Installed new carbs, now have flames shooting out the exhaust!

[Dean...]

All that your last post has been checked and is correct. I'll be checking the valves today.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Dean...]

Hey!

I checked and adjusted the tappets today. I'm warming up the engine now so I can do a compression test while it's warm. I bought a fuel pressure gauge, and it's showing 1psi. That can't be good, but it can't be why it's running rich.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Dean...]

Pic of pressure gauge[IMG]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201708 ... 935c53.jpg[/IMG]

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Dean...]

Compression test while hot has been done. All cylinders were 150, and they all went up to 175 after oil was added to the cylinder.

I'll share pics of the plugs soon. I'm having dinner now and it was bloody hard doing this all with just a torch lol

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Dean...]

Plugs 1 to 4. Looking a lot better now, number 2 still looks a little too rich. I didn't clean them up before putting them back in, and they were pretty sooty before they went in. First thing I do in the morning is replace the fuel filter.

Can anyone tell me if those compression test results are ok?[IMG]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201708 ... e25530.jpg[/IMG][IMG]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201708 ... 84f284.jpg[/IMG]

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[SCOTTRODS]

Getting better... The combustion process actually does a pretty good job of cleaning up plugs once the combustion is corrected. Looks like #2 is still not right for some reason. I'd recommend doing another check on that one cylinder's valves... adjust them carefully. Might work better to get a time when there's daylight so you're not fighting all that AND doing adjustments... but do the best you can. Are you running a bypass fuel filter? or just a "single in/single out"? I've seen many a bad bypass fuel filter and there are some that are designed to relieve at a much lower or higher pressure, which, IF A BYPASS FILTER IS BEING USED, can cause lean or rich conditions... Bypass filters are meant to be installed after the fuel pump... and "vent" back to the tank. Some people plumb them back to the inlet which is not correct in most cases. How's it running now?

[Piledriver]

Sounds like the valve adjustment made a big difference.

Compression tests and plugs look reasonable.
How much oil did you use?
Might want to redo best lean idle procedure or swap #2s idle fuel jet with #3 first.

The accuracy of a lot of typical mechanical gauges at the very low end is highly suspect...
I would probably leave the fuel pressure alone if its working.
I use a large originally $$$ 0-5 psi I picked up surplus for $5, verified vs. a digital manometer.

[Dean...]

Thanks for your replies!

It's still running exactly how it was before. I've leaned number 2 idle mixture a little. All the jets are brand new.

I did the majority of work in my garage where I have lots of light, but when the car is running heaps of exhaust smell goes through the house, so I have to do that sort of work outside. So it was only the compression testing that was done with torchlight.

The pressure relief just has an in and an out. I replaced the fuel filter and there was a lot of dirt in it. I was about to put the plugs back in but the wife has other plans for me at the moment.

I've also played around with the syncing of the carbs. It did look like they were both opening up at the same time but one was quickly overtaking the other. With no pressure in the fuel system I felt more at ease with playing around with the accelerator without pouring a heap of fuel into the cylinders. Then again, with all the oil I put in them for the test, I doubt a little fuel will hurt.

Also, before doing the valves, I retorqued the bottom head studs. They were all pretty tight, with the middle two on both sides at torque already. The end of number 2 was probably more loose than any of them, I would have had to turn it probably close to a quarter turn, it was certainly getting there and I was worried at first that it wasn't going to torque up. When doing my daughter's beetle most of them wouldn't torque so I had to install case savers, so I always have a fear that they will pull out lol

So I'm thinking that if the fuel is low on pressure, the bowl could be running empty and that's why it's running so bad when it revs. I'm hoping replacing the fuel filter will help. And I'll recheck the valves later today before I start up the car.

One final question, are those compression test results good for a 1916 engine? I was surprised, especially seeing that I was only getting 100-110 when it was cold. Should I be concerned that each cylinder went up 25psi after adding oil?

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Piledriver]

Depending on what cam and CR setup, the #s could be great or horrible.

The fact that they all read the same is excellent, but beyond that I wouldn't read too much into it.
Compression/leakdown data is best used as a fingerprint with periodic measurements to look for trends.

My guess is you are fine, and once you sort out your fuel/ignition or whatever it is issue it will be OK.

[Dean...]

Cool, thanks for your help.

I'm out with the wife, but I'm really looking forward to getting home to see how it runs

One last question.. the 25psi increase with oil in the bores, is that bit significant? Remember the cylinders were full of water for at least a month or two, which is why I'm a little surprised that the base figures seen so high from what I've seen others report.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Dean...]

Bad news....

I'm pretty sure I reported previously that number 1 & 3 plugs were very difficult to remove the first time after the mechanic worked on the car. Well I've just tried to put plug number 1 in and the thread is stripped

I guess after all that, the motor has to come out.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Dean...]

I went and saw my local VW Mechanic - not the one who previously worked on my car, but someone else. He gave me a plug that is a little longer and suggested I use a couple washers and make it just a little longer than the stock plug, and see how that goes. If no good, he will install an insert for me once I get the car to him.

So the plan tomorrow morning is to try the longer plug and see how the car runs. If the plug goes in and it runs well, I'll get the plug sorted anyways, but at least I can drive it again. Fingers crossed lol

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Dean...]

Fuel filter replaces, and now instead of 1 psi, I have 3 psi!

Just warming the car up now to check how it's running.[IMG]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201708 ... 5c9387.jpg[/IMG]

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Dean...]

This is really annoying me........ The engine cooled down while I swapped over the 009 distributor, oil filled coil and leads back to the CB Performance Magnaspark 2 setup. I start it up and let it warm up a bit, set the timing to 32 degrees advance when revved and I notice the fuel pressure is now at 2 psi. Time for a new pump? I might bypass the regulator and see what pressure I get then.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Dean...]

Bypassed the regulator, initially the pressure was a little higher, but not a significant change.

When revving the motor I can watch the pressure gauge go up and down, sometimes to below 1 psi. Is this ok?

I have reset the idle mixture. I tried the 52 idle jets and it was clear that they were too lean, at initial settings it was popping out the exhaust, so the 55's went back in. I then tried an experiment with my different mains, and I have videos.

https://youtu.be/FGAwM5J0UW4 this is with 125 mains

https://youtu.be/Kzbo7XWqFlk this is with 145 mains

You will see the pressure gauge going up and down.

Any suggestions on what I should do next?

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk