Howdy!!
Thanks to everyone who has offered some great suggestions on my Series
V's valve timing and Stromberg problems. These have been a big help. I'm
going to use a small copper "T" fitting to feed the fuel to the
Strombergs, with a very short length of hose over the connection at each
carb (with a hose clamp) as several people told me they've had the same
problem with their plastic "T"s leaking or breaking. Looking at it, it
looks like I'll need to cut the metal tubes coming out of the carbs a
bit shorter.
As to the valves, I spent the day last Sunday adjusting them hot, as
opposed to the cold setting (which was supposed to end up at the correct
clearances when the car got hot) that I had done previously, and
re-setting the carbs.. In re-checking the clearances with the engine
hot, before I re-adjusted them, the clearances were all WAY too wide
from the "cold" adjustment settings. This partially explained, I am
sure, the performance of the car being way down and sluggish. The carbs
were also out of adjustment again too, although I don't know if this was
directly related to the valve timing or not. I assume that if the valves
are set incorrectly that this would affect how much vaccum is being made
and how much air is being sucked through the carbs. Is this true?
Anyway, I adjusted the valves, with the engine hot, exactly to factory
specs, re-synched the carbs, set the carb fuel mixtures (I noticed that
the back carb seemed to like a leaner mix than the front carb.......I
guess from different clearances inside due to wear), re-set the timing
and checked, as best I could, for vacuum leaks, air leaks around the
carbs, manifold, etc., by spraying a bit of carb cleaner at all the
likely spots. I noticed no change in idle anywhere so I am assuming I
don't have any leaks.
End result, the car idles very smoothly and I was able to set it at
900-1000 RPM (it varies depending on engine temp.). The car is much
quicker than before the latest adjustments, too. I still hear a fair bit
of valve noise, but I guess that's normal. In messing around with the
throttle linkage, I've been able to get the back carb to close all the
way at idle by shortening the adjustment on the verticle bar (that comes
up from the gas pedal to the bar over the carbs) so that the spring from
the foot pedal exerts more downward pressure when your foot is off of
it. I still have to check to see if it's adjusted properly so the carbs
open all the way with your foot all the way down.
Here's a timing question. I've got more "zip" from the car by advacing
it. With the idle between 900-1000 RPM, it's set at about 14 degrees (as
per the book taking 8-10 degrees and adding 4 more at 1000 RPM idle
speed). Centrifigal and vacuum advance both work fine up from there. It
still feels like there's more performace there and I'm going to try
advancing the timing a bit more. What's the most advance you'd all
recommend?
As a final tip, I'd had my radiator "rodded out" (it's a three row
upgrade) and engine backflushed, added a bottle of "Water Wetter", and
am running about 15-25% anti-freeze, as the Water Wetter bottle
suggested. This helped, but didn't solve the problem of getting too hot
in stop & go driving. Then, when staring at the radiator after just
shutting the motor down, I noticed a very slight "hiss" coming from the
radiator cap. The cap was not sealing completely. I replaced the cap and
the cooling is now behaving much better and not escalating nearly as
much in stop & go.
Final question: I've been lucky enough to find an overdrive transmission
and all the hardware for my Alpine at a junk yard. It came from a Humber
Sceptre sedan, of all things, but appears to be exactly the correct
unit. In figuring out wether to stay with my current 4:22 rear end or
change over to a 3:89 I have available, I've been playing with the
RPM/Speed calculator from the Alpine web page. I currently, with the
stock 4 speed, run about 4300 RPM at 65 MPH and 4600 at 70. If I'm
figuring things correctly, keeping the 4:22 and adding my new overdrive
will get me (assuming .8031 4th speed overdrive gearbox ratio and a
3:38 final drive ratio in O.D., which I got from the "Alpine, The
Classic Sunbeam" book,) 2800 RPM at 65 and 3000 at 70, which would be
amazing and great! Am I figuring things correctly? It seems like a BIG
change.
Thanks!!!!
Steve Sage
rootes(at)ix.netcom.com
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