I have some questions about my '69 Valiant. First off, while trying to set the mixture on the carb, I turned the set screw all the way in and the car ran much better! After i revved the engine a while later, it almost died. I turned the screw out about 2 turns and the engine ran well again except for the fact that it smokes a bit especially when cold or really punching it. When first starting the car, some water and carbon spits from the exhaust pipe. How do I prevent this?
My second concern is the timing. The mark bounces around when it's within the 0-10 degree range on the scale bolted to the engine. If I advance beyond the scale, the engine runs better and the mark is much more consistent. I don't hear any noise from the timing chain. Is it possible that my timing marks are off somehow? The car has only 94,000 miles. Wouldn't it be unusual for a slants timing chain to go at such low mileage? The car sat under a tree and was not driven for a year before I bought it.
Last question! What grade of oil should I use in the slant. Both my '72 Duster and the Valiant are due for oil changes. Thanks!!

Joel

jbrig@enter.net

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Sounds like the choke needs to be repaired or adjusted. The choke has to be completly off and the engine hot before adjusting the idle air / fuel ratio.
:
: My second concern is the timing. The mark
: bounces around when it's within the 0-10
: degree range on the scale bolted to the
: engine. If I advance beyond the scale, the
: engine runs better and the mark is much more
: consistent. I don't hear any noise from the
: timing chain. Is it possible that my timing
: marks are off somehow? The car has only
: 94,000 miles. Wouldn't it be unusual for a
: slants timing chain to go at such low
: mileage? The car sat under a tree and was
: not driven for a year before I bought it.
: Last question! What grade of oil should I use
: in the slant. Both my '72 Duster and the
: Valiant are due for oil changes. Thanks!!
: Joel
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It's not the timing chain,
If the engine is running rough, the mark will bounce around.
Review the choke system, check for vacuum leaks, make sure the valve lash is correct and set the timing at about 8-10º BTDC and all should work well.
DD

Choke Adjustment Article

If you turn the mixture screw all the way in the engine should die completely. The reason for this is that there is supposed to be no gas entering the carb. If the car runs while this screw is turned in all the way then that would require a carb rebuild. What carb are you running? holley or carter? The holley 1920 has had it's problems with reliability.

amheto@aol.com

That's the choke in action. Apparently the choke was still on when you set it. Once it heated up, the choke came off, and it went too lean.
:
: I turned the screw out about 2 turns
: and the engine ran well again except for the
: fact that it smokes a bit especially when
: cold or really punching it.

If everything else is working correctly, you may be able to adjust the choke and accelerator pump so that it doesn't have the smoke then. Smoke means it's running rich.
:
:When first starting the car, some water and
: carbon spits from the exhaust pipe. How do I
: prevent this?

The water, well, you can't. It's normal condensation. The carbon might go away if you get it to not run rich.