1987 318 Tuning with Summit Carb

RustyRatRod said
He told you. Kinda. If the mechanical advance in the distributor is giving some advance at idle, that could be your problem. Remove the cap and see how easy it is to turn the rotor advancing it. If it feels like you could blow on the rotor and advance it, it may need stronger springs to keep it from advancing at idle. Another possibility is that it's pulling air from somewhere (vacuum leak). One way to check for that is, while the engine is running, slowly close the choke plate. If the engine runs with the choke plate closed, or close to it, you likely have a vacuum leak.

Well, he explained the concept. I understand that timing comes first and how mechanical advance works. I just had the dizzy out and it doesn't not turn easy. I have a heavy spring and a medium heavy spring in it, because it came with a really fast curve.

crackedback told me to start over and set the timing first. I did do that this morning when I put the Summit carb back on. And there's no way to make it idle lower without adjusting timing, which doesn't help me set optimal timing.

I still think something is up with the carb. With the Edel, I could adjust the idle down and it would die if I turned the mix screws in. I really don't think it's a vac leak.