I'd say a darker grey than anything, but not wet or caked, they looked pretty good but, new plugs came with the tune up kit I guess I could put them in.
I haven't checked the timing since all was working fine before the new carb.
The full story is when I went to crank it this spring it would turn over but no spark/crank. I thought it was coil because I had 12v at the coil + but only 8.6ish when using the coil ground. Apparently thats normal since there is resistance going through the coil. I replaced the coil and it didn't help so I went to the carb and distributor. I got a carb rebuild kit and it didn't help. The points on the distributor looked really good so I just changed the condenser. No help. The roter and cap looked new so I skipped them (bad idea). After getting shocked at the coil testing a plug on the center wire (read about that test online) I decided the coil was good. For kicks I pulled the rotor that was shiny black and noticed the brass nub that touches each point was worn. I compared it to the new one that came with the kit and the new one looked longer. Put it on and it cranked right up. The entire problem was a bad $5 rotor.
Went for a ride to disc a plot and 100 yrds from the shed it died. The only way to get it back to the shed was with the choke all the way out. Pretty clear it was the carb and odds were high in my head I had screwed it up with the rebuild. So having spent 3 weeks on it, I just bought a new carb.
Installed it, cranked right up and runs what seems like perfect other than under a heavy load it seems to have lost some horse power and the governor doesn't kick in like it used to.
Here is one more thing, could it be an issue ?
I used the fuel line from the old carb hookup, its a flanged metal line with a 90 bend at the hook up so it can run back toward the tank. It won't fit tight because when its fully tight it points the line at 45 vs 90. So I can wiggle it. Its NOT leaking fuel, but could it be sucking air ?
I would think if it was starving for fuel it would more spit and sputter but it really just bogs down under load and no governor kick in. But then again my thinking got me in trouble a few times already.
My main focus now is how to change the mixture on a Zenith 13913 , other than the slow idle stop screw, I only see one screw that looks like an adjustment screw. Its on the throat and goes through a spring. It really doesn't seem to have much impact on anything as it changed. I ended up going all the way in then back out 1 1/4. I can't tell if its an air adjustment or a fuel adjustment, but I was expecting material changes all the way in or all the way out and there wasn't.
$5 rotor can kick your tail.
Thanks for all the feedback and reading the saga.
