running like a piece of crap

[schnowz]

  Well being as the Geeper has been running like a piece of crap and was 
getting harder and harder to start and the temp got up to the balmy 40's 
today so I checked her out.
   2 of the ignition wires were not reading on the meter. When I took the 
cap off one was full of green crumbs and the copper strands at the end were 
missing plus one cap seems to have the screw corroded away. I'm sure it was 
conducting partially at the high voltage though, but just reducing the juice 
getting to the plug.  But i think the main problem is, I had the Steve 
Northrup oily plug disease from a leak in the valve cover/spark plug figure 
8 gaskets.
  I don't have new gaskets so I'll do the valves tomorrow and use silicone 
on the gasket. I know some of you advise against this but when I've used it 
I have always used a small amount and never had a problem with it getting in 
the engine.

 I also found the vacum switch valve (for the Kleen air system )to be 
opening at 300 mm Hg instead of 430 but i don't think this should be an 
issue. If anyone knows otherwise let me know.

One more Question
  What's the purpose of the coolant valve on the European models? I'm 
thinking it must be to reduce carb icing - if it was just for cold weather 
then i'd expect to see it on the US/Canuck models..


   Pete Staniforth