Big league now...

[55'Fleetwin7.5]

I never owned a motor bigger than a 10HP... Till today. Got a 1964 Big Twin on a 1960 Elgin Sportabout... It is electric start. That is also new to me.

Question... When I ran it today... It started pretty easily But did not run well at lower speed. I never touched a CHOKE... Am I supposed to open that little door and adjust the choke (like I used to on my smaller engines). On my smaller motors, I would open the choke, let it run about 10 seconds and then start closing it till it was closed. Then it would run best with choke closed. Am I supposed to go in there and close the choke on the BIG TWIN? Also, there is a low speed lean rich knob in there too. Should I warm her up, close the choke, bring the idle down and then adjust this knob to as lean as possible then a rich it back up a bit?

Any tips would be great.

Thanks

Tom

 

[56 rude]

Re: Big league now...

if you read my last post disregard. seat the needle valve lightly then back out 3/4 turn.turn low speed needle clockwise till engine hesitates,then turn it counter clockwise until it reaches its fastest and smoothest running position.install low speed knob half way between rich and lean settings.(knob is originally off during adjustments).put in the water and put in gear and you can make any fine adjustments there.this is right out of the johnny /rude manual for the 9.5 as it was the closest manual but it basically applies to yours also.my other post i got got confused with my sled ,its been a very long day.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Big league now...

Hey Tom,
I have no experience with that particular motor, however....
You should have an electric choke on it. It will either have a choke button on the controls or push the key in to choke. However, once you get it running and warmed up the choke should be completely open and you shouldn't need it to idle. What is it doing when idling that you don't like? Is it kind of "coughing" or "sneezing" when idling and dying immediately after the sneeze or cough? If so, turn your slow speed mixture adjustment about an 1/8 or 1/4 turn counterclockwise and see if that clears it up. Is it just idling too low or what? You should also have a warmup lever on your controls I'm thinking, to assist in cold starting. It has to be down to throttle up and take off on plane.
Hope this was helpful,
JBJ

I almost forgot--it being a '64 model, you should check your compression. Bad compression usually shows up on idle and it is a '64 model, after all. You should see all cylinders very close to one another.
Congrats on the new rig also!

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Big league now...

BTW,
I reread your post and thought I might clear something up....
When your motor is cold and there's no fuel getting to the cylinders yet, one CLOSES the choke which is a plate that blocks off the carb throat and reduces the air, thereby richening the mixture. When it warms up, you should OPEN the choke, giving the carb more air and leaning the mixture out. the only way you should have to open the door on the front of your motor is if your electric choke isn't working. You probably already knew that and just made a typo but it may have been helpful....
Good luck,
JBJ

Also, if you are unsure if your electric choke is working, pull the front cover up and watch the choke flapper when you push the key in or push the choke button (whichever it has). If it's working, you'll see the flapper close, then open when you release the key or the choke button on your controls.

 

[55'Fleetwin7.5]

Re: Big league now...

Thanks, I will watch for ay movement on the choke when inserting the key... there is no button. Very simple controls... just two levers, shift and throttle.

BUT what position should the manual choke lever (behind the removable panel be in)? Also, having trouble locating idle adjustments... there is one screw near where the throttle cable is attached that says "idle screw"... is that a fast or slow speed adjustment?