martybose

So far, after talking to both Autolite and Champion engineers, I have been unable to find a 1/2" reach or a 3/4" reach standard tip plug that is designed for a .060" plug gap for an HEI ignition. I did find a couple of different 3/4" plugs designed for large gaps, but both were extended tips. The 3/4" reach is not a problem; I just bought 0.250" sparkplug spacers, which would allow me to use a 3/4" reach plug in a 1/2" reach head. My mechanic thought the extended tip might work. So last night I was putting the top end of my motor back together, and decided to try these plugs. I installed two of the Autolites, one in #1 and the other in #6, and spun the motor over with the starter (no other plugs were in #2-5). When I pulled out #1, it looked fine, but the gap on #6 was hammered closed. I then compared the Autolites with the Champions, but the Champions were even taller than the Autolites. It appears that with a lot of effort you MIGHT be able to clock the electrodes so they missed the exhaust valves. Too much work for me, so I'm going back to my 1/2" reach AP425's, and malforming them enough to open the gap to 0.060". Looks a little funny, but it works, and the valves don't hit them. Marty

Nah, that's Snidley Whiplash! Marty

It will work just fine; I did the same thing on my 47. Marty

Mine doesn't have an name, and I'm not sure why. Other project cars of mine have had names, and I keep thinking this one should have a name, but one hasn't materialized yet. I've owned it for over ten years now, don't you think it would have told me the name by now? Marty, quizically ..............

If you are only warming up at highway speeds, I would be suspicious of the HEI centrifugal advance curve. When I first installed my HEI, the engine started heating up on the highway, which hadn't been a problem before, as well as detonating on hills. I ultimately figured out that without an OD, I was getting enough RPM to fully advance the centrifugal advance. My mechanic said I probably shouldn't have more than 10 degrees total, and the centrifugal advance was adding 13 to my static advance (in addition to what the manifold vacuum was doing). I tried retarding the static setting, but then it didn't run well at low RPM. My latest variant is to run 5 degrees initial, no centrifugal advance (I tiewrapped the counterweights), and manifold vacuum. It runs well, and no longer detonates at all. Just so you know, my motor is modified with 9 to 1 compression ,Edmunds aluminum head and intake manifold, dual Carter-Webers, a mild cam and cast iron headers. I run only premium gas. Not quite the same as a stocker, so YMMV. Marty

Oops, wrong thread! Marty

If you change to a 1 wire alternator, you just throw the regulator away, as the 1 wire's have an internal regulator. I've had 6V and 12V 1 wire alternators, and they didn't have no stinking external voltage regulators! Marty

Nope; the value went down when you opened it and let all of the vintage air leak out! Marty

Using the 2 stockers may be easy, but I'll bet they won't idle as well as the Carter-Webers, and parts are more available as well. With my mild cam my engine loped a little with the stock carb, loped a little more with a pair of Stromberg 97's, and now idles smooth as glass with my Carter-Webers (darn, I liked the lope!). Marty

Anyone else think that we've just discovered a conspiracy? It sounds like everybody named Norm is sent the same defective fuel pump! I wonder how "they" coordinate that? Marty

There isn't a solenoid involved in engaging the starter pinion. When the starter armature fires up the pinion climbs a thread to engage the flywheel. When either the armature stops or the flywheel speeds up, the pinion climbs in the opposite direction to disengage from the flywheel. I'm not sure that you actually have a problem, as mine does the same thing on rare occasions. I can't really comment on the difference between 0 and 1 gauge, other than to say that I put 00 cable on my starter and it worked quite well. Marty

That's a good point. When I installed my HEI it didn't run real well with the plug at 32 thou, but perked right up when I opened them up to 60 thou. Marty

I had actually called the Autolite tech line (number found on their website) and asked them. It took them a while to find an equivalent with similar characteristics to a 306 but with 1/2" reach. They recommended the 425. Marty

