need help adjusting carb / ignition on '74 914!!!

[bavareze]

Hello!

I have a friend who bought this '74 914 to fix it up. Everything went smooth but when he got to trying to make the engine run smooth, he got stuck.

He went through 3 different distributors, 3 coils, resealed all intake, cleaned up and repacked the carburetor etc. So many things he tried during past 3-4 months that now he lost interest and faith in the project.

So I'm trying to see if we can find a mechanic or indie shop somewhere in LA that can trouble shoot this engine and return it to running condition.

It is a 1.7 and originally was fuel injected but now has this carb kit installed.

Thanks!

_________________
- www.b66ama.com - 29.000 miles in South America -

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really have to start with the basics, valve adjust (all .006) then take a compression reading (at least 110 lbs per cylinder, then set the dwell to 50 then set the timing to 27 degrees before top dead center (btdc) with a timing light to the red timing mark on the back of the fan just to the right of the big thick fan reinforcement, THEN report your progress

[raygreenwood]

Bluntly put...that carb is a piece of shit. There were never ANY center mounted carb systems on any type 4 engines. Its not that its a bad carburetor....its that it requires more vacuum than the system delivers and was made for shorter, heated intake runners.

Most of your atomized fuel falls out of suspension long before it reaches the ports. It causes the issue that the carb can really only be jetted to run at low speeds and low rpm or high speed highway...and nowhere in between nd not both.

You will get poor gas mileage, constant cylinder wall wash down with some, dirty oil, short engine life and about 30% less hp.

Dump it and get twin carbs...even the very worst twin carbs on teh market will work better than that carb.

You are chasing the wrong ghost. It has nothing to do with ignition...is the carb. Get rid of it.
Ray

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I have always heard that a sign of class is not to state the obvious (LOL LOL) so I wholeheartedly agree that the single carb needs to be dumped, but thought that we could at least help him get the car running without having to buy anything!! That centrally mounted carb does not atomize the fuel properly having to go down those long tubes and finally into the engine. Also the four intake boots have a constant problem of deteriorating ripping causing massive vacuum leaks. Whoever installed it gave up on the fuel injection probably because of a minor problem. Since the injection is gone, dual 40s are the way to go, just like Ray stated although not too diplomatically (again LOL, Ray)

[raygreenwood]

I ....thank you for the post diplomacy....diplomacy.

As noted I was not trying to be an ass.....well....I am an ass......just not trying to be rude.

You could very well have ignition and a whole host of tuning issues.....but you will never know because the issues with that carb will mask all of the others.

Even a pair of VW stock Solex 40s will do you better.....even a pair of Kadrons with no chokes would do better. Ray

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I ray sincerely appreciate your input and taking the time to post as often as you do. Your frank candor is great too!