<VV> tune-ups

[Dave Thompson]

Over the three months that I have had my Corvair on the road, I have studied
and tinkered with my tune-up. I have spent many sessions adjusting timing
and the carb float as described in several of my manuals and from advice
from you guys. I think I am getting the hang of it and am very satisfied
with how well my Spyder runs now with just over 25K miles on the new engine.


 

I just have one issue that bugs me. Every once in a while, when I stomp on
it, the engine coughs once and continues just fine. It almost sounds like
I'm momentarily turning off the ignition. Kind of like: (How do I describe
it in text?) "Wa a aaaaa".  When it happens, it seems to happen whenever
there is a quick change in RPM. It never happens during sustained RPM.
Sometimes, when I am coming down the FWY off ramp, the engine seems to
almost backfire a few times as I decelerate with my foot off the gas.
"taaaaa t taaaaa t t taaaa taaa ta ta ta taaaaa" (look that up in the
dictionary) Any way, sing it and you should get the idea.

 

I have a Pertronix ignition and the correct specified coil, NGK B6HS plugs,
new 8MM silicone wires and new fuel pump & filter with proper return.  I am
guessing that I might have slop in my distributor shaft and when I abruptly
change RPM, the shaft bounces and makes too much clearance for my electronic
ignition to fire a cylinder or two. I cannot feel any slop when I try to
wiggle the rotor but I really don't know what it is supposed to feel like.
The distributor looks like it is the original one, but who knows. By the
way, the distributor IS the correct part number (1110314) and the vacuum
retard works correctly.

 

I'm interested to hear what some of you guys have to say.

 

Dave Thompson

63 Spyder Vert, 64 engine

 

P.S. Come-on guys, No silly comments about my engine sounds (Smiling).