If memory serves, the Autolite part number for a 1/2" reach plug is AP425. Actually, any Autolite plug with 425 will work; the AP is a more expensive variant. This is a relatively cold plug, slightly colder than a 306. You might check with Edgy about what plug length his head requires, I know that my original Edmunds and Fentons take a 1/2" plug, Edgy could be 1/2" or even 3/4" for all I know. BTW, you will want to do something to chase the threads before you put in a longer plug; if they are carbon fouled, you could damaged the threads when you install a plug. If you are careful, a good tap with grease in between cutters to catch the crud will work. Marty

No, I had enough of his attitude when I talked to him about jets for the Carter-Webers. Marty

I used to have this problem, until my wife bought her horse. If you think our toys are expensive, you haven't been around any thousand pound 4 legged hobbies! WOW!! At least with my 47, I can let it sit for a while if I'm cash poor or mad at it, not so with a horse. It eats and needs horseshoes, vet work, etc. no matter what. Funny, but my wife never says a thing about how much I'm spending on my car anymore! Marty

Greg, I'm sorry if it seems like I'm arguing with you, but you still have it wrong! Langdon recommended high initial advance with ported vacuum. With that setup as soon as you stepped on the throttle you would start to pick up more vacuum (ergo more advance) and would start to pick up centrifugal advance (even more advance). When I checked my HEI, I could pick up 19 degrees of advance with vacuum only and 13 degrees with centrifugal only by 2800 RPM. If you started with 10 degrees you could wind up with 10+29+13=52 degrees advance (if it maintained enough vacuum at 2800 RPM, which is doubtful). I tried his setup when I first installed the HEI; it was almost impossible to start the motor, I saw over 40 degrees of total advance just revving it in my garage, and it detonated like crazy on the road. I drove one block, turned around, and carefully idled back to my garage. Now I'm running 4 degrees initial with manifold vacuum and no centrifugal advance. So I start with 4+19=23 at idle, drops to 4 degrees at WOT, and pulls back to maybe 20 degrees at cruise. A different approach,but it works well for me; no pinging, doesn't heat up at highway speeds, good throttle response. As always, YMMV. Respectfully, Marty

Actually I think you have the vacuum advance description backwards. With manifold vacuum you have the maximum advance when the throttle is closed, and lose advance as the throttle is opened. With ported vacuum, you have minimal advance at idle, but pick up more advance as the throttle is opened enough to activate the vacuum port above the throttle plate. After you reach a certain throttle position the vacuum advance will start to back down as you approach full throttle. I wish I could find the thread that had the description of the overall advance on a stock Mopar flathead at various road speeds; it made interesting reading! Marty

If you pull the freeze plugs you'll probably find a solid wall of crud that you will need to break up with something like a cut up coathanger before you can flush it out. Marty

Looks like a slightly updated (no electric fan on the original car!) clone of the original Ram Charger's car. (Yes, Ram Chargers; it didn't become Ramchargers until later). Don, what did the sign by the drivers door say? Marty

I have run mine with no thermostat and no bypass for a year or so. it warms up fine and holds at about 180 for me. My mechanic thinks I need to put a little restriction where the thermostat used to be, so when it goes back together this time I took a later model thermostat, basically gutted it, and then JB welded the base of the thermostat into the housing. Marty

Aren't the symptoms he described typical of a master cylinder pushrod that is too long, thereby covering up the port to the master cylinder reservoir? Marty

I made my linkage using pillowblocks and bellcranks from http://www.kinsler.com. Very pricey (I think I had about $300 in the linkage, but it came out gorgeous!. Marty

It's really not too much. If you compare the bore sizes, both of the C-W's are smaller than the original. In addition, most of the C-W's were used on 1.8 or 2 liter engines, while our 230's work out at 3.76 liters, so a pair of them is just about right! Marty

I spent over an hour last night going through bookmarks on my old computer without finding the site I thought I had, but the link in the post above goes right to the correct jet, as the carb is known as a DFTA. I've been told that the main jets are on the bottom of the air bleed assemblies, and they will be extremely tight and difficult to get out. I couldn't find anything that gives an idea of what size the original jets are, so you'll have to pull them out and hope they are marked. Let us know how it goes. Marty