Yes, good point kedwinh. A vacuum gauge is probably more useful than a timing light. I guess I just recomended that because I'm more familiar with using a timing light to check timing than using a vacuum gauge. But agreed, vacuum gauge is probably even better in case the timing marks can't be trusted.

The (only) advantage of a timing light approach is this: using a vac gauge requires adjustment of timing, since you have to adjust to know if you are pulling maximum vacuum or not. With a timing light, if you have faith in the timing marks, you can check timing and know without adjusting anything if you are close or not to correct timing advance. I could be wrong, though.

 

Probably a stupid question but am a ask . How much does warm up affect mpgs? Not shore about how mpgs are influenced but I let ol blue warm up for a long time at least 15-20 minutes . Hit the throttle one time to disengage the choke an ol girl purred like a kitten she ran sooooo smoothly.

 

A warmed up engine likely does get better mpg compared to when its cold!

 

I've let mine warm up 10 or more minutes in below-zero temperatures.

But, I'm getting 0 MPG while doing that, so I try to take off as soon as it's warm enough to operate decently.

 

We don't often have really cold weather here but, even when it does get below freezing, I never let it idle more than about 1 minute. Just long enough that it idles good on it's own. But then again I have my chock backed almost all the way off.

 

So today didn't do much but got the lookin around on my truck an I realize my truck doesn't have a kickdown cable. That connects the carb and c6 transmission. Would that have an adverse affect on my mpgs? I always felt my truck shifts layed back and lax and late . I was goin to look into that . Goin to borrow a timing light to check that out. An the Duraspark conversion is soon to come soon as I get come cash .

 

The kickdown cable will only affect WOT downshifts, if your system is in limp mode the timing is locked at whatever it is set at static, probably 10 BTDC.

 

the past few days my truck has been running rather good. good power great idle still poor mpg. all i really did was continue playing with the air idle mixture screw, replaced the fuel filter and added some fuel treatment. i also have really been letting the truck warm up properly ( i think that was one reason for the irratic idle) so my bad for that. i have really been ***** footing the truck never driving above 35mph. and i calculated my milage and i am still getting 10.31mpg. i have yet to check timing. i have been soo busy these past days. anymore suggestions i will be glad to take. thanks guys.