C1 F.I. Running Rich

[Mark L.]

I met a guy yesterday at a local show who has a '60 fuel car, however he did not bring it because it fouls the plugs after about 100 miles.

What are the most common problems with fuelies? This is the third guy I've met who has a fuelie unit that runs too rich.

I ask this somewhat selfishly because I'm planning on putting one on my '58.

Any advice will be appreciated. Best Regards from Connecticut...Mark

[Bill W.]

Re: C1 F.I. Running Rich

Mornin' Mark,

Lots of possibilites here, but if this person is truly fouling plugs in 100 miles, he probably has more than one thing wrong.

Looking at only the FI, check power and economy stop settings, check for defective cranking signal valve, incorrect cold enrichment system setting. To get this kind of plug fouling, the unit probably has internal problems or the motor it's mounted on needs help.

Early FI units (57' thru 65') are very workable and reliable with just a little bit of care and common sense, most problems occur when they are abused or "improved". Don't let this persons problem with his unit keep you from buying one. Bill

[Bill Clupper]

Re: C1 F.I. Running Rich

I'd second bill's comments with the proviso to start with the cranking signal valve, then look at the enfichment diagphram to see if it holds vacuum. These are the most likely culprits if running a '320 unit. If it's an earlier unit, some of the early units bypassed the vacuun to the enrichment diagphram when the choke was on, so the unit ran full rich during warmup. this should release after about 3 miles of driving, but the valve in the base of the choke may be stuck. In college, I lived about 1 & 1/2 miles from school, so it never really cleaned up in the winter. I would trash a set of plugs in a week.