stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

can a stock distributor be used with a JR Isky Cam ?

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

How many carbs are you running?

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

What distributor? Front mount or top mount load-a-matic?

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

1950 merc motor . Top mount dist . 8BA intake 1 carb 60 over bore

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

If it uses a 1949-1953 Loadamatic the answer is no! Wont work very well..

If is use a three bolt helmet or a two bolt crab distributor the answer is "sure" best ever made . Automatic advance rates , dual point and set up correctly will rev up and run very well.. Early had 16 degrees and late have 22 degrees........

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

What is a loadomatic. what makes it different from a regular dist?

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

He says he is running an 8BA intake. If it has an 8BA type carb, it might run tolerably well (to the extent that the Isky cam changes the amount and timing of vacuum), but it probably won't be ideal. Plus, it is seriously under-carbed. I have a Rochester small base 2GC on my '51 Merc engine with a Mallory dual-point, and it is hands down, the best running flathead I have had over the last 60 years (and I've had a few). Bottom line, he can probably get by with it, but it is far from the best solution.

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

During these years ('1949-1956?), Ford used a unique vacuum set up to advance the timing. They called their system "Loadamatic". While most vacuum advance systems use either manifold or ported vacuum, the Ford system uses venturi vacuum. The distributor also has no provision for mechanical advance. The system runs very well in a stock engine when all of the components are in good condition, but if you change anything, the distributor advance won't work properly, and the car will run badly. I ran the stock engine in my '51 for 30 years this way, and was very happy with it. It's like anything else; if it's in good condition and used the way it was designed, it's fine. Your new cam probably messes up that design, how much I don't know; you'll just have to try it.

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

I agree i would try the loadamatic , may work very well.
However if it doesnt it will be very retarded and over heat.

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

I assume it´s a 400Jr we´re talking about and that seems like a little more cam then that setup would benefit from...specially if it´s in a heavy car that needs torq.
You don´t care about anything but power...get a mallory distributor they look nice !
You wan´t good mileage...convert a vacuum advance distributor...the chevy´s work great but not eyecandy imho...

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

Murre, I got 19 mpg with the Mallory mechanical advance only and the 2GC coming back from Paynesville. Most of that is Interstate Highway and I was running at the speed limit, which was 65 (2800 RPM). I don't think that's too bad with a non-overdrive car. I have to believe it would have been in the mid 20's with an overdrive.

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

I ran a 3/4 race Isky cam in my '51 ford, stock bore, two 94's, dual point with Mallory coil, alum. heads. Stock loadamatic and the car ran great! Put 50,000 miles on it.

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

Ok, what is a stock loadomatic dual point?

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

That takes it out of the "stock" range for sure. I'd question the benefits of a dual point set up in a Load-O-Matic on an 8BA type engine. Which carb would run the vacuum advance? The Holley Load-O-Matic's used spring tension to hold the advance against the vacuum can pull and they were very limited on the available advance. A modified Chevy or Chrysler distributor would give a person both centrifugal advance and vacuum advance. A person needs an adjustable vacuum can to run it on manifold vacuum with two 94s or two 97s. When they are dialed in, they can't be easily beaten for overall street performance. The Load-O-Matic is barely acceptable for a stone stock 8BA type engine.

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

I take exception to this statement. You must never have had one that was 100%.

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

The only advance you got was by venturi vacuum and depending on the spring tension it worked OK but for how long. If you need more advance or want any sensitivity it's just not going to do much. Every person I've ever seen try to use one with dual carbs ends up changing it to something else. The engine overheats at the drop of a hat.

If you've had good luck with it then that's great but most folks that I've known didn't. Even the old crab was a better distributor. At least it had a centrifugal advance with a vacuum operated retard.

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

What does dual carbs have to do with it? In the post I referenced you specifically stated "stone stock"; that is what I am commenting on. I specifically said earlier that "if you change anything, the distributor advance won't work properly, and the car will run badly".

Also, "Luck" has nothing to do with properly tuning an engine.

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

Everything is relative, To say that the engine ran great, is an opinion. When Richard was doing the ignition timing tests, he recorded the results using a road rig that recorded the advance , AF, Vac, RPM and then changes were made to improve the economy of the engine. It's not a racing engine in a street car. We build a hi performance Street engne to get reasonable econmy as well. But we like to get into it once in a while. I too believe the Loadamatic is a good ignition system when used properly, but any cam would cancel it's efectivness.

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

I'll stand by my statement about the Load-O-Matic. I ran enough flatheads to know that the system will function fine on a stock flathead V8 in a car but not too well on trucks which I grew up working on. I also have some experience with the Load-O-Matic on the Y-blocks and that is a different animal and especially in trucks. They will work on a stock Y-block but NOT well. These systems rely on only one factor, vacuum. It took Ford a while to finally adopt a system that did work well on OHV engines and they caught up with the standard technology that most of the other manufacturers had been using for quite a while.

Re: stock dist with jr. isky cam
 

Seems like I remember there being dual point conversion kits for these load-O-Matics back in the '50's or '60's.