TOPIC: 100 hp Hard to start and doesn't like to idle

1966 Starflite 100

Runs like a top, quiet and smooth once it's running.

Always starts but never until the 4th or 5th try. Idles down better than it used to but still pretty rough at no wake speed. Usually dies pulling into the dock.

What says the brain trust?

If you don't have a factory shop manual, do yourself a favor & get one. A factory one, not aftermarket. They go for around 20 bucks on ebay.

1 - Check that the ignition points are clean and good condition. If they are badly pitted or eroded, replace them. Gap the points at .020".

2 - Possible gunk in the idle jets of the carburator. The carb has 4 idle mixture screws that are linked with a plastic linkage. Once the linkage is removed, the idle mixture screws can be backed out of the carburator body and removed. Inspect the needle tips to be sure none are damaged. Set them aside in a safe place. Get a can of gumout or chemtool carburator cleaner, put the plastic straw in the tip and blast some down each bore that the needle screws came out from. The needle valves also have a little packing washer that seals the shank of the screw. These may be lost or dried out. These must be tight and sealing properly. Reinsert the needles and turn them un all the way until the stop. Be careful NOT to tighten these when they stop. Any over tightening will destroy the. Back each screw out 1 turn. Fine tuning will need to be done once the engine is run up to temp. This adjustment is a bit tricky & takes time. Be very careful to adjust EACH one correctly. When done, re install the linkage.

Do not take the carburator apart unless it is absolutely necessary - the kits for these are nearly extinct and are VERY expensive -

The carb was rebuilt 2 years ago. The points and many other small parts were replaced last year. The points were gapped tight so I opened them up to .020 as stamped on the distributer. May have improved the hole shot a little but that was about it.

The mixture screws were replaced same time as the carb rebuild. Isn't the factory setting 1/2 turn? I will give 1 turn a try and see how that goes. The cleaning you suggest can't hurt either.

go with what the manual says about the mixture screw adjustments. I was going on memory which isn't the best anyway. Keep in mind that "gunk" can get into the carburator at any time, even if it was recently overhauled. Hope you get the kinks worked out.