lowkee33

iTrader: (8)

okay guys, I have been reading on the forum for several weeks to see if I could get any ideas on how to fix my car. I have indeed applied the ideas that I could find on here. This is my problem:

The car idles a little rough and has no power under a load. Also will back-fire through the carb when accelerating. (I bought the car a month ago from a guy that didn't know anything about a rotary car, and had no idea as to what the previous owner had done to it)

I have already done these things that I have read about on the forum:

1) Ran seafoam through the gas. (I had to do this as much as I could at an idle since the car really can't be driven)

2) Removed the rats nest. (In an attempt to do away with possible vacuum leaks)

3) Replaced the carb. (It had an old holley 600 and i replaced it with a new edelbrock 600)

4) Blocked off the OMP in order to run premix.

5)Stabbed the dizzy. (In an attempt to correct any timing issue) Also I adjusted the timing on the car and checked it with a timing light.

6) Changed the fuel filter.

After doing these things the car still has no power under load. It has two new coils, wires and denso plugs. I aslo found a receipt in the car where the previous owner had bought a stage 3 clutch for the car. (It seems as if it is installed since the clutch pedal is very responsive.) There seems to be play in the timing, when i was checking it with the timing light it adjusted itself (+) or (-) 7 degrees. The car revs back and forth from about 1100 to 1500 rpm. It also has an exhaust leak.

If anybody could give me any info in order to fix my FB it would be much appreciated.

Thanks

MosesX605

So far as timing goes, there are two vacuum pots attached to the distributor. They need to be disconnected and left open to the atmosphere to check the timing. Make sure they are and check the timing again. Other than that, I don't have any experience with Holleys or Edelbrocks...

lowkee33

iTrader: (8)

i didn't check the timing with those vacuum ports open, they were running from the dizzy to the vacuum advance port on the carb.

cdrad51

.

lowkee33

iTrader: (8)

has anyone else exprienced such complications?

cdrad51

Well it sounds like really retarded timing or no leading ignition, or excesively rich mixture maybe. Don't know what effect those Edelbrock carbs have on these engines, apparently are not the easiest to tune. Isn't it a 600 cfm carb a little too much for a 12A?

j_tso

iTrader: (2)

^ cover your bases. Is there good spark out of the leading plugs?

MosesX605

Which is why the timing moved on you as the engine speed changed. I'm with crad, it sounds like a timing issue or a stupid rich mixture. Do you have a stock carb/manifold that can be swapped in? I'd try that if the ignition seems to check out.

lowkee33

iTrader: (8)

i'll recheck the timing tonight to see if that helps

lowkee33

iTrader: (8)

also is very possible it is rich

Weed Wacker

sounds to me like you should reset the distributor. Line up the mark on the pulley (help me out on if its the red or yellow mark, I cant remember) with the little pin on the front cover. Pull out the distributor and make sure its got the dot lined up with the pointer, then carefully put it back in without allowing it to rotate till i meshes with the gear inside. The reason for unplugging the vacuum advance is so it wont do exactly what you were saying (jumping +/- 7 degrees) just make sure that you plug the line going to the intake manifold so you dont have a huge vacuum leak.

lowkee33

iTrader: (8)

i have already reset the distributor last night exactly how you said it. also i just checked the timing again with the vac lines unplugged and the conclusion is that the leading timing is correct, however the trailing timing is retarded about 10 degrees. Leading timing is set at 0 degrees and trailing is at 30 degrees but should be at 20 deg. i have tried to adjust the trailing timing but it would not adjust. any suggestions? thanks guys for your input so far.

lowkee33

iTrader: (8)

i dont know that much about msd ignition or other options that I have been reading about but could I go with another ignition option to work the current ignition problems out. I just dont know, this is my only car and i am desperately trying to get it going. thanks.

MosesX605

It's best to work out issues before throwing new parts with their own complications at the problem. Just my HO.

As for the trailing timing, that shouldn't make it run too poorly. I'd turn your attention to the carb and see if you can lean it out...

lowkee33

iTrader: (8)

I will read up on the edelbrock tonight to see how to lean it out some. i agree with you on working out the issues. you don't think that 10 degrees in the trailing would do much? remember it is backfiring through my brand new carb. i will lean it out some and see if backfiring stops. thanks.

brad04

Are The plug wires/cap/rotor in good shape? If not look in to that. Check to make sure all the connections to the coils and ignitors are all good, no kinked/broken wires. Seems basic but that was a huge problem with my 12 A when i got it. I had a bad ignitor, this may not be an issue but its easy to pull them off and clean the contacts and put dielectric grease between them and the distribur.
Also make sure you have the right mark on the pulley, when i got my car it was rusted and hard to find, just to be sure.

Again its all basics but an easy place to start.

cdrad51

Just to make sure we're not accidentally looking at the wrong marks, which color is the leading and which color the trailing?

lowkee33

iTrader: (8)

I can't see the colors on the pulley but there are two notches. one bigger notch and one smaller. I assumed the bigger notch is at 0 deg, and the smaller notch at 20 deg. But no lines.

cdrad51

Ok so looking at the pulley from the front of the car, which one is the leading mark, the one to the left or to the right of the other mark?

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

may be a stupid question but how are your converters? getting a good flow through them? clogged converters can cause similar problems..... not with timing of course but lack of power under load.

cdrad51

Oh maybe the converters are so clogged the backfires that should go out the muffler go out the carb.

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

hahahahaha. i was only suggesting to check the converters to rule out other options possibly causing the lack of power power. as for backfiring through the carb we both know that the converters have nothing to do with that.

lowkee33

iTrader: (8)

I also forgot to mention that the car has NO converters. (But it does have an exhaust leak) It makes sense to me that since the leading fires then the trailing fires, the notch to the right of the other would be the leading. (Because as the pulley turns that is the first notch that lines up with the pin) Correct? I am thinking about buying a new dizzy, and wires. (coils and plugs are new) To see if that helps the problem. Could it be any problems with the carb? Remember: No power and backfiring. (Sometimes through the carb)

lowkee33

iTrader: (8)

Also rotor button in dizzy doesn't look that good upon examination. Will replace it as well, but it might come with the new dizzy. (I don't know cause i've never bought a new dizzy before)

lowkee33

iTrader: (8)

I will take detailed pics of the engine bay tomorrow and post them. Y'all look at them and see if you can tell if anything is stupidly wrong. (Just to see)