What was that tool called ?

Steve Zicht · Post by **Steve Zicht** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 10:29 am

Chatting on the phone with a buddy last night and somehow we got on the subject of fine tuning the A/F mixture on a carbureted engine and I mentioned that I had recalled a special tool years ago for this purpose that was I saw on a TV show recently.

It was a special spark plug with a built in looking window that allowed a user to visually look at the combustion flame inside a cylinder as the engine was running. White combustion color meant too lean, Orange combustion flame meant too rich and blue combustion flame was just right.

I vaguely recall seeing advertisements in car custom magazines many years ago in the early 60s about something like this. By coincidence , I recently recalled seeing an episode of one of those car restoration shows ( Chasing Classic Cars I think ) where the mechanic pulled out this very tool from his tool box to check the mixture on an old Jaguar thats carburetors were just overhauled. Whoa ! When's the last time I saw on of those tools from a bygone era ?

LOL Damned if I can remember what that slick little gadget was called but I think it was originally invented in Britain. My buddy has never heard of this tool and Im pretty sure its no longer in production. Remember all those crazy car gizmo's and gadgets way back when ? Apparently this little tool worked but Im not certain how long it lasted on the market and as to how well it functioned and its limitations.

LOL My buddy of nearly 50 years thinks I must have this tool mixed up with something else. Any of you ' senior ' guys in Speed Talk recall seeing this tuning aid from years past ?

BCjohnny · Post by **BCjohnny** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 2:32 pm

Gunson Colourtune

BCjohnny · Post by **BCjohnny** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 2:33 pm

Here you go .....

http://www.gunson.co.uk/item.aspx?code=G4074

Edit: And I'm not that senior, lol ......

Steve Zicht · Post by **Steve Zicht** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 2:52 pm

GOOD SHOW !!!! I knew I wasnt dreaming ! My buddy thinks I simply got a bad batch of Jack Daniels Sour Mash Whiskey and was imagining this gadget. Now we all know theres no such thing as a bad batch of sour mash !! LOL BC JOHNNY, you made my day. And to think their still making this thing too. This tuning tool has been around for over 50 years. I recall seeing this tool in car magazines from the late 50's into the 60's. I knew this thing was invented in England. A fellow speed buff from the UK had to help us out here.

Thanks again BC Johnny My buddy is going to eat crow over this one. Anybody here ever use one ?

GOOD SHOW AGAIN BCJOHNNY WELL DONE !~

Post by **GARY C** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 3:12 am

Steve if you talk to David Vizard any time soon you may ask him about his experience with these kind of tuning tools.

BTW are you still messing with your flow bench carb tuning data?

Steve Zicht · Post by **Steve Zicht** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 9:29 am

Gary C, sent you a PM.

BCjohnny · Post by **BCjohnny** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 11:23 am

Steve Zicht wrote:Anybody here ever use one ?

Steve, personally no, but I have a mate who used one before he started borrowing my CO meter. IIRC it's mainly for setting at idle, and could be a touch fiddly to use, but gave reasonable enough results for what it was. I'll ask him when we meet up.

[FWIW Just noticed the 'American' spelling, maybe they'd got export ambitions ...... And out of coincidence I was talking to an older mate a couple of weeks back, prior to you asking, when quite independently he started talking about the founder, apparently a local chap .......]

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