Here we go again...

[Blackpearleb434]

Vac line needs to be disconnected and blocked while adjusting timing, not sure what your spec is but the reason is.... Your base timing will be let's say 4' with everything disconected and blocked when you connect your vac line idle will smooth out because the timing is advanced to let's say 10' by the vac unit and high vacuum at idle, while driving the timing will fluctuated to its lowest point of 4'under hard acel because there is minimal vacuum the and then advance depending on the curve which is controlled by the vac canister, springs and air control valve if fitted.... If you have the book it will tell you the distributor rev to timing specs

[54vicky]

RUI dmsfrr is right you remove vacumm line from distributor and plug to set timing at 3 degrees BEFORE TDC turning distributor COUNTERCLOCKWISE to advance on 6 cylinder engines as 8 is clockwise

[54vicky]

Rui I sent you message but forgot to include pictures sorry sending now Barry

[RCM]

Guys, thank you all for your input.
I'm bitting my nails on this because I havent yet had the time to go ahead with the testings. I arranged everything yesterday night to start working this morning but at 11pm I got a call from work, a museums intern got sick, the other one was already sick with the flu, and I had to replace her this saturday, so i'm stuck all day long.
Vac advance unit isnt here yet so I couldnt finish the job anyway.

@54 vicky: thanks for the pics. I do have the engine's manual but its nice to know folks are trigger happy to help.

I'll start with blocking the wiper vac port at the manifold and looping the fuel pump, then I'll use the hose trick to find other probably existing leaks. When the vac unit arrives, I'll install it, and follow yours and the manuals instructions. Probably I'll bug you again, sounds good?

I'm also ordering a new air cleaner as my xmas gift, to ditch the enourmous, greasy oil bathtub cleaner. Any advice on this? Summit has some mr gasket (budget) and kn (expensive) cleaners for my carb (Holley 1bbl)

Thanks

[oj]

My absolute favorite aircleaner is the mid50's era chevy, non-oilbath. They look like little flying saucers.
This is a pair I restored and had pinstriped on a 235 chevy I built with zenith 1bbls and Tattersield intake.

[RCM]

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Wow... those are gorgeous. Would they fit a 2 5/16 throat?
Nobody would happen to have a spare one would they?

[RCM]

No news here.
Disconnected the manifold to gas pump (wipers) assy to eliminate a possible vac leak, and I'm waiting for the machine shop to deliver the cap I had made today. Looped the two pipes on the pump.
I'm waiting on the new coil and vac advance unit.
Today, later, I'll install the old points and condenser again and try.
Regards

[RCM]

I'm gettin furious here.
Ordered new wires from e-bay. Got them. Theyr short for cil 5 and 6 eventough theyr stated as proper fit. Got refunded on parts value but not on shipping which is more expensive than the part itself.
Ordered a new condenser, ignition coil and vac advance unit from a EU German dealer, but they havent arrived yet altough they were mailed on nov the 25th.
Damn...

[George/Maine]

It seems you keep going after ign.
Make sure the gas line is clean to tank.

[RCM]

Thanks for the input. I believe I'm good on that section because the gas prefilter gets filled right away as soon as I crank. Might be the carb or fuel related issues alright,but I'd like to clear ignition first.
I'm having a good auto electrician comin by later to check it out, so if all turns out ok I can move on to fuel. I should have called him earlier, but ya know how it goes. Allways tryin to fix things on my own but most of the times getting nowhere. Ya learn through the process anyway...
Thanks

[George/Maine]

Lots of times changing all kinds of parts and still have a problem you best try something else.
Take the dist out turn up side down and oil shaft get all dirt out of bottom.
I think up also have a oil hole on side of dist.
Make sure the shaft bearing are not worm and loose.

[Daves55Sedan]

I have a '55 Courier sedan delivery wagon with a 223. A metal vacuum line runs from the carb to the distrib vac advance unit. Inside the carb (located in the main body) there is a ball check valve held in place with a spring clip. In order to see it you need to remove the main body from the valve body and turn the main body upside down. That ball regulates the vacuum from intake to distrib. Make sure that ball can move freely by shaking main body up and down. These 1bbl holleys on the '55 and '56 Fords do NOT have spark control valve.
When installing a new vac advance on the dizzy, you can work the actuator into the distributor and up thru the hole in breaker plate to fasten your clip without taking distributor out of the engine. I have done it. Be REAL CAREFULL not to disturb the position of those little cams that hold the tension on the breaker plate. If those accidentally get turned, it will mess up your timing.

[Jimz Bird]

Did you find the "whistling" yet.

That is very important to eliminate first. That will compound and cause other problems.

As has been mentioned the dizzy is vacuum advance only and it uses but .18 Inches of Mercury vacuum to start and only 6 Inches at 4000 RPM at full advance. Another reminder to be careful with those half-moon posts the springs are connected to.
All vacuum is controlled by the carb to keep it that low. Good idea to check for sticky balls.
That was the ball in the pic I posted from the 57 Shop Manual in the other thread.
Keep at it. You will get it fixed.

