Fhead troubles

I finally have the jeep running after 8 years in storage and it was good for awhile. The problem is now that when I turn off the ignition sometimes the engine stops and sometimes it keeps on running/sputtering for a while. Also it randomly seems to miss when I push on the gas pedal, idles wonderfully. I think it might have to do with whether or not the I let the engine warm up for a while before I drive it. I am not sure, timimng, distributor.

One thing about owning a jeep is you never need another hobby. Ever.R)

 

Sounds like your timing is definetly off. If it's been sitting for that long, you also might want to just give it a full tune up (plugs, points, wires, etc). I'm guessing you drained the gas tank and put fresh stuff in...I don't even think an engine will run on 8 year old gas (don't ask how I know ). Anyway, tweak the timing...that should cure your problem.

 

New gas, new gas tank, new plugs, new wires, carbuerator rebuilt. I think it might also be idling a little high. I have never messed with timing before. Do I need a timing light.

 

Points and condenser were also replaced. I had a local mechanic do the carb rebuild( I tried a few years ago and it wasn't pretty.) He specializes in older vehicles and had to have his dad(the previous owner of the shop) come help him with the points, said something about them having to be filed flat.

Timing light-on the list, anything special I should be looking for.

 

Pertronix all the way!
Timing light?? bah.
Use a vacuum gauge - adjust the timing to get the highest reading at idle -
this is how it used to be done all the time.
Good luck!

 

I agree on vacuum gauge as well. I use a timing light to get it close and fine tune it with a vacuum gauge. I actually used a vacuum gage by itself for sometime, until I "inherited" a timing light.

 

Did it run well before it sat? The PO on my CJ hooked up the alternator incorrectly and it was making it so it wouldn't turn off.

 

Filing the points...man, now THAT is old school . That's an old trick to get a few more miles out of a burned set. Not really worth the time when you look at the cost of a new set. IIRC back in the day sometimes you had to file them (when new) to get the best contact surfaces, but that shouldn't be an issue today. You should be able to just plop them in and set the gap. FWIW when starting on a new vehicle I usually replace the coil too, just as cheap insurance...you don't know how many miles it has on it. You can always put the old one on a meter and check it, but I usually just swap it out.

Agreed on the vacuum gauge. I used to set the timing on my vehicles with a light to the specs in the book, but I always got frustrated and set it by ear when it wouldn't run right. Maybe it's our altitude, I don't know...the timing specs in the book never seemed optimal for anything I was working on. YMMV of course . If you use a light, just be sure to keep the wire out of the fan .

 

I've set the timing with a timing light, how do you do it with a vacuum gauge?