I still have it.

[Thumpin455]

Lately I have been having issues with all sorts of things mechanical, and that has led to me second guessing while I become more meticulous. Even though the last three transmissions have worked flawlessly, and the carbs have been working out too. I have been concerned that I am losing the skills and knowledge from not doing it all the time, and because I hardly do any wrenching now thanks to making everything shiny.

The guy who has been supplying my firewood this year has an 1 ton Chevy with a dump bed on it. Just a 350 in it and it has been drinking gas like crazy. It was obviously running rich and the carb had seen better days, so I offered to build him a replacement Qjet in trade for a couple loads of wood. We spent about an hour swapping his electric choke to one I had gone through recently, and getting it set up on his engine. It started right up and idled nice, didnt have any leaks or other issues, so we test drove it a bit to get it warm and set the hot idle. He said it is running much better than it ever has, so apparently I can still build a decent carb. Need to find out how it does on gas now, but it shouldnt be hard to improve on 5mpg.

Now if I can make everything else work out the first time, I will feel a bit better about my skills.

[Barry Donovan]

5mpg and a 350.

damn. nearly impossible to get that bad.

I am running an oddball, a hitachi from 1987.
looked over the book so many times it is memorized...at 25yrs still needs nothing.

I am going rochestor from 1971 next (gt 140 vega) , just for simple, and no choke..synchronous. that as the four cylinder hot rod carb.

I love the carbs. save fuel and gain power. the ultimate paradox.

[jcharliem]

<<<< This little 350 gets 4mpg.

[squirrel]

feels good, doesn't it?

I just got a "new" big block running, I put a point distributor together, put on a Qjet that I had rebuilt a couple months ago, etc. Poured gas in the carb and tried it, it started immediately, first try. I did have to lower the idle speed a little, but it runs great just the way it is. I probably need to check the timing and dwell and play with the idle mixture one of these days...

[Beagle]

from tuning standpoint, I don't think I ever had "it" ... but, I still love being able to take something that won't run / turn / work and make it live once more. I can't remember the movie this came from, but i remember the line

"A cowboy rides his horse until it goes lame, gets off and leaves it for dead. An Indian finds that lame horse, rides him 40 more miles, and then eats him."

I eat well.... and it does feel good. Enjoy it Todd, it makes up for the anti-midas days when everything you touch turns into poop instead of gold!

[Huskinhano]

I had a 78 E150, 351W that got 8 MPG no matter what. I did carry a lot of weight in it though. Funny, at 6 MPG, he'd be seeing a 20% increase. Think about it, that's a pretty good increase percentage wise.

[A/Fuel]

I call it a parishable skill, and it definitly plays a part with speed or how fast you can get a job done. If you do something over and over until you think you can do it in the dark, and then take time off, it takes a little bit to get back into the zone again.
It's nice to take some time off though, I think I wore the threads off a couple sets of head studs this year.

[dieselgeek]

Nice work Thumpin.

There just is no substitute for DOING IT !! so many people here could learn from your ways.

Last night I ventured into the scarier part of Omaha to help a guy sort out some ignition noise problems on his low buck, 3rd gen Camaro with a healthy 383 and EFI. No high buck anything here, working outside it was a little cold, but once we figured out his issue and his problem went away - I got that adrenaline rush like always. It's fun and rewarding to fix broken stuff!!!

[Scott Liggett]

Wrenching in the street in North Omaha? Scary.

[dieselgeek]

Wrenching in the street in North Omaha? Scary.

30th and Lake. No shit. I swear in 2 hours I must have seen 15 cop cars speeding off in various directions.

[Scott Liggett]

30th and Lake. No shit. I swear in 2 hours I must have seen 15 cop cars speeding off in various directions.

I was once in that same area in Dad's gold 79 Fleetwood thanks to my idiot friend. I didn't think we'd make it out with the car in our possession.

[dieselgeek]

I was once in that same area in Dad's gold 79 Fleetwood thanks to my idiot friend. I didn't think we'd make it out with the car in our possession.

My buddy owns Five Star Automotive. Looks like the place has been there a lot longer than we've been around! it's just a few blocks north of Lake off 30th.

Instead of doing charity work delivering turkey dinners this year I helped a couple needy EFI users.

[squirrel]

enabler!

[antmnte]

I fixed my Jump box today. Couldnt believe I fixed it I wanted to throw it into the street 10 minutes before .

[Brian Lohnes]

^^^^ That's a win right there.