Does your car run better with Pertonix?

[Ed_K]

Roger,
Mine idles like yours. If it is hot ( 190>), the idle speed gradually slows down and would cut off if I didn't tap the gas peddle once or twice while waiting at a short stop light. A long light I may have to set the parking brake and hold it down some. But when it is not so hot, it idles much better and
I don't have to touch the gas peddle at a stop light.
As Dave said, the cam design on the BJ8 is more of a performance profile than your average car and thus is hard to make idle steady. Don't you love the sound it makes when it is barely running at a stop light ? People spend a lot of $$$$ to make their other cars sound and perform like our BJ8 engine. You can set the idle a little higher but when it is not 190> the engine will idle too fast for my taste.
Other's opinions may vary,
Ed

 

[Dave Russell]

My choke knob/shaft is a twist to lock at any position. The first part of the choke travel only increases the idle speed. The further the knob is pulled, the faster the idle & it eventually enriches the mixture. I think they all "should" work this way.

The point is, with the choke knob fully in & the carb idle stops set for a lower rpm, simply pulling the choke knob a bit will allow setting a faster idle speed as required to suit temperature/traffic conditions. Dash adjustable idle speed.

It doesn't seem so complicated - what am I missing?
D

 

[Ed_K]

My choke knob/shaft is a twist to lock at any position. The first part of the choke travel only increases the idle speed. The further the knob is pulled, the faster the idle & it eventually enriches the mixture. I think they all "should" work this way.

The point is, with the choke knob fully in & the carb idle stops set for a lower rpm, simply pulling the choke knob a bit will allow setting a faster idle speed as required to suit temperature/traffic conditions. Dash adjustable idle speed.

It doesn't seem so complicated - what am I missing?
D

Dave,

That is easy to answer. The choke cable that I ordered from one of our usual suppliers separated where the cable goes into the twist lock handle. I had replaced it with a generic
control cable from pep boys. This generic one doesn't twist lock like the original is supposed to. The supplier sent me a new one but I didn't want to install it the way it was as it would probably fail the same way. I tried brazing the cable into the handle of the new one but now it doesn't slide in and out of the sleeve like it should.... If I only had the skill to implement all of my great ideas ! Anyway, it is complicated because I run out of free hands when I am at a stop light !

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/driving.gif
Ed

 

[AUSMHLY]

My choke knob/shaft is a twist to lock at any position. The first part of the choke travel only increases the idle speed. The further the knob is pulled, the faster the idle & it eventually enriches the mixture. I think they all "should" work this way.

The point is, with the choke knob fully in & the carb idle stops set for a lower rpm, simply pulling the choke knob a bit will allow setting a faster idle speed as required to suit temperature/traffic conditions. Dash adjustable idle speed.

It doesn't seem so complicated - what am I missing?
D

Dave most likely your a seasoned Healey owner. Things don't seem all that complicated to you now. I am a learn as I go, hence all of my questions.

It seems reproduction pull choke knobs are not like the originals. My replacement does not twist to lock. Just learned about that from your statement. Well guys, those who know me, my next project.

My question is, is my car running the way it should?
My guess was, is my idle set correctly?

If you reply is... yes, bj8's when tuned properly will likely stall at a stop; simply pull the choke out a bit, then push it back in when moving again. Great, there's my answer. I'm happy to do that.

But if my situation is because of some other adjustment is needed, I would like to know about it.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to read my posts and all your replies are appreciated. My car is now running better than it ever has. I'm just doing the very final tweaking.

Cheers, Roger

 

[Keoke]

My choke knob/shaft is a twist to lock at any position. The first part of the choke travel only increases the idle speed. The further the knob is pulled, the faster the idle & it eventually enriches the mixture. I think they all "should" work this way.

The point is, with the choke knob fully in & the carb idle stops set for a lower rpm, simply pulling the choke knob a bit will allow setting a faster idle speed as required to suit temperature/traffic conditions. Dash adjustable idle speed.

It doesn't seem so complicated - what am I missing?
D

It Ain't complicated Dave, all the correct choke assy's for the BJ8 cars act just like yours. However, they use a cam operated locking mechanism instead of the serrations on the shaft.

