Altitude adjustments on 2F

[Helipilot]

What adjustments do you folks do to keep engine running strong at 5,000 and above? I am setting at 660' above MSL here at home base. Plan to do the Smokey Mountains and Rocky Mountains when I finish the rebuild.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[tls3601]

FWIW my rig is stock intake stock carb and stock jetting. I live at 5300 ft and drive around most of the time between that elevation and up to 7200 ft with no issues. I am sure I am a little rich especially in the winter but she runs fine. I do bet she runs better in Phoenix at like 1200 feet though.........................Hope this helps. I guess the big question is how high do you plan on going?

 

[Tancruiser]

I live at 8000 ft ,I advanced the timing a little and have no issues , but at altitude your going to have less power thats just a fact .,

 

[1911]

My 1980 came stock with a High Altitude Compensation system that adds another 6 degrees of additional advance to the ignition timing and bleeds more air into the carb circuits above 4,000 feet elevation. I've had it up to 13,000' without any problems, but like @Tancruiser said, you're going to lose oxygen and power no matter what. It can be slow going up a steep highway pass in 2nd or 3rd gear.

If you're going to be driving at elevation for more than a day, just advance your distributor another 6 degrees. If you don't have a dial-back timing light, then wait until you get up at elevation and advance the distributor by hand until it runs good but doesn't ping under load. Make a mark where it was, and set it back to that when you come down from elevation.

 

[SteveH]

Agree with the rest. I live at 7000' and have a Federal spec FJ40. Advance the timing and leave the rest alone. It will run quite rich at 13,000 or so - some black smoke and a very smooth idle. But, unless you live in Leadville, just leave it as it is, jet-wise.

 

[Helipilot]

Thanks guys. I feel better with the information you provided that I can handle the issue without spending a pile of money. My plans are for some time in Colorado where my brother lives and then in the Smokey Mt's that are an easy trip from here. Highest thing we have in Arkansas is about 2,000' MSL

 

[Gordobe]

Great info, thanks muchly

 

[tls3601]

This was a concern for me as well as my rig spend almost all of its life before 2013 in Phoenix; approx 1200 ft Very good advice by SteveH

 

[crashn]

I learned a trick from a friend that grew up in the Colorado Rockies. He use to "T" a vacuum line and put a small valve under the dash so he could open the valve a little at a time to run better at high altitude.

 

[SteveH]

I learned a trick from a friend that grew up in the Colorado Rockies. He use to "T" a vacuum line and put a small valve under the dash so he could open the valve a little at a time to run better at high altitude.

Is this essentially a controlled vacuum leak? A novel idea... not sure it's bad, either. Hmm...