Re: Let the Troubleshooting Begin!

[Darrel Kline <darrelk@domain.elided>]

At 01:36 PM 9/8/98 -0400, you wrote:
>OK, so the motor's been in for less than 12 hrs and I'm ready to start
>tracking down little problems...
>
>When idling, it purs very nicely.  Push the cluttch in, and the revs go up
>significantly.. 
>
>As I mentioned this morning, I haven't installed the engine/body ground
>strap yet... is this the case?  Why would the RPM go up when a good ground
>is found?

Hey you weren't reading our ignition tread close enough. :-)
If you decrease the resistance, current will increase, spark energy will go
up, misfires will go down, and RPMs will increase....in theory anyway.
Actually I think the problem maybe with your clutch adjustment/throwout
bearing.

>The hesitation off-idle is annoying.. I guess I need to adjust the
>accelerator pump linkage.. there's a screw on it w/ a spring.. is this the
>culprit?

You're using the Holley 2300, right?  With the 3cc pump you should adjust
the accelerator so that there's zero clearance between the cam and the pump
lever. At WOT you should have between .015 and .020 inch *additional*
movement between the lever and the adjusting screw. 
Other carb problems that will cause this are plugged/restricted idle air
bleeds or idle transfer holes. Of course, retarded timing also makes it
sluggish. Try 10-15 degrees.

>the 304 is HARD to start.  Granted, the choke is non-functioning, but it's
>still hard to get it to fire... I drove to work around 9:30, and at 11 or so
>moved the Scout to the under-ground garage (started raining - no hood,
>soft-top w/ sides up), it took me a while to work it up... dunno yet if the
>float bowl is going dry, or what the problem is.

About a thousand different things can cause this. A couple of less obvious
problems:  Make sure the carb isn't dripping fuel into the engine after you
shut it off. Also check the polarity of the ignition system...make sure the
spark isn't weak.

>While taking the motor from the '72, something odd was found on the
>fiirewall.  Wires ran from the distributor and coil to this box mounted on
>the firewall.  The '72 has points of course.  This box is not gold.
>
>It's a square box with cooling fins on the edges.  It was glued or epoxied
>*and* screwed (via a single center screw ala houshold electrical outlets) to
>a square metal plate with a dish in it.  In the dished portion were 4 sheet
>metal screws that held it to the firewall.
>
>I took it with the motor, even though I have no clue what it does... it was
>hooked to my coil, so it might be important.  Looking like 8 wires or so to
>this thing.. more than a couple, anyhow. 
>
>What is it??!!

Some type of ignition module...sounds like aftermarket.
>
>-Tom

Good luck...

Darrel Kline
Colorado Springs, CO
1980 Scout