VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Setting up Tillotson Carb on '31.

I bought what was advertized and appears to be a NOS Tillotson Carb a couple of years back ($45) over eBay, and it appears to be right out of a box. Have it installed on my '31 Coach (1930 engine) and it appears everything is working properly. However, getting car to idle correctly and have air fuel mixture correct is always a challenge. So if one of you experts could drop by any day, I'm willing to pay $10/hr to have someone get it just right (I'm retired and on fixed income eh!).

I have the '30 era instruction sheet which came originally with the carb, and adjusting the main (high speed) adjustment and the idle (low speed) adjustment seems to be quite a delicate operation (involves advancing and retarding spark, adjusting throttle speed etc). Today the car see4med to want to buck in second gear, suggesting something is not right. There is literally no one within a country mile of here who has ever seen one of these let alone tuned one. If you can't or won't drop by, at least please offer some words of advice (other than buy a Carter at $450!). Otherwise I'll continue the usual pattern of trial and error!

Hi Gunsmoke,

I set up Tilly and Zenith adjustable carbs this way :

First, buy this :

http://www.amazon.com/Actron-CP7605-Tachometer-Voltmeter-Analyzer/dp/B00062YUUS

Place a folded rag onto of the valve cover, hook up the tach meter on the distributor side, then place it atop the valve cover on the rag, to help it not move around much, pointing its face to the carb side.

hang a drop light so you can clearly see the tach needle on the unit,

Turn in the high speed adj T-handle all the way, then back out maybe one full turn

start and warm up the engine some, then via the idle speed screw, increase the idle to approx 1800 rpm. Once there, take the lower t-handle high-speed adjustment screw, and slowly turn it out, or in some, but most likely out a bit, till the engine reaches its highest revs. That's it. reduce the idle speed, and set the idle mix screw the same way.

You can tighten up the T-handle adj screw with a wrench to maintain its position.

Sometimes, I like to drag a electric house fan out into the garage, and I place it in front of the radiator and let it blow on high, to help keep temperatures in check.

have fun,

Jay

I'll have to look into getting one of those thingamabobs. You make it sound pretty simple using an electronic reader.

Yep, that's the same dwell meter that I use now. I think I bought mine at Sears.

Sent you a PM,
Cheers.