The Low End Mystery

[Ehlem <Ehlem@domain.elided>]

Dear Mike,

More details on the low end blues for my 73.  There is no air leakage that I
can determine.  The engine now has close to 1500 miles on it.  I checked the
cam timing and found it to be on the mark.  I am currently at 2 and a quarter
turns weak from bottom seating on the carbs.  I am timed at 4 degrees BTDC
although I know that the manual calls for 4 degrees ATDC.  It just seems to
run better at BTDC.  Per Walter and Peter I have checked the centrifigal
advance and it seems to be working properly (there is rotation on the rotor
and spring resistance).

The problem on the lag "feels" like the engine is starving for gas.  Once the
engine has warmed up, there is noticibly less lag but it is still there.
Driving the car in 2 and then upshifting to D really helps for obvious reasons
of holding a gear for higher rpms.

Even more bizaar on the engine is that it erratically will swallow coolant.
by this I mean that there are times that I will find the coolant level low.  I
have checked the hoses and there is no sign of leakage and have not seen any
telltale signs of white smoke from the exhaust.  I have yet to warm up the
engine and pull each plug individually to see if I am getting a green mist of
coolant.  I don't think (hope) that the head gasket is blown.

Still stumped,

Kim LeMasters