I am sooooooo glad that all that FI junk is in there! I set the ign timing a few days ago, actually, just checked it with the light. I had it right on using the old static method! Anyway, we hosted a small dinner party on Saturday. Took friends out to the garage, one admired the 914, so I reached through the door window, turned the key, and the car started on the first turn. Sat there and idled like a good little girl. Thank goodness for FI!

EDIT; 3/28/2013. Just drove the car across town, about 16 miles round trip. It ran sweet!

 

Thanks for the update. I have been wondering if you resolved that fast idle.

 

It might be resolving itself, at this point I'm not sure. It was in the high 70s yesterday, so the car did get to full operating temp. About 80% of the time it idled just under 1,000 rpm, the rest of the time the idle hung up at about 1,600 rpm. I'm wondering if there might be a small mechanical issue with the throttle body butterfly. Anyway, I'm not going to worry about it, I'll put 500 miles on it, adjust the valves, change the oil, and call it good to go!

One thing that's really cool - it doesn't leak. At all!

4/21/13 Edit; car sat for two weeks. Got in, turned the key, instant start - smooth idle. Took it for about a 15 mile round trip, car ran very nice. Fast (1600 rpm) idle seems to be confined to when the car is warm; cold and hot idle - good. Downshifting into first requires touch, other than that - sweet!

 

Update; 4/14/14. Since the engine was finished I've put about 325 miles on the car. It doesn't use oil, and it doesn't leak - not a drop. Car runs very well, but the 1600/1700 rpm fast idle remains; but only during warm-up. Cold idle and hot idle are perfect. I'm planning on getting to 500 miles during the next month, changing the oil and adjusting the valves. So far, so good!

 

Those are great news.

 

Hope I'm not too far behind you Pete. I'll have some more free time soon (retiring on cinco de mayo as it's a BIG birthday) and I'll get my '73 running finally!!!
Glad yours is going well...

 

Just drove it across town to the mall and took my son to lunch. Car ran beautiful; sure wish the paint was a little better!

 

Pete, if you haven't dined at the Hungry Hunter I highly recommend it ! Just off the Freeway towards the Kaiser.
The hot weather is a comin', is your fuel pump up front ?
Marty

 

Hi, Marty. My fuel pump's in the rear, but I modded the right heater box and diverted the hot air away from the pump (nice little trick that my shop used to do, back - way back - in the day, on customer cars to avoid heat stroke).

Yep, it got hot today! Over 90, again, by the time we were done with lunch. Car ran surprisingly well, but man, it's noisy! I'm still looking for a stock 1.8L muffler to replace the Anza/Ansa/crap that came with the car!

My wife loves Hungry Hunter (next to Costco), she has lunch there from time to time. We had dinner there not too long ago - it was really good.