VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Electrical - 6 volt Increasing Sweet Spot

I wanted to increase the sweet spot on my 41 coupe. It is now at 40 MPH and everyone is telling me that their's is much faster. Like 50 to 70 or so. My car can't be that sick. Can it? Well, I don't think so either so here is what I have done:

a. I took the spark-plugs out and stilt the curved piece that the spark jumps to. In other words, it now has "Split-Fire" technology on all plugs. Increased acceleration will probably make my eye-balls roll back. I'll have to be careful.

b. I cut a piece out of each spark plug wire so that the fire now jumps once before it gets to the plugs. Looks pretty at night and seems to be a hotter spark at the plugs. Just as I was told it would. It was tough going cause the tips are so small on a 10mm plug.

c. I drained the gas out of the tank. Filled it up with regular without ethanol. Stinkin ethanol is now gone! Cost me a small fortune. I am right now a decibel of Solon. Am too!

d. I rechecked the tappets. They are right on. Plenty of clicking and clacking. 8 and 13 clearances.

e. I installed a set of mud-flaps. I was told that they would help the car by deflecting the air around the wheels and that would decrease the wind drag. I'm a little skeptical of this one,

f. I have taken the air cleaner off and got one of those tiny ones that you see on a hot-rod. This will enable the engine to suck better. Air.

g. I have inflated the tires to 40 PSI cold. That way they are super-sized.

h. I have de-chromed it. No chrome except the surround pieces around the grille. Can't give up everything. Wind drag owing to all that chrome a-stickin out is gone.

i. I added some STP, Wynns Friction Proofing, a bottle of Zinc, bottle octane increaser, and a 3/4 of quart of MM oil to the sump and a 1/4 of MM to the gas tank.

j. I set the timing as far forward as it would go and still crank and run.

That's about all I can think to do. I'll be taking it out for a run tomorrow. I expect the sweet spot to move up about 10 MPH owing to the removal of ethanol alone. Wish me luck.

If anyone has any more tips, please let me know.

Charlie

BTW: Am I a smart guy or what? (This statement is rhetorical and requires no smart aleck responses or accolades.)

Charlie,
You are on the right track for improved performance

I guess you really know which improvement you've missed

The secret to super performance is, of course, the installation of a Fulton to improve the slipstream......

Some day you'll realize it's true!!!

Hi there Charlie,
I read with interest your "sweet spot" ideas, and what a wealth of amazing mumbojumble is was............well done.
That has given me so many ideas that I now find it difficult to sleep at night!

I love the mud flap one............I guess that is why on the motorways, all the semi trailers overtake you, even when speed limited to 100KPH? so many mud-flaps must make the difference..

Still on sweet spots, my favorite claw hammer definitely has one, its in the middle when hitting a nail, any ideas how I can apply this to my 35 Chevrolet std? it needs more zest or a tiger in the tank

I also wonder if you still have a tongue behind your cheek, I know where mine is.

regards
Peter

Charlie, I think you forgot to remove the fan belt. That saves all that wasted power going to the fan and the water pump. Otherwise, your list is just what I was thinking.

All the Best, Chip

PS -- Lights in the wheel wells sometimes help.

Why not remove the headlights and trunk lid to increase aerodynamic air flow.

Charlie:

If you want to increase the sweet spot, you're going to have to get that car out of Fayetteville far enough that it can't hear the gunfire from Fort Bragg. Its just running scared, and, that's why its shaking so hard when you try to go over 40. Even better, bring it here to West, by God, Virginia and I'll roll you down one of our big hills on I64 - that'll get you over 40.

Regards:
Oldengineer

Don't forget to synchronize the running boards.

Charlie Probably should not have installed those new floor boards...That way you could use your feet to help you get up to speed, like Fred Flintstone...I've heard releasing the hand brake helps a lot...Does too...

Charlie, if you want a bigger sweet spot put more sugar on it.......

The new floor boards are in the 41 project not the 41 coupe.

Charlie

BTW: I took it out for a test drive today to see if the sweet spot had increased any owing to my clever fiddling with all the before-mentioned stuff. I increased speed slowly. 10, 15, changed to second, 20, 25, changed to drive/third, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55. Backed off back down to where it was running smooth, labor free, and exhaust purring (hard to hear but small sort of rumble anyway. Speedometer read 40. Yep. no improvement.

I'm going to undo all the changes I made and just forget about increasing the sweet spot. This car seems to have a mind of its own and is not going to go above 40 without leaving its comfort zone. This is to say, it will do more speed but it don't seem to like it none.

Above 40 the exhaust purr goes away, the engine noise increases, and the throttle seems to push back against my foot. It does seem to speed up a bit, unprompted, when headed for home. Like a mule headed for the barn. Go figure.

Look at the bright side....You won't get any speeding tickets........Unless you're doing 40 mph in a 25 mph zone!

Starting to sound like maybe the muffler is clogged or you require some carb. work...

Kevin:

I agree - Maybe one of the mean youngins in the neighborhood put a "tator" in Charlie's tailpipe.


Regards:
Oldengineer

Charlie, pretty sure it is your past ethanol use, probably need to overhaul your engine and replace the fuel tank, gas lines, fuel pump and carburetor!

Uncle Ed...Been running ethanol for years...Don't scare Charlie so...Lest you own a rebuild shop near him lol And, need a boat payment...Have someone hold their hand over the tailpipe and rev it and see if there's a difference in flow...Maybe mice have build a nest in there...Who did that happen to..Was it you Tiny...? You have no problems running out of fuel on long hills or stalling on the highway...? You mention shaking, at higher speeds...Along with this low speed...THAT worries me...How old is this motor...? Have you checked the compression...?

Yep Kevin, just trying to poke Charlie a little, I think he likes it....... but will poke back.

Be surprised if he doesn't!

A man with a good sense of humor is good to have around...

Think Charlie should lighten the load some

since this is the 6v Forum he should dump that heavy 6v lead acid battery, and drop in either a small photo 6v or wire a few AA or AAA in series to get 6v. Would reduce some weight. or get rid of it all together, and per Chip above, mine as well toss it when you toss the fan belt, also drop off the generator. that should reduce load by about 50 pounds or so.