Need help with a tune-up -1982 12a
 

Hello everyone, I want to help my son tune his new (old) 1982 GS with a stock carburated 12a engine in it. The car actually runs pretty well for having 95K miles on it. Beyond simply buying and replacing the parts - specifically fuel filter, distributor, rotor, plugs, wires what else should I be doing? And am I missing any parts in my list above. Thank you in advance for any advice you care to share. This is a fantasic forum/club btw.

Sounds like you've got the basics covered for a simple tuneup. The only other thing I would recommend is that you run a can of Seafoam through the gas tank every couple of months to keep the carbon buildup under control.

Welcome aboard. :)



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Thanks
 

Thanks Kentetsu....I am familiar with SeaFoam but haven't used it for years. I just put a can of 44K in the tank - hopefully that will do the same???

also as far as tuning up the car goes, do I need to do any timing work or is simply replacing the parts enough?

Thanks again.

Can you premix and at the same time use SeaFoam or other similar products? Don't they dissolve the oil while in the tank?

where to you get seafoam?

seafoam
 

I found it online...

It couldn't hurt to verify the timing. Also, there is a guide to tuning the idle over at www.sterlingmetalworks.com that is very good.

timming is everything
 

Most of the cars I have owned have been old. The cars were usually happy to get advanced
timing. They run cooler and better. What is your call on Sea Foam in the oil? In the
gas it tweaked it a bit.(peppy)

I need all the advice I can get. I am like a cat with one kitten....

zoom zoom
 

I have found SeaFoam at Checker Auto Parts....it's pretty cheap and often on sale.
I've never put it in the oil (though it says you can on the can), but I have put it in the gas tank and it sure made a difference in my old Ford Pickup. I would be nervous about putting it in the oil on a Rotary only because they are sooooo happy when using oil. I have put something similar in my gas tank recently BG 44K ....can't really tell if it did anything though. I will probably put a can of SeaFoam in the gas tank once I get the old girl tuned up.

No, I do not recommend putting anything like that in the oil. Chances are, it will clean up the seals and remove what is currently keeping the oil where it belongs. Heavy oil burning issues are very common after using any type of cleaner in the oil system. Simply not worth the risk.

But in the gas tank? Hell yeah! Rotaries love this stuff. :)

As far as advancing the ignition goes, I would stick with the stock settings. A little advance might not hurt, but chances are it won't help either.

Too much advance = a hotter running engine
Too little advance = a red hot exhaust system

Thanks, I will check out the link....roxy

Car quest had it for 8 dollars. I used it in the gas tank.....I think it is faster.

Not to worry...I won't put it in the oil...just the gas tank....

What other carbon cleaners are there besides fast driving.??? I have an automatic and this
car is so fast....cat removed??? I am clueless. I love the quiet speed.

Roxy

isnt seafoam for auto trannys though?

ive never heard of putting it anywhere else

walmart sells seafoam 7-8$

Hey Kentetsu...what's your take on MMO in the oil? We've been talking about SeaFoam and how great it is in the gas tank (only) but what about MMO in the oil (or gas tank)?

Also just finished up tuning up the car and it's running like crazy and passed emissions!
Yeehaw! Now to TIG weld the leaky oil cooler!

Sea Foam for Tranny
 

I saw a SEA FOAM on the shelf for transmission only...

What is MMO?

I'd steam clean the engine, while it is near running temp, slowly pour water down the carb barrels, it cleans better than seafoam and is free. I noticed a big difference when I did that. I like the steam clean method best...

BTW.....MMO is Marvel Mystery Oil, I use redline synthetic two stroke for pre-mix myself...

The only thing I will put in the crankcase besides oil is Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer (long name!). It really seems to make a difference in lubrication, keeps oil from leaking past the seals, and doesn't gunk things up or clean the seals off too much (which results in more burning if you clean too much of the gunk off them).

MMO can be used in the gas tank, but I prefer 2-cycle oil over that.

Be careful with steam cleaning, I tried it when I first got my car and it cracked the exhaust manifold. I was probably feeding the water in too fast, so just be careful.

These days, I just dump some Seafoam into the gas tank. Simple, and it works great. I even use a can in the tank when autocrossing for the hp boost. :)

Water in the carb?
 

I have never heard of steam cleaning the way described. It just seems inherently wrong to pour water in one's carb.?!...when you say it works better, what do you mean? do you just pour tap water in? or demineralized, etc. Also how much Redline are you putting in the tank at a given time? Thanks.