Restoring a 71 Vert

Before carb tuning, you need to have three things done: ignition timing, points gap, and valve adjustment. You only have one more to do. Assuming it's a stock engine with aluminum pushrods, set valve lash at 0.15mm (0.006") cold. That's overnight, stone cold.

Cleaning out the carburetor is a very good step to take before trying to adjust it. Sounds like you may have a clogged idle jet or dirt in the passage behind it.

Set the ign advance to 7.5 degrees advanced at idle (when you get it to idle) if you have a single vacuum distributor (only one vacuum port in the vacuum canister, not two).

When it's time to tackle the carb adjustment, here's a good how-to:

Check that site inside and out, good info there.

If you have trouble getting it to run right, ask more help here.... it's a quiet board these days and we would welcome new discussion. :)

Also, a picture of your engine bay would be nice, just to see if something is out of place or hooked up wrong. Do not post pictures in this group, instead upload them to an online internet service like Photobucket.com or similar free picture site, and provide us with a link to it.

Jan

oh yea, as the article says, look for vacuum leaks. Especially at the intake manifold rubber boots.

Thanks for the info. The carb cleaning went well, and it certainly needed it...the O-rings on the volume control and bypass screws were so worn they might as well have not been there. Otherwise, it was just filthy.

When I pulled the valve cover off on the passenger side to set the valves, I discovered that one of them had slipped out from under the rocker arm. I figured that was kind of a big deal, and was able to easily wrestle it back into place.

The timing still needs some work apparently, but engine performance and behavior is definitely improved. I clocked myself at a blistering

50mph on a test drive, but at the top of each gear (higher RPMs) it got very missy. I think this is still a timing issue, but I also determined after getting a face full of fuel, that my gas is a little stale, and this will skew my tuning efforts.

yes, that was my first thought. Some spray carefully something around various suspicious joints and see what happens.