[DeTomaso] Overheating problem

[George Sekula]

I was worried about the timing curve.  I replaced the entire ignition system over last winter.  I installed the new MSD Ultra 6AL Plus and pinned the weights in the crab cap distributor.  I knew I would never change springs and weights and I am spoiled by how easy it is to tune my kid's Hondas.  I tried to match the old distributor setup to start.  But I am not sure how close I am to having the correct timing curve for a Cleveland with SVO heads.  I have 14 at idle, 19 at 2000 rpm, and 22 at 2400 rpm (these are the rpm's at highway speed), and very little vacuum advance.  I am not happy about having to remove the head, but at least I now understand the problem.

________________________________
From: John Neal <jrnealjr at aol.com>
Sent: Monday, July 15, 2024 1:47 PM
To: georgesekula at outlook.com <georgesekula at outlook.com>; mikeldrew at aol.com <mikeldrew at aol.com>
Cc: detomaso at server.detomasolist.com <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com>
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Overheating problem

Retarded Timing can cause overheating and dieseling when the engine is turned off.

I adjusted mine so the engine is hard to turn over when hot and then backed the timing off until the engine cranks freely when hot.

Way less work then pulling the seats and bulkhead to connect a timing light.

In a message dated 7/15/2024 11:57:44 AM Central Standard Time, georgesekula at outlook.com writes:

  Thank you all for your help. Dozens of attempts, three times I could
  idle for 30 minutes without an excursion, then 10 minutes on the
  highway and the temperature climbs.  Drained oil and found no
  contamination.  No smoke out the tailpipe.  No little air bubble, just
  volcano like eruptions.  Did a combustion-gas-in-coolant test four
  times with no combustion gas detected.  When I did a cylinder leak down
  test on cylinder 3, pointer was in the red and coolant was overflowing
  the pressure tank.  I have some work to do, hoping it is just the head
  gasket.
    __________________________________________________________________

-------------- next part --------------
   I was worried about the timing curve.  I replaced the entire ignition
   system over last winter.  I installed the new MSD Ultra 6AL Plus and
   pinned the weights in the crab cap distributor.  I knew I would never
   change springs and weights and I am spoiled by how easy it is to tune
   my kid's Hondas.  I tried to match the old distributor setup to start.
   But I am not sure how close I am to having the correct timing curve for
   a Cleveland with SVO heads.  I have 14 at idle, 19 at 2000 rpm, and 22
   at 2400 rpm (these are the rpm's at highway speed), and very little
   vacuum advance.  I am not happy about having to remove the head, but at
   least I now understand the problem.
     __________________________________________________________________

   From: John Neal <jrnealjr at aol.com>
   Sent: Monday, July 15, 2024 1:47 PM
   To: georgesekula at outlook.com <georgesekula at outlook.com>;
   mikeldrew at aol.com <mikeldrew at aol.com>
   Cc: detomaso at server.detomasolist.com <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com>
   Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Overheating problem

   Retarded Timing can cause overheating and dieseling when the engine is
   turned off.



   I adjusted mine so the engine is hard to turn over when hot and then
   backed the timing off until the engine cranks freely when hot.



   Way less work then pulling the seats and bulkhead to connect a timing
   light.

   In a message dated 7/15/2024 11:57:44 AM Central Standard Time,
   georgesekula at outlook.com writes:



     Thank you all for your help. Dozens of attempts, three times I could
     idle for 30 minutes without an excursion, then 10 minutes on the
     highway and the temperature climbs.  Drained oil and found no
     contamination.  No smoke out the tailpipe.  No little air bubble,
   just
     volcano like eruptions.  Did a combustion-gas-in-coolant test four
     times with no combustion gas detected.  When I did a cylinder leak
   down
     test on cylinder 3, pointer was in the red and coolant was
   overflowing
     the pressure tank.  I have some work to do, hoping it is just the
   head
     gasket.
       __________________________________________________________________