HS4 - 1500 - slight problem

[bigjones]

Take a look at that top stud - I can't get a nut on it because of that stinking protuberance (technical term) on the carb.
It does not look to be doing anything so I'm thinking of taking a Dremel and grinding it off. Any thoughts?

Also, I tried a trial fitting of a fabricated heat shield but that stinking EGR valve is in the way and not doing anything. I'm right in thinking I can't just hacksaw the thing off because that would leave an opening for the exhaust, right? Its rusted on there. Best leave well alone, eh? Dont want to crack the manifold.

Cheers

 

[RichBall]

I can't speak to the carb issues, and not sure this will be of any help, but the '77-'79 1500 used an exhaust manifold that had the EGR valve relocated to the top. If you can't get yours out, maybe you can find a later model manifold.

 

[leecreek]

Cut egr off, tap it out and plug it. I would look at allen headed bolts for the carb. It's what I would do, especially if PB or Kroil wouldn't get the egr off. And there is always Headers.....

 

[bigjones]

Thanks for the emails.

Still pondering it.

While I'm at it, anyone know what will plug that threaded hole in the middle top of the intake manifold? (Can be seen plainly in top photo). Right now its stoppered with the original plug but its now too long (after I took off the pipe) and it extends into the intake passage. Been scrounging around the hardware stores but no luck - it appears to be a weird thread.

Cheers

 

[Guest]

Looks like there is space behind the protubulence thing. Slide carb forward till you can get the nut on the stud, then start tighening the nut and it'll push the carb back and home. Don't forget the other side, you may not have to do both that way.

Cut the top plug to the lenth you need. Clean up threads afterwards.

I have my egr tapped to 1/4 NPT IIRC. If you can find a 18MM tap, you can use a Ford spark plug and a temporary plug if you want to get awide band O2 sensor for tuning or Mega Squirt.

 

[bigjones]

kellysguy,

<span style="font-weight: bold">"Slide carb forward till you can get the nut on the stud"</span>yeah, tried that - still no room for the nut.
leecreek's idea about using an Allen bolt maybe the way to go. The bottom one is OK.

<span style="font-weight: bold">"Cut the top plug to the length you need. Clean up threads afterwards."</span>Ha, its only the lower half that is threaded.
It's not a US pipe thread and the only bolts I could find big enough are all coarse threaded.

I've been oiling and banging on that EGR valve. No luck so far. Thanks for the tip about using a spark plug.

Cheers

 

[bigjones]

OK, quick update.
Good news:

I took the hump off that protuberance with a Dremel and now the nut goes on fine.

Also, I'd been PB Blasting that EGR valve all day. Clamped a Vice-Grip on it vertically and then slid a 3' black pipe over the end of the Vice Grip and levered it to unscrew the EGR. Ar, ar!!

Now I'm working on the heat shield - it is going to accomodate the throttle cable.

Still have the problem of plugging the holes - EGR opening and that opening in the intake manifold. They are the same thread.

Cheers!

 

[dklawson]

Adrian, if you have calipers, remove the plug and measure its OD. My cars don't have that but I'm guessing it will be the same thread that BL used for brake servo hose connections to the manifold... which would be 5/8-18. You are unlikely to find those just anywhere. I have made a couple of 5/8-18 plugs for a friend of mine at work. If you find you need me to make one for you, just let me know. However, if vertical space is not a problem in your installation, another possibility would be to make a thick spacer washer to go between the head of the plug and the manifold to "lift" its threads out of the balance tube.

 

[Billm]

I had a piece of 5/8-18 allthread (3 feet long from the hardware store). Cut it off to about 1.5" long and put a lockwasher and nut on it.
I threaded a 1/4-20 hole in the middle to hold the throttle cable bracket for the HS4.
BillM

 

[Guest]

another possibility would be to make a thick spacer washer to go between the head of the plug and the manifold to "lift" its threads out of the balance tube.

+1.

My EGR broke off, which isn't bad cause IIRC, a 1/4" NPT tap will thread in w/o having to drill first. That's why I used it. I'll go to 18MM when I'm ready for Mega Squirt. Just let it snap if it want to; no big deal.

 

[bigjones]

Well, you not going to believe this but I went to Ace Hardware looking for that threaded rod - didn't have any fine threaded - but found this and it works beautifully.

Painting the heat shield now - just got to modify the air cleaner and I'm hoping to fire it up today - can't believe it!

Thanks for the advice so far - hey Doug, for your kindness, I owe you a pint at the Fox and Hounds, if you are going to the car show this year.

