Hi chad, i set the timing at operating temp with a vac gauge -- rotated the dizzy until i maxed vacuum and then backed off a few degrees. I set idle mixture for max vacuum as well. i leaned it out a bit after reconnecting the vacuum advance. the idle speed screw on my 1100 is just barely touching the plate. this is how i got to my current idle speed. if i try to reduce the speed or the advance, the engine idles pretty rough.
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also, i'm going to post my notes so far about this rocker arm project:
The two aftermarket options we're considering are Yella Terra (YT) and Rocker Arms Unlimited (RAU)
If we're going with YT, the head needs to be removed and the engine block needs to be tapped. we also need to replace the pushrods and lifters. the total price of just those parts is $821.87, not including international shipping. Potentially,
the #2 and #3 lifters need to be modified to prevent oil starvation at the distributor gear.
Here is a diagram showing the oil passage that needs to be plugged at the block. make sure the plug head is below deck.
here's the post explaining how to do it.
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If we're going with RAU, we need to replace the pushrods with ball and cup style ones.
The original pushrods are 8.350" from tip to tip and 5/16" in diameter. We also need to know the ball and cup diameters. those should be 3/8", unless i'm wrong.
The most economical part number from
Smith Bros for such a push rod is
NR54A-ED with 8.350" E.L. -- these withstand up to 400lbs of nose pressure.
Now, the price is $8.65 per rod so a total of $103.80 for 12 rods. Adding the advertised cost of the F44R rocker assembly, the subtotal is $882.80, but we save time by going with a drop-in option.
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In both cases, it would be a good idea to upgrade the valve springs from stock. We need to know the spring ID and installed height. The new springs should match our ID and have a coil bind height that is at least 0.050" lower than the installed height minus our total valve lift with the new rocker arms. using dual springs or viton valve seals is not possible without machining the valve guides, as far as i know.
drawing from
clochard68's thread, the Comp 903 springs seem like a promising way to go.
here's my new question for you guys: would it be unreasonable to attempt to machine the valve guides with the head still on the engine?
also, let me know if i got anything wrong.