranded, at 8:00 at night about 3 miles from home. I had it towed home,
and after much fiddeling with the carbs and ignition, I found that the choke
cable housing had split and pulling the choke did nothing. (It was running
like a TOP the week before!)

I replaced the choke cable, but I'd already done the damage by playing with
the mixture in the carburetor. I pulled the plugs and found them to have
been fouled.

The other day I replaced the points, the plugs, the distributor cap, the
starter motor (which I'd burnt out trying to get the car started for about 5
hours). And then set the ZS carb to what my Haynes manual says is a good
starting point (3 complete turns of the adjusting tool from it being flush
with the bridge) And initially it ran...for almost 10 minutes!! During which
time I was trying to use my new Gunson Exhaust analyzer to adjust the carb.

I couldn't get the CO2 level anywhere near where the car is supposed to be.
(8.9% was as close as I could get). I eventually wound-up flooding the
engine (The spark plugs are wet with gasoline). After wiping them off and
trying to start the car again....for four hours yesterday... Nothing. Not
even a half-hearted combustion.

I have a set of dual HIF4's that I've put together (bought from another list
user, and assembled with all new internals, using the detailed destructions
in the Haynes Manual...and a dual HS4 manifold ) But I want to make sure
that I can tune a single carb before I tackle the dual carbs...which appears
that I can't manage.

Can anyone walk me through tuning this carb from complete misadjustment? (It
was rebuilt 2 years ago...but maybe it's just given up the ghost).

 Any suggestions would be much appreciated. The only ones I've had from
friends and fellow classic car owners at the office so far is "Sell it".

Terry L. Thompson
'76 Spit 1500
Maryland


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