61 390 Tri-Power fouling plugs

[S. Dillman]

I have a 61 starliner w/ 3-2's and it is fouling all of the plugs. I have sent the carbs off and had them rebuilt at Q/Fuel, new plug wires, pulled intake new gaskets, had the carb bodies milled for straightness, bought the H/P Trends on setting them up and 5 sets of autolite 42's it is still doing it. Does anyone have any ideas? Any help would be appreciated. Thank's Steve

[Heo]

you have probably checked this but
Restricted airfilter

[Jim-W]

Tell us about the engine. Mechanical tappet much like the 375hp or wild, or stock? Is the idle normal? For the build… smooth if stockfish cam? Normal idle if hotrod cam (i.e. idles the way it usually does with that cam). Is this a setup that’s been on for a long time and the problem just arose, or is this a completely new installation? If a completely new installation, is it all numbers correct, metering blocks, jets, carb bodies?

Shooting off the cuff, and if the idle rolls and is fat, It sure sounds like a power valve issue. If not, how about fuel pump? Mechanical running normal pressure, or over fueling with a high pressure electric? Food for thought. I’ve run a totally stock setup on a mild 390 with great results. Neat setup, one of my favorite.

[S. Dillman]

The engine was in the car when I bought it. I was told it had a 427 solid lifter cam. It does have hollow lifters and C1AE heads. I am pulling it out in Nov. and them I will know what I have. It also has mechanical fuel pump and it looks stock. Restrict the oil flow to the heads using a 90 jet. I have installed a PVC valve and no diff. switched back to road tube. It has  150# of compression on 8 holes. It only seems to foul the plugs when at a idle.

[jayb]

It might be oil fouling if the engine is not in great shape.  You might be leaking oil down the guides and into the combustion chamber, for example, or maybe from an intake gasket.  Have you got a picture of one of the fouled plugs that we can look at?

What ignition are you running?  An MSD will cure a lot of plug fouling problems...

[S. Dillman]

not sure how to post a picture.  The plugs are black and I can take a air hose and blow it of the plugs.

[jayb]

Sounds like they are dry, so probably not oil.  Does the engine seem like it's running rich at idle? 


Info on how to post pictures is here:

http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=2.0

[Heo]

to Cold plugs, high float level,to high fuel pressure
wrong ign timing

[Jim-W]

Have you tried shutting down the end carb butterflies till they are close to seat, not too close so they stick and then close down the end carb idle circuits. Sounds like rich at idle, that’s a starting point. Really suspicious of powervalve though. Another trick is to isolate the center carb by plating the end spots and concentrate on the center. If it suddenly runs fine, then it’s one of the end carbs. If not, then concentrate on the middle carb. BTW, nice engine build!

[Jim-W]

If it were oil fouling the plugs, from everything you’ve already said you’ve done, I’d say check the heat riser crossover to ensure it’s not rotted under the splash pan on the bottom of the manifold, but doesn’t seem as though it’s oil from what you’ve said. Just another thought though.

[S. Dillman]

Thanks for all of the tips!! It only fouls the plugs (autolite 45) at a idle, driving above that it don't seem to bother them. I drove it out to the US Nationals every day and it was fine. About 25 miles of Interstate each way. I have them gapped at .035 and valves set at .025, timing 12 deg. w/vac hose off. Total of 36 deg. with it on the dist. Have pertronix 40,000 v/coil 1.5 ohm and Pertronix Ignitor in the dist. New Taylor Pro Wires. I ran an positive lead from the battery to the 12volt side of coil and it didn't make any difference. It has 10-12 " of vac. at a idle approx 1200 rpms in netural. 10" of vac @  700-800 in gear. Changed the intake gaskets but nothing helps. The bottom side of intake is fine blocked heat passage on intake. It runs around 160 deg. when hot. I had drag raced upto May of this yr. and sold my race car. Sold everything I had. Then found this starliner in the Toledo area. I took my first ride in a new 401hp Starliner in 61 and have wanted one since. I have owned a 63 Gal. 500 with 427,425hp, Hi-po 65 Must. 2- 428 CJ 69 Fairlanes 70 Must S/Pro w/487. Thanks again

[machoneman]

2X on removing and blocking off the to end carbs to determine if the blackness goes away. That and adding a MSD-6 unit to keep the plugs clean at all times.

[lovehamr]

X3 on the MSD.  If you've never run one you'll likely be surprised at how well it runs at idle and low speeds.

[Heo]

Maby ...to make it idle with that cam, The butterflies is open so
much that fuel is drawn from the mains.It gives a to rich idle but
goes away at higher rpm. The fix is to drill small
holes in the butterflies

PS I realy like 61 starliners, The most beautyful ford of the 60s
in my opinion.My nabour has one but no FE in it just a 5.0 ho
and i still regret a black/red int 4spd 406 i let getaway from me
in the 80s ds

[S. Dillman]

Thanks to everyone for the help. I drilled out the idle bleeds by .06 thousands on the 3 carbs and drilled 110 thousands  holes in the throttle blades on the center carb. Put the old plugs back in it and took it out and drove it for approx. 5 miles at diff. speeds and let it idle. Took the plugs out and they looked great. I am going to drive it Wed. for about 45 miles and will ck. the plugs again. Will let you know if it is still ok. Thanks again for all of the suggestions!! Steve Dillman