Thanks to everyone who has chimed in on this thread -- lots of great advice! I didn't have much of a chance to tinker this weekend, but did observe a few things:

I'm pretty sure Phil and others correct - there seems to be something wrong with my PCV system. When I remove the PCV valve and plug the nipple on the intake manifold, the idle dips down and smooths out. I suspect that the mixture will lean out significantly, too (hope to futz with the mixture/balance soon).

Can someone confirm whether the flange on the PCV valve (side with the smaller diameter hose nipple) is supposed to go to the flame trap, or the intake manifold?

Also, I checked my timing - it's around 17-18 deg - my Haynes manual says 19 deg -- does 1-2 deg make a big difference? (I'm worried about introducing more things I could screw up, so I've been hesitant to adjust it.)

BTW, I have to put a plug in for Phil's excellent article "All About Ignition" article on VClassics -- after reading it 5 times, I _almost_ understand the basics of automotive ignition systems!

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Jerry | www.65brick.blogspot.com |