The Chrysler slant-6 engine is a rugged and durable design that was used for many years, starting in 1960. The offset slant, intended to lower the engine under the hood and make it more compact, also has the benefit of making the engine more robust. Toyota uses a similar approach in their 4-cylinder engines in the popular Camry. Adjusting the Carter-designed carburetor used on the slant-six is very straightforward; however, you must ensure the carburetor mounting gasket is sound so no vacuum leaks are present.
Remove the air cleaner that mounts directly on top of the carburetor. Examine the base gasket and make sure it is intact and leak-free.
Install the tachometer leads by attaching the negative lead to the negative connection on the ignition coil. Attach the positive lead to the battery positive post. Start the car and read the tachometer.
Adjust the base idle screw on the carburetor and read the tachometer. This screw sets the idle linkage (the linkage that is attached to the accelerator pedal) to the factory idle specifications. It is normally 500 to 550 revolutions per minute (RPM). Adjust the screw in or out until the proper RPM is achieved.
Adjust the idle mixture screw with a screwdriver. This is a small screw at the base of the carburetor. A spring is behind the head of the screw to keep it from vibrating out of place. Turn the screw in to create a lean fuel mixture until the engine starts to misfire. Back the screw out (richen the fuel mixture) until the engine runs smoothly.