Cheers

 

[dklawson]

Thanks for reminding me, I've got to send in my registration. Last weekend I started the GT6 for the first time in months... just to make sure it didn't have gummed up carbs in advance of the car show. I hope to finally meet you there this year.

 

[bigjones]

Well, I'm chuffed!
Still got some minor things to sort out but I took it round the block (9 miles) and it goes like stink!
Pulling into the driveway, I turned the engine off, coasted into the parking spot, braked to a stop and the thing let out a ginormous backfire. Good job the wife's not home! Made me laugh out loud because I was thinking how well it was running. Not sure what that means but I'll check the plugs when it cools down.
I set the jet at the "normal" 12 flats down and it ran just fine.

Cheers!

 

[dklawson]

Adrian, what did you plumb the valve cover vent to? I see the hose from the valve cover disappearing down and to the right. Where does it go?

On the carb itself, I see the horizontal brass tube pointing to the float bowl. I can't tell if it's capped. It should be as that's the connection for the PCV/emissions stuff which you don't appear to be using. It will be a pretty big vacuum leak if left open.

 

[bigjones]

Doug,

Thanks for the observations.
I'm not 100% sure what I'm doing here so any comments are much appreciated.

The hose from the valve cover comes down to the bottom of that spice bottle. There is another hose from the cap of the spice bottle that now goes to the air filter. The spice bottle contains a cut up house air filter - I was hoping for a separation of oil/gas in there. It worked very well with the ZS in that it stopped engine oil leaks - with the ZS it was hooked to a tube on the carb body.

The "brass tube" you see is actually the butterfly spindle - so no worries there. Apparently, (I'm asssuming) this carb did, at one time, have a provision for an emission tube but that hole has been plugged off at the factory hence the routing to the air filter - as per your excellent suggestion!

Like I said, the car is running very well now - although lifting the carb piston 1/32" (with the built in pin) does lower the rpm, indicating a lean mixture. I've lowered the jet an additional 6 turns (total of 18 turns down from where the jet is level) but stil the same result.

Obviously, this is somewhat unchartered terriority, (a HS4 on a 1500 engine) so I'm not sure what exactly to go by.

Here's a what a plug looked like after the 9 mile round the block (not cleaned beforehand, by the way) :

Cheers

 

[dklawson]

OK. I see now. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

The air conditioner filter should work well catching the oil. On the A-series engines there are typically breathers filled with steel mesh to do that job. When friends of mine have replaced the mesh they have used "Chore-Boy" scrubbing pads from the grocery store. The scrubbing pads will be sort of a metal version of what you've achieved with the air conditioner filter material.

The plug looks a bit lean but your additional adjustments will have changed that. I assume you meant a total of 18 "flats" down, not 18 "turns" down.

 

[bigjones]

Doug,
Thanks for the tip on the chore boy - I'll pick one up next time I'm shopping.
Yeah, that was 18 flats down. Not much difference:

I'll get out the ColorTune later on and see wahta that tells me.

I found out that it is best not to route the fuel line over the manifolds - that insulation around the fuel filter totally melted on my last outing.
I re-routed - criticisms welcome:

Cheers

 

[dklawson]

I noticed the pipe insulation in the earlier pic and was wondering about it. I recognized the fuel line routing as similar to what I had done on the Spitfire.

At the moment I have the line routed around the back of the back of the engine bay like you did originally and then above the intake manifold and through the heat shield as you are doing. However, based on your experiences I may re-route my fuel line to follow the more traditional Spitfire route around the top, front of the engine and back to the carb.

 

[bigjones]

Doug,

Yeah, it gets very hot above the manifold!
I resorted to some copper tubing to get the bend in the 2nd config - couldn't find my tube bender so I bent it around an aerosol can - worked fine.

I think I'm OK on the mixture - though I will keep on eye on the temp gauge - last thing I want is to burn a hole in a piston running too lean a mixture.
May work some more on the Colortune tomorrow if it warms up - you have to get it running rich (yellow flame) and then adjust until it just starts to lean out (blue).

Cheers

 

[bigjones]

OK, more good news!

Lowering the jet 30 flats (5 turns!) gave a yellow flame on the ColorTune.
Raising it back to 24 flats (4 turns) gave the blue flame.
I think this is good enough for now - I'll see what the plug color is like after I drive around a bit.

The choke had been giving me a problem - it would work fine in increasing the idle speed but further pulling would not lower the jet. Then I remembered a trick whereby you depress the gas pedal and then pull the choke. Worked a treat so now the choke is fully functional.

Cheers!