'73 Westy Increasing Engine Temp

[iwantmybustorun]

I also pulled a few of the plugs today to see if the engine is running too lean. This is what they look like.
#3 plug:


#1 plug:


Don't know if you will be able to tell from the pictures but they both look very similar. One side of the plug looks very tan and the other half looks darker.
What do you guys think? Can you see enough in these photos?

[Amskeptic]

I also pulled a few of the plugs today to see if the engine is running too lean. This is what they look like.
#3 plug:

#1 plug:

Don't know if you will be able to tell from the pictures but they both look very similar. One side of the plug looks very tan and the other half looks darker.
What do you guys think? Can you see enough in these photos?

Can't work with those photos. Get out into the sun and shut off the camera's flash. Looks leanish. Do we have any idea what jets are in your carbs?

How is the power, by the way? A progressive Weber may have a variation in the secondary barrel's fuel supply that robs you at higher rpms. Try a warm-but-not-hot full throttle acceleration in 3rd gear from 25-50 mph. Does it pull through the whole range? Does it bog down or get lazy?
Colin

[Amskeptic]

A new carb will not solve anything as it will have the same stock main jet.

A new set of dual Solex PDSITS would be the dawn of a great day of solveation.
He has a Weber Progressive that could very well be opening the secondary too early/late with who-knows jets in the primary vs secondary.
Colin

[Amskeptic]

Are you not concerned about cylinder walls being washed of oil with the mixture that rich? Did you notice a difference in power from your setting of 13.5-10.8?

Down at sea level, I found power to be as usual for the most part, but geeze, with the wind and the imperceptible climb through Nebraska to the Continental Divide, there's no way to know for sure.

In my LM-1 experience, 12.5 - 13.0 is the best power output, but I am all about happy valves.

Today's test was an eye opener. Starting a sticky thread in the Engine Forum, CHT Readings and Observations. Please join in.

[iwantmybustorun]

Can't work with those photos. Get out into the sun and shut off the camera's flash. Looks leanish. Do we have any idea what jets are in your carbs?

How is the power, by the way? A progressive Weber may have a variation in the secondary barrel's fuel supply that robs you at higher rpms. Try a warm-but-not-hot full throttle acceleration in 3rd gear from 25-50 mph. Does it pull through the whole range? Does it bog down or get lazy?
Colin

Ya I figured, it was raining out while I pulled those plugs. Didn't think I got a good shot.
The car is driving well. 3rd gear seems normal. I think the car was stronger at the start of my trip but it could be all this talk about the temps that is making me imagine things. I wish I had a Dakota!
I think they look leanish too. You can see just a little black one half of each of those plugs.

[Amskeptic]

You can see just a little black one half of each of those plugs.

So they have been blasted clean on half the perimeter of the shell? All four plugs or just two on one side of the engine. Do you see white dust on the ground electrode?
What have your ambient temps been? Any headwinds, prevailing westerlies you know ... Where are you now?
Colin

[iwantmybustorun]

You can see just a little black one half of each of those plugs.

So they have been blasted clean on half the perimeter of the shell? All four plugs or just two on one side of the engine. Do you see white dust on the ground electrode?
What have your ambient temps been? Any headwinds, prevailing westerlies you know ... Where are you now?
Colin

Yes they looked dusty. Tanish white I'd say. On the perimeter they were half and half. Not clean, but half sooty and half dusty. The center was white and tan. I only pulled two. One on each side. #3 and #1.
Temps have been in the high 70's to low 80's and with a head wind when I hit 460 climbing up through Ohio. Today when I pulled those plugs it was cooler and rainy.
I'm right near Chicago now. Have been driving around back roads trying to figure this out since Ohio. I was supposed to be in Victor Idaho on the 2nd. Not gonna happen...

[iwantmybustorun]

Do we have any idea what jets are in your carbs?

No idea about the jet sizing. I was going to try and figure that out tomorrow morning. Would I need to change all three? I do have three don't I? One for idle, one for the main jet, and one for my 2nd barrel?

