Fuel Injection High Idle Adjustment

[Patrick C.]

I am getting my 1964 fuelie (380 unit) ready for judging. My mannuals are a bit vague on how to adjust the high idle speed. I am worried about passing the ops check. Could somebody give me a few pointers on how to adjust the high idle operation?

Currently the high idle is a little erratic. On a cold start sometime it works and sometimes it does not. When it does not work i have to give it gas until its warmed up a bit..Rich/Lean adjustment? I thought this might also be a result of the 90 degree weather? When it does work the engine high idle speed is only about 1200 RPM and a bit rough. The manual says it should be 1800 RPM. My warm idle speed is stable around 850 RPM. I cannot seem to reach the high idle screw under the air valve. Any suggestions on how to adjust that screw without removing the air valve?

Any help would be appreciated.

Pat

[Dan H.]

Re: Fuel Injection High Idle Adjustment

1/4 inch socket on a short extension up from below the screw, also sounds like your piston is sticking inside the choke housing, a good clean out is in order to free it up. Make sure butterfly is freely moving. Good luck.

[John S.]

Re: Fuel Injection High Idle Adjustment

What Dan said. That's it!

[Patrick C.]

Re: Fuel Injection High Idle Adjustment

Thanks Guys

The FI unit was recently rebuilt and everything seems to work freely and it runs great. I was looking for a little guidance on how to adjust the Lean/Rich dial. Do i set it cold? ...and if so how much should it be engaged so it releases when the car reaches operating temperature? In the mannual it says the linkage should be adjusted so their is a gap between the link and the high idle screw. Unfortunately it does not give the gap or if this should be done when the engine cold. Any experience with that setting?

[Dan H.]

Re: Fuel Injection High Idle Adjustment

Patrick, the gap is about 1/16 or so, screw must clear cam to idle correctly. You can adjust by bending the connecting rod to the cam to provide the correct clearance. There are several manuals that show this for your unit. The choke cover index mark should be adjusted to set the cam. The actual setting is adjusted with a warm engine to specified setting. When cold will come up as engine warms up, should then kick down to nice idle speed. Specs are in the shop manuals etc.

[Patrick C.]

Re: Fuel Injection High Idle Adjustment

Patrick, the gap is about 1/16 or so, screw must clear cam to idle correctly. You can adjust by bending the connecting rod to the cam to provide the correct clearance. There are several manuals that show this for your unit. The choke cover index mark should be adjusted to set the cam. The actual setting is adjusted with a warm engine to specified setting. When cold will come up as engine warms up, should then kick down to nice idle speed. Specs are in the shop manuals etc.

Dan,

Just so I am clear, I adjust the choke cover index plate so when the engine is warm the high idle cam is disengaged and I have the 1/16th inch clearance Between the cam and high idle screw. This should result in the cam being engaged and high idle when the engine is cold. My shop mannual says this should be around three notches lean? I will try the 1/4 inch socket on the high idle screw. Thanks for the help.

[Dan H.]

Re: Fuel Injection High Idle Adjustment

No, the index mark won't set the 'gap' on the cam, bending the rod does. Your index mark only sets cold spring tension on the choke. The index mark is determined by whether you have a piston installed in the choke housing, I find on my 64 380 unit about 1 mark rich is good to provide fast idle. Give it a try.
Dan

[John D.]

Re: Fuel Injection High Idle Adjustment

Hi Patrick, That was some good info from my pal Dan.
If I may add a couple of comments. Pay no attention to the index marks like we did in the old days. Index marks on the choke cover and the choke housing. Adjusting the choke cover to work perfect the first time is tough. Sorta like trial and error. You might have to massage the setting a few times. Depends on your choke cover spring also. The repro springs are not to my liking. I use ones from an old RP carburetor choke cover.
Fast idle for a '64 '7380 unit is 2200 RPM. I do not know if this is covered in the judging manual or not. My info from the rebuild kit info sheet.
Fast idle for a '63 is 1800.
Now for a short story if you don't mind. Back in the day when the '65's were brand new a friend of mine had an FI car. He and his Dad came to my house as his Father was upset with the fast idle of the car. New '65 's were set at 2600 RPM!!!! They said when the car was cold you could drive it without ever touching the gas pedal. The dealer said that was the way they were supposed to be so they came to see me at my parents house.
The car was hot so I just winged it and backed off the pesky, hard to reach 1/4" slotted screw head a tad. Next day Hughie called me and thanked me as his Dad was happy also. Remember that well.

