'54 Early Special engine bolts and accelerator linkage

[Doc]

The '54 Early Special has returned home after having to be returned to the shop about 6 weeks ago due to coolant in the oil. They think either or two things happened: they did not retorque the bolts under the carburetor/accelerator linkage and/or they did not properly apply the copper gasket gook. Drove the car about 40 miles home on a 97-98 degree day and it ran pretty warm most of the way and vapor locked once but recovered and then blew out 2 quarts of coolant just inside the driveway....so lucky on that. Electric pump goes on Friday and radiator to the shop.

The Service Manual makes no mention of retorquing the bolts after any period of time or miles. Any recommedations? I see it's fairly low torque, too at 30-35 ft-lbs.
Second question: The car (new rebuilt 226) does not seem to have the power it should and I noticed the choke plate is always vertical. The manuals says there is a linkage that can be adjusted and I ponder if that is adjusted correctly, then I'll get some of the power back. I really have to bare down on the accelerator pedal to maintain over 50 mph.

[ben-tex]

I suppose you have checked the points and the timing...

[Fabian 51K]

There is nothing in the book about retirque, but it is a good idea to do a retorque at 500 miles when you do the break in oil change and then again every 3000 miles. Retorque should not excede 35 ft. lbs, or you run the risk of snapping, or twisting a head bolt. The linkage should not be aproblem if it has not been changed. The choke can be adjusted on the side of the carburator. Factory settings were great back when the cars were new, but I have found that with the timing it is best to make an adjustment and then drive the car to see what works. Don't forget that even with a rebuilt engine most of the components are 50-60 years old. A 54 Kaiser without the Super Charger engaged will do 90 mph. I know I did it in my Dad's car after we rebuilt the engine in the early 90's. Don't tell him that or he might have a Heart Attack!

[ben-tex]

Service bulletin from my CD has the following on installing new head gasket:

http://www.kfnut.com/headtorque.jpg

[ben-tex]

HJ-Tex and I drove up to Kansas years ago to buy a 51 Frazer Vagabond from Herb Long. I was planning to drive it back to Texas. A test drive was about to sour the deal since the car would hardly climb a gentle incline--no power! We took it back to Herb's driveway and HJ looked at the points and they were much too closed (as I recall) and so he did an eyeball set. That cured the problem. We drove it home including a stop in Tulsa where we had to fight off the Oral Roberts crusaders for a motel room...

[Fid]

Even a slight deviation in point gap can make a big difference in power, especially with a Delco distributor.  I put a new set of points in my '53 in April. The spec sheet says to set the Delco points at .022 but it never works right when you do and it didn't this time either. Car blubbered and had no power on accelleration.  I set the points back to .020, set the timing, checked the dwell angle and the car runs great.  I've had it happen before too - a few years ago I did a tune up on my other J which has Autolite. Same issue, wouldn't even climb a hill.  I hung a dwell meter on it and even though I thought I had gapped it right, the dwell angle was way out of range. I regapped the points and it ran great and had plenty of power (well as much power as a Henry J would have...) so yes, that can be the answer.