Tilley

Here is my new coupe:

I just got it back after getting a long block on my I6 200 motor. I couldn't get the car to run right after getting a new carburetor and fuel pump (old one went out a we were trying to start it).

The car kept stumbling or not keeping an idle.

I called the carb shop I bought the carb from and the guy said to disconnect the vacuum advance hose and block it at the carburetor and see what that does.

It now runs like a champ! No hesitation and no stumbling. I asked the carb guy what to do now, and he said just to drive it like that.

Side note: with the car idling and the vacuum advance plugged at the carb, I put a hose on the vacuum advance on the distributor and applied suction, and that caused the idle to stumble. Is the distributor bad?

2+2GT

Strange. The Loadomatic distributor doesn't even have centrifugal advance, it's made to work in concert with the ported vacuum slot in the Autolite 1100 carb venturi. With the advance disconnected, your engine should run like crap, having no advance at all. Contrary to common belief, the Loadomatic vacuum advance can be adjusted.

Tilley

This has a Motorcraft distributor, I think from a 1972/73 and a Autolite 1100 without the Spark Control Valve.

Tomorrow I'm putting in a Petronix I Ignitor.

When I give gas with a timing light on I can see the timing marks advance.

Sooo...is it okay to run with the vacuum advance plugged?

Tilley

The guy who owns the engine shop and built my motor said running my I6 without a vacuum advance should not cause any problems.

He strongly suggested I put a cowl on the radiator and go to a 5-blade fan, and using spacers, have the fan about an inch away from the radiator.

1slow67

load-o-matic didn't start until 68


I never had a single problem with cooling my I6 with the stock fan setup. I also ran a/c on it and it still never heated up. My I6 was even bored .040 over.

racer_dave

So does the distributor have weights then? On the racecars we never run it, we just adjust the weighting so the advance comes in when we want it to. Sometimes it will make it a little harder to start because the initial advance is higher than normal, but we run a lot more timing than a steeet car would.

If its good like that, I'd run it.

2+2GT

You have that backward. By 1968, the Load-O-Matic was done, killed by the new emissions standards. The Loado was a vacuum-only distributor which worked in concert with the Autolite 1100 ported vacuum.

This is the Load-O-Matic:



66-67 200 with California Emissions and all 200 starting in 68 had a dual-advance distributor, which had both vacuum and centrifugal advance:

2+2GT

Depends. If you don't mind reduced throttle response and poor gas mileage. Instead of goobering your distributor, get it adjusted professionally.

Obviously, your current mechanic doesn't have a clue. Sounds to me like the timing is set wrong, or the vacuum advance wasn't connected properly, or both. Connecting or disconnecting the vacuum advance at idle should have no effect.

If you can't find a shop locally that has a distributor machine, I can tell you where to send it. Don't get a reman distributor, either. They are never right, not even close.

Jonk67

The diaphragm in the vac. adv. may also be dried out/torn/shot, if so then it is a vacuum leak everytime you hook it up. You can get a new vac. adv. at the parts store, you'll need the casting numbers off the dist. usually to get a matching one. I ordeded mine next day through O'reillys no charge for getting it from the warehouse.

You can test the vac adv. by removing the cap, find the arm that comes out the back of the adv. Hook up a hose to the nipple and suck on it, watch the arm, if it pulls into the adv. the diaphragm is good, if it doesn't move it's shot. After 40yrs. most I come across are shot.
Jon

2+2GT

Or are about to.