Originally Posted By: Lifeguard
Originally Posted By: Tracker64
Lovely!!! I joined this forum quite a while back but didnt keep my car long. I made a new username as Tracker64. Didnt realize that my browser somehow grabbed the old one. So I posted as Tonypa and also Tracker64. I hate getting older with technology. Ugh!!!


Wait, I'm terribly confused. So you have two accounts here? TonyPA and Tracker64?

Here's what happened. About three years ago, if you look at my "TonyPa" profile. I was posting a few times, but ended up selling my car. Well, fast forward three years until now, I could not remember my name and password. So on my "phone", I created a new account under "Tracker64". I have been posting from my phone and tablet. I got on my laptop the other night which I rarely do, mostly when I need a bigger screen to enjoy. My google browser must have held the TonyPa user after all that time. I was posting then scrolled back, and was like...what the heck? I will continue to use Tracker64. I fixed it on my laptop, so TonyPa no longer is saved. Quite humiliating!


The tuneup decal says 0.035" spark plug gap for L6, and 0.045" for V8 small block. Not sure why there is a difference as the HEI is the same save for the shaft length and number of terminals on the cap. And old power and fuel economy trick is to increase plug gap to make a longer spark for igniting the fuel/air mixture. 0.045" is supposed to be the largest gap the stock HEI can handle, so that's what I set mine at. Also bought several different plugs so that I could try them on each cylinder and see which ones face the exhaust valve when seated. I put a line on the porcelain in the direction of the gap so i could see where it indexed at. Plugs #1 and #2 have the intake valves between them, same with #3/4 and #5/6.

I am going to set mine at .045 tomorrow and see what it does. I don't have an HEI yet, but it can't hurt to test it. The plugs are easy to get to. LOL

My factory specs say 6* @ 800rpm for my 3spd manual, but I advanced it to 10*. I may check it again to see if I can advance it a little more for optimum, after I'm done changing fluids. Plugging my vacuum advance with my vacuum gauge and seeing, and with my timing light seeing where I have peak vacuum. I might stay with 10* or might go up a bit.

Mine calls for 8 degrees at 600 rpm. When I got the car they had it set to 12 degrees, not sure why. I backed it to 8, then back up to 10. I wasn't sure if advancing could cause running hot, or dieseling??
I might put it back at 12, and see what happens.


Yeah, to set initial idle speed, plug your vacuum advance (instructions say to plug the EGR/EVAP line too) and turn the solenoid on the Monojet with a 9/16" wrench. Then to set the base idle speed, use your 9/16" wrench to hold the solenoid still while you turn the hex screw inside with a 1/8" Allen wrench. Tighten the screw all the way down, then unplug the solenoid. While holding the solenoid with the 9/16" wrench, back out the hex screw until you get the base idle speed you want. Plug the solenoid back in and check to see that your initial idle speed returns.

I will do that for sure. my solenoid is not working. Power to it, but doesn't function. I will make that adjustment. My buddy told me to unplug my EGR and leave it capped off at the thermostat housing. Dunno why he said to do that. I see that it helps burn up the fuel or something. But he said makes it a bit more snappy. I did it, and I could tell a slight difference, Placebo? Maybe! But I plugged it back in.


While you got your vac adv off, have your vacuum gauge hooked and you can adjust the idle mixture screw while you are at it. Start with it at two turns from full seat, and turn it 1/4 turn at a time and watch for peak vacuum. When you see vacuum drop off, back it off a little. I get 20" HG with the mixture screw nearly out. I'm at 820' above sea level here.

When you say the vac advance unplugged, do you mean put a vac gauge on the carb at that port? I think that port on mine only sucks under throttle pressure, pretty sure anyhow. I don't have a vac gauge!! Ugh!!


The fast idle is set by bending the linkage when it is sitting on the lobe of the cam on the read of the carb. Mine was pretty close. One of these days I'm going to make a video on how to tune all the stock components for reference for YouTube.


Yes I do remember bending those rods many years ago. I really never have a fast idle. Only when it feels like it. LOL