Dave most likely your a seasoned Healey owner. Things don't seem all that complicated to you now. I am a learn as I go,-------How do you think the rest of us got where we are and we still don't know all the answers.--- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif hence all of my questions.

Naw they not complicated folks just keep putin the wrong parts in em.

It seems reproduction pull choke knobs are not like the originals. My replacement does not twist to lock. Just learned about that from your statement. Well guys, those who know me, my next project.
Yep be sure and get the correct one and it will work a treat.

My question is, is my car running the way it should?
My guess was, is my idle set correctly?

I do not think so I think it is set too low.

Set the choke at ~1000 RPM on the car's tach when hot then You can use the choke as Daves uggested to handle the idle speed while the engine is warming up.

If you reply is... yes, bj8's when tuned properly will likely stall at a stop;

----Nope this is an Irish whisper there is no reason a BJ8 will not idle at a stop unless it is improperly tuned.

simply pull the choke out a bit, then push it back in when
moving again. Great, there's my answer. I'm happy to do that.-------------------------------------------------- Well do dat ifin you wanna but it is not necessary.


But if my situation is because of some other adjustment is needed, I would like to know about it.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to read my posts and all your replies are appreciated. My car is now running better than it ever has. I'm just doing the very final tweaking.

Cheers, Roger

Just keep on tweaking until you get it right----Keoke- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

[glemon]

I agree about your idle speed being too low and tweaking it.

As you have probably noticed idle speed goes up as the engine warms to operating temp, mostly due to oil warming and thinning and better combustion temp.

Then as it gets hot it will probably slow a little bit, in my opinion primarily due to higher air temp under the hood, but also some compression loss in older engines.

So your idle speed is a compromise, (no computer brain setting the speed) usually what the book says to shoot for is a little low for AHs MGs and TRs in my opinion. I used to fret over it more, now I just set it so the car won't stall when hot, I don't use the "choke trick" though if the carbs are set up properly it should work as Dave described.

My idle on my 100 varies (as described above) butgenerally is in the 800-1000 RPM range, but I have a lightened flywheel and a cam. I could probably dial it down a little, but it all works fine there, so I don't worry about it or push it lower.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

The best my BJ8 has ever idled was when I was stationed at Quonset Point, RI and I used a repair place in N. Kingston, RI that was also a Sunoco gas station. The guy that owned it said that to get my idling good you would have to slightly crack open the butterflys even though they were supposed to idle with the slow run valve. The car was always very smooth and he's the only one that I've ever seen make the carbs adjust what the books/pictures say they should. He used to start by separating the linkage between the carbs and then shut one carb off while he adjusted the other carb and then reverse for the other carb. He had a large very smooth tach that he would set on top of the fender and a person could actually see the rise in rpm and then a very slight decrease when the mixture was set properly. Another thing he said that before adjusting a BJ8 you needed to have the engine warmed up and if it was hot and had been shut off for a while you must frive it around the block to get it to idle correctly.

 

[Keoke]

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif
"To get the Idle good you have to slightly crack open the butter flys" /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif But do not tell any one I said so.---Keoke- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

[MarkA]

What????? Isn't that heresy? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazyeyes.gif

 

[Keoke]

What????? Isn't that heresy? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazyeyes.gif

------------------------------ /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/yesnod.gif Of course it is--------Keoke---- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif



Patrick! I told you not to tell nobody. You just can't keep a secret.---Keoke-- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

 

[healeynut]

My BJ8 idles like a champ with closed butterflys... rock solid. Is something wrong with me?

 

[Keoke]

My BJ8 idles like a champ with closed butterflys... rock solid. Is something wrong with me?

Yep but I ain't figured out just what it is.---Keoke-- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

 

[Tronch]

Hi all

Can you tell me what is the code for the pertronix for my BT7 and where to buy.

Thanks

 

[Keoke]

Hi all

Can you tell me what is the code for the pertronix for my BT7 and where to buy.

Thanks

Hi Tronch, search "Retro Rockets" and you can kill two birds with one stone.---Keoke