As Holstein said the manual has a lot of info on adjustments. Look closely at the pics of the air meter. It's unlike the one in the '63 to '65's as its a sandcast air meter. But the adjustments are the same.
Make sure your exhaust manifold on the drives side has good heat tube going down thru it. Seems that not enough are replacing this tube with a fresh restoration. If you don't and it's rusty you will have a super mess. A choke housing full of black soot/carbon.

Gap between fast idle cam and the fast idle cam screw. I don't do it like RP does Dan/ Patrick. I like to give it a bigger gap to prevent issues later.
Something to watch out for gang.
Make sure your chrome forward balance tube rubber connector isn't hanging up the choke rod from working. Very easy thing to do. If so deal with it.

Choke housing pistons. I like them in a 63 to '65 as the cars start easier with them. But they can be a problem if the choke piston sticks. .John

[Patrick C.]

Re: Fuel Injection High Idle Adjustment

Hi Patrick, That was some good info from my pal Dan.
If I may add a couple of comments. Pay no attention to the index marks like we did in the old days. Index marks on the choke cover and the choke housing. Adjusting the choke cover to work perfect the first time is tough. Sorta like trial and error. You might have to massage the setting a few times. Depends on your choke cover spring also. The repro springs are not to my liking. I use ones from an old RP carburetor choke cover.
Fast idle for a '64 '7380 unit is 2200 RPM. I do not know if this is covered in the judging manual or not. My info from the rebuild kit info sheet.
Fast idle for a '63 is 1800.
Now for a short story if you don't mind. Back in the day when the '65's were brand new a friend of mine had an FI car. He and his Dad came to my house as his Father was upset with the fast idle of the car. New '65 's were set at 2600 RPM!!!! They said when the car was cold you could drive it without ever touching the gas pedal. The dealer said that was the way they were supposed to be so they came to see me at my parents house.
The car was hot so I just winged it and backed off the pesky, hard to reach 1/4" slotted screw head a tad. Next day Hughie called me and thanked me as his Dad was happy also. Remember that well.

As Holstein said the manual has a lot of info on adjustments. Look closely at the pics of the air meter. It's unlike the one in the '63 to '65's as its a sandcast air meter. But the adjustments are the same.
Make sure your exhaust manifold on the drives side has good heat tube going down thru it. Seems that not enough are replacing this tube with a fresh restoration. If you don't and it's rusty you will have a super mess. A choke housing full of black soot/carbon.

Gap between fast idle cam and the fast idle cam screw. I don't do it like RP does Dan/ Patrick. I like to give it a bigger gap to prevent issues later.
Something to watch out for gang.
Make sure your chrome forward balance tube rubber connector isn't hanging up the choke rod from working. Very easy thing to do. If so deal with it.

Choke housing pistons. I like them in a 63 to '65 as the cars start easier with them. But they can be a problem if the choke piston sticks. .John

Thanks John

I put your rebuild componets in my FI unit and followed your recomendations and this thing runs great.. I did not replace the heat tube and its a bit short as the portion in the manifold is a bit corroded. I guess i should replace it. I am not sure I have the piston in the choke. I dont think so but I am not sure. Can you tell from the picture? BTW Congratulations on the Award Thanks for your help. Pat

[Patrick C.]

Re: Fuel Injection High Idle Adjustment

[QUOTE=Patrick Cavanagh (57907);810293]Thanks John

I put your rebuild componets in my FI unit and followed your recomendations and this thing runs great.. I did not replace the heat tube and its a bit short as the portion in the manifold is a bit corroded. I guess i should replace it. I am not sure I have the piston in the choke. I dont think so but I am not sure. Can you tell from the picture? BTW Congratulations on the Award Thanks for your help. Pat

Better picture

[John D.]

Re: Fuel Injection High Idle Adjustment

Hi Pat, It doesn't appear from how your choke cam is "resting" that you have the piston. But you don't need it anyhow on your ''7380 unit. They start very fast because of the skinner valve electric solenoid. Your engine compartment looks great.
Buy the stainless heat tube and have it replaced. Not an easy job now but I would do it.
One time at a show at Knoxville a customer brought me his 63 unit that I had restored a year before. Complaining the choke didn't work. I took the choke cover off and the entire choke housing was full of carbon. All I had was zippo lighter fluid and a ton of q-tips. Took forever to clean up his choke at the show. hahaha.
I didn't' know you knew about my shocking award. Thanks, John

[John D.]

Re: Fuel Injection High Idle Adjustment

I want to correct my last reply. I am not capable of determining if you choke housing has or has not a piston from this pic.
Remove the choke cover and find out..
I can tell from a pic whether or not someones choke plate is closing completely or not by the position of the fast idle cam. It appears that your choke can does have a 1/16" roll pin in it that will prevent the choke plate from closing completely. John