<VV> 64 Engine - Performance Wanted

[Chris C, Warwick RI]

Have you checked the fuel filters, and do you have an extra one in 
line.  Once upon a time a car ran like it had a rev-limiter.  Once I got it 
up to speed, it would back off, the fuel filter would suck enough junk in 
that it would run like crap, when it was warm and I wanted to step on it.

At 09:22 AM 3/29/2007, you wrote:
>On Mar 29, 2007, at 9:48 AM, D. Barry Ellison wrote:
>
>>Again, this 64 engine is a dog.  Symptom is that when it's cold, it runs 
>>pretty good.  As soon as it warms up, nothing - won't get out of it's own 
>>way, literally has a hard time going up my SC rolling hills.
>>
>>Other Specs and things I've checked: idles pretty good, cranks pretty 
>>good, vacuum advance works and holds, MSD ignition with points as the 
>>trigger, distributor weights working freely and installed correctly, 
>>distributor plate good, timing set with a light, 92 octane and zero 
>>pinging, zero run-on, new wires, ULTRA plugs (prob not 5k miles on them - 
>>came from the 140 engine), rebuilt carbs that seem to be working okay 
>>(noticed a drilled hole in one of them yesterday which is now plugged, 
>>just above the lower nut - water injection?), choke pulloffs set and 
>>operate properly, choke's pull off properly.
>>
>>Best we can come up with: she needs bigger jets...it's got 50's.
>>(warms up, chokes open, more air, not enough fuel)  I've got 53's and 
>>55's in my pocket.  I'll be autocrossing this weekend and she's a daily 
>>driver for the short term after that. Which would you use and why?  Will 
>>it help?  Is 55 too big?  Don't want to do it but once, but will do it 
>>twice if necessary.  Logic dictates I put in the 55's and if it fails, I 
>>should put in the 53's.
>>
>
>Barry,
>
>Could be a coil. This is the classic answer to a "runs-good-when-cold, 
>dies-when-it-gets-hot" problem. Are you using the same coil you used with 
>the 140? If so, it probably didn't go bad just as you changed engines. If 
>it's a different coil, try the one you used with the 140 which must have 
>been a known good coil.
>
>I agree with your suspicion of incorrect jetting. If it runs good when 
>cold with the chokes on, it sounds like it's leaning out when warm. 
>However, my experience is that the engine will run pretty well even when 
>very lean. You might pick up a hesitation upon accelerating but at least 
>when cruising or under steady power, I bet you could run 46's and be okay 
>- not recommended though.
>
>You're sure the ignition is okay - the advance and everything? You might 
>try running just on the coil, that is, bypassing the MSD. One thing I know 
>for sure - an MSD requires VERY GOOD plug wires. When I first ran an MSD I 
>had an old MSD-5. It was fine then started running poorly. I checked 
>everything, including the plug wires. I was sure it was faulty and sent it 
>back. It tested fine - they returned it. I installed a new set of Seth's 
>wires and the problem went away.
>
>Hope it's the coil.
>
>Bruce