[Amskeptic]

You can see just a little black one half of each of those plugs.

So they have been blasted clean on half the perimeter of the shell? All four plugs or just two on one side of the engine. Do you see white dust on the ground electrode?
What have your ambient temps been? Any headwinds, prevailing westerlies you know ... Where are you now?
Colin

Yes they looked dusty. Tanish white I'd say. On the perimeter they were half and half. Not clean, but half sooty and half dusty. The center was white and tan. I only pulled two. One on each side. #3 and #1.
Temps have been in the high 70's to low 80's and with a head wind when I hit 460 climbing up through Ohio. Today when I pulled those plugs it was cooler and rainy.
I'm right near Chicago now. Have been driving around back roads trying to figure this out since Ohio. I was supposed to be in Victor Idaho on the 2nd. Not gonna happen...

I am in Jackson Wyoming here on the 1st. I will be in Victor Idaho in the morning of the 2nd.
I have a trust issue with VDO CHT gauges. If your valve adjustments are still .006" and the fuel mileage is nice and lousy like 16-18mpg, I think your engine will be fine, that lovely smooth $300.00 used engine that is clean around the fins...
Colin
(there are many jets of different descriptions. Main jets, air correction jets, pilot jets, idle jets, air bleed jets, accelerator pump jets, power jets, etc. We are interested in the main jets, followed by air correction jets, but with a Weber Progressive, I can't even help you with the correct sizes)

[iwantmybustorun]

I was getting about 20 mpg at the beginning of the trip.

Yes it is a mighty fine 300 dollar engine, I have to say. I guess I should have paid more attention to the lousy carb however.

[iwantmybustorun]

I am in Jackson Wyoming here on the 1st. I will be in Victor Idaho in the morning of the 2nd.

That would have been nice, to meet up there. Kelly has family there. That is why we are passing through. Supposed to be a nice party on the 3rd, which we might be missing... maybe you can go and tell us how it was???

[Amskeptic]

I was getting about 20 mpg at the beginning of the trip.

Yes it is a mighty fine 300 dollar engine, I have to say. I guess I should have paid more attention to the lousy carb however.

I am not so quick to indict the carb if it runs well and provides decent driveability.
Road Warriors have different needs than weekend putterers, and they deserve at least the respect of sorting them out. If you have to rejet for the Big Time Cross Country Life, so be it. It is a beautiful country. Get to it. Shoot for 17-18 mpg and that will suggest the engine is getting more fuel where it counts. By the way, your fuel economy will drop into the 15s here in the mountains and your engine will lose compression too, this is some thin air up here.
Colin
(p.s. have you checked the calibration on that VDO?)

[iwantmybustorun]

(p.s. have you checked the calibration on that VDO?)

The only test I've done was the one I did today that I mentioned earlier. I used a infrared temp gun and shot it down on the cylinder at #3 through the spark plug hole. It gave me a max reading of 352 and the VDO gave me a reading of 350 at the same time. I will try to check it again tomorrow.

[iwantmybustorun]

This morning I tried to locate a parts store that could get me a new main jet. No luck yet.

So before I got on the road I tried to make sure the #3 plug was seated all the way in the hole because sometimes the VDO terminal ring shifts while you tighten the spark plug.

Then we tried the highway. Today is 88 degrees and we did not get above 440 today. The terrain was much more forgiving (many small hills giving the engine time to cool on the way down). I tried the laser temp gun again. Today it read 7 degrees higher then the VDO.

I was able to keep up with a trucker today and I stayed in the 415-430 range for most of the time.

Does anyone know of a good read that might help me remove my main jet? I think I will try and remove it, see what size it is, clean it and see what happens. I have limited internet access so any help finding an article would be appreciated.

[Gypsie]

I agree that you can get yerself all bunched up if you get hypnotized by your gauges...

"use the force luke"... and keep an eye on the other variables....Keep going I am interested in how this turns out.