Tune

[CurreyRob]

Well I got my ol 420c running today, and put it to work grading the drive and moving some dirt.

I did my best at getting it tuned (after the carb kit).

I think I've got probs all over the place ... but it ran pretty good with ear ball timing and carb setup ...

I can't get the low idle to set right. Book says to go in till lopes, out till lopes and set in the middle. I go all the way to seat on that screw and it never "lopes", come out 2 turns and it starts to die. I ended up taking it all the way in.

I also think my timing is off (or perhaps "dwell"). Points are gapped at spec (last I checked) and cap/rotor are new. Just seems that with the carb being rich (I think at least), I have to set the time without enuf advance ...

Any tips on getting this thing dialed in properly. I surmise it's sort of a back and forth with timing, low idle, and high idle. Just not used to em and would like to get it right. Can I use a dwell meter on it?

TIA

P.S. it is running/starting good and power (under load) didn't seem too bad today, just low idle seems bad and I thinkn it's "running rich".

[Lavoy]

You most likely still hae some blockae in the carb, but I have had ones that don't seem to like to respond to idle adjustments either.
Dwell is the same as point gap, just measured a different way.
I run timing on mine quite above spec (except on the all-fuel, wouldn't do any good anyway). The last 420 I had was running about 38 deg total advance at high idle. I also always ran ethanol fuel, and slightly over rich to boot.
If your engine is in good shape, they will repsond to timing. Try it at 30 degrees once and see if that jelps any.
Lavoy