i have a 66 coupe with the 200 engine, i have been haveing 2 problems.

first the engine misses on a steady pace on idle (causeing a rough idle) and when crusing, does not seam to miss during exceleration. the missing gets worse the lower the fuel level is so i was thinking fuel pump or carb??? what do you think.

second is the amp guage in the dash when the car is idle it bounces and the lights flicker, as soon as i put more rpms to it the bouncing and flickering goes away, but at a stop light at night i can see my head lights, dash lights and interior lights flickering. i was thinking alternator ???

thanks for the help. i really like the forum.

[IMG]local://upfiles/51004/1D0BAFAC95134864ABD501C48BF70BF6.jpg[/IMG]

 

Welcome,

That is a really nice looking '66!

Carb was not the greatest. It was setup lean from the factory. Also the intake log is a pretty much aweful design. If you haven't changed your fuel filter that would be a good idea. Also how much gas have you run through the car? My six does not like old gas at all.
I bumped up the timing to smooth things out. Got rid of almost all the hesitation too. An electronic ignition module does wonders as well, especially for idle.
http://fordsix.com is a great web site for information on the 6 cylinder engine. I'd suggest not getting caught up in the moment in regards to pumping up your six. Not a good "bang for the buck" move. Just drive it and enjoy.

On your flickering light and gauge issue. You are very close. Most likely it is the voltage regulator. This is a black metal box on the drivers side radiator support right beside the radiator. The original regulator uses a point type system, that gets kind of slow after years of service. I'd suggest changing to an electronic version. Keep your stock one in case you ever want to do concours stuff.
I picked up an electronic version for $16.00 shipped to my door off ebay. Works excellent. voltage is rock steady and right where I like to see it (~14.6V).

 

If you have not done a major tune up on the car, do it. Cap, Rotor, Plugs, Wires, points, Condencsor. Air, fuel, oil filters. Also, don't wait to get stuck with other things to dire to fix. These are relatively inexpensive....coil, voltage regulator, starter solenoid. Also. check alternater charge. This will usually solve a lot of gremlins, but it will also help to narrow down your problem. I would also swap out the fuel pump if original. The diaphrams only last so long.
Good luck.