[T3] My tune-up and 2 questions

["Fuhriman, Mark" <mfuhriman@fugro.com>]

I have had my '69 FI MT fastback for about 2k miles now.  The PO had taken
very good care of the FI and the rest of the car.  All I have had to do is
redo some of the brake system (thanks to all who helped me.  They bled fine
after all.)  The car runs very well.  Gas mileage has been a little low
(never better than 22 mpg), so last night I performed the first complete
tune-up and oil change since I have had the car.

Checked voltage at the fuse block, measured just 13V at medium rpm.
Replaced voltage regulator (it looks original) with a spare (hecho en
Mexico), now I see ~13.5-14V.  So I am expecting that to help my gas
mileage.

Next, I adjusted the valves.  PO told me he had been setting them to .005"
all around.  I changed them to .004 (intake) / .006 (exhaust).

Plugs looked good, but just a little sooty, probably because I had been
running a bit rich.  I cleaned them up a little with a popsicle stick and
put them back.

I replaced the dist. cap and rotor.  Points looked good, and dwell was right
on with virtually no change with changes in rpm.

Checked idle: measured about 950 rpm.  Bentley suggests 850 rpm for my MT,
but the idle adjustment screw is screwed all the way in, and I can't get it
any lower.  **QUESTION:** Is there something else out of whack if I can not
get my idle lower than 950 rpm with the idle screw all the way in??

Distributor:  Both spark advance mechanisms are good.  I checked the vacuum
can with the suck-hose-hold-with-tongue trick and it held.  Greased the cam
block with cam lube.

Timing: With motor idling, I disconnected the vac. hose from the
distributor, but the idle did not change when I did this.  I adjusted timing
to 0 deg with the vac. hose off and plugged per Bentley.  **QUESTION:**
Shouldn't the idle drop a little bit at idle when I disconnect the vac.
hose?  I know the vac. advance unit and the little vac hose are good, so is
there a vac. leak somewhere in the manifold connections?  Or somewhere else?
I think I read somewhere that the vac. unit should retard the timing by
about 7 deg at idle.  But I do not see this.  Thoughts?

-Mark Fuhriman
 1969 Fastback, FI, MT

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