Solex carburators

[John Larson]

"The valve gap is somewhat hard to set, as the recommended setting is .002"
and my feeler gauge doesn't go that low.  If that were off, then my
compression would suffer, wouldn't it?"

.002"?  Naaahhh.  I don't know where you got that number.  It's .008" for
the intakes, .016" for the exhausts, hot, running.
Get it hot and shut it off.  You get a foot long piece of 5mm VW fuel hose
and tie wrap it in a "J".  Put the short side on the oil sprayer, the long
part down into the rocker box.  I think there's a drainback hole there.
Been a long time!  Put some shop rags along the lower side of the head to
keep the oil off the manifold and start the car.  Adjust the valves like a
Chevy, using a long feeler gauge, adjusting each valve in turn so there's
good drag on the gauge.  If you're doing it cold to get a initial setup,
.014" is good.
The tight valves could account for at least part of the intake backfire, and
certainly affects the idle speed and carb adjustment.  Those timing chain
tensioners are virtually failure proof, and are in nearly every pushrod Brit
and Japanese car ever made.  HTH, John, not sure some memories should be
dragged up ..............
Psssssttt! Wanna buy a "collectable" Clymer 100 LS manual?  :<,)