I just read back over this and had another thought - just what you need eh?
Dwell spec is 35 to 38 degrees and point gap is .024-.026
Remember they are inversely proportional. The wider the gap the less time for the coil to "dwell" on the flat spot of the dizzy lob while it is saturating.
You said it ran worse at .024 and it had a tiny gap before. That would increase the dwell time(points closed) and perhaps point to the coil breaking down and needing more time to charge up, as you had suggested earlier.
And of course when dwell/point gap is changed then timing is then checked after.
But again, vacuum leak first.

[Sid]

Just a thought but since you stated earlier your spark plugs showed excess soot have you checked if the needle valve in the carb. is seeping excess gas? Just a thought..........

[RCM]

OK guys, thanks for helping.
Let me see if I can draw a correct answer.
Yesterday the electrician I talked about earlier came by and we started by trying to get the car started by pouring a bit of gas down the carb since it didnt ran for a while now. No good. The we proceeded to check the coil which seems to be delivering properly.He then ran a bunch of tests on other parts and connections from the coil onwards. The spark is irregular or so it seems. At a point we managed to get the car running but irregularly (painstriking to me since she ran very smooth) with lot of poppin and some good bangs from the exhaust.
He then proposed it would be better to take off the dizzy and check for looseness, worn bearings / shaft.
I felt good with this because he did that to me once on a 68 opel I had whith the same sympthoms and solved it, so away the dizzy went.
Let's see the outcome.
@sid: The holley was overhauled with a complete kit past June or so. Somehow the new needle didnt manage to seal and the carb flooded. I'm using the old one till now with no issues, but thats a good lead, so I'll pass on th that, being the dizzy cleared.
@ Jimz: Valuable info, thanks. I hadnt yet fully captured the dwell meaning. I hope the dizzys rebuilt goes well so I can go with proper specs. I cant get the engine runnin till now, so I'm frustrated not being able to check for the leak. Lets see if I can get to it soon.
@ Dave: I'll pass on to carb next, but I must tell you that Im afraid of messing with that. Maybe to you guys it is a very simple matter, but to me, being over here where there are no parts readily available, its a bit scary. I read you on the sticky ball and understand the crucial role it plays.
@ George: That's my main hope for now, lose bearings, worn stuff. This guy has already cleared a similar issue for me in the past, so I've got my finger crossed.

While I'm at it, I might as well ask you guys what you think about the autoline and cardone dizzys and carb on rockauto:
https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,c...,parttype,7108
https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,c...,parttype,5904
Can one go with another? Should I go this way if necessary?
Thanks

[Dobie Gillis]

I've never had an issue with any Cardone reman parts; I have no experience with Alliance but it seems to me these might be the way to go given your situation. Both parts will be a compromise since remans typcally consolidate several years of coverage but they should work well enough IMO.

[Jimz Bird]

Is there a local Ford dealer around anywhere close?
This LoadO system was used on the 6 up until the late 60s in the US. It may have been used longer in Portugal. After the 60s they then went to the centrifugal/vacuum advance dizzy and carbs.
It is also possible there is an "old guy" mechanic at the dealership that may have some insight or contacts to other old Ford 6 guys or a club there.
http://www.ford.pt/

[Blackpearleb434]

At the very start of the thread you mentioned that you went for a drive and when you came back shut it down and then started it the next day it idled rough but still ran, you then mentioned that you could hear a whistle and that the vac advance wouldn't hold.... Have you replaced the vac advance, have you found the cause of the whistle?, when you replaced the leads could you have mixed them up so your firing order is now incorrect, find tdc and confirm you have correct firing order this could cause popping and banging from the exhaust as it is firing with valves open..... Try and go back to basics and replace one thing at a time then try it so you don't get lost..... I've seen a lot of people tune cars to a stand still including myself!!!

[RCM]

OK guys, the problem seems to be solved, at least partialy.
Thanks to all for the valid inputs and leads so far.
@blackpearl: firing order was correct (at least I didnt mess that one up) and I mis-diagnosed the vac leak on the advance canister (I've got the new one but old seems to be good after all - must have been my bad hooking up the serynge).
Here's a sequence of happenings:
1) The dizzy was taken to my friends shop (since my car's at home) to check for loosenesses. Turned out to be in quite a good shape. It returned home with a NEW condenser.
2) At reassembly I almost lost my mind looking for a unexisting dizzy hold down clamp, but later to notice that the dizzy is held down only by the lockwashers and bolts to the block (dif from the V8s I think)
3) Fired her: almost instant fireup, but died down soon.
At this point a whole lot dif things might be faulty, starting with bad timing, but on the plus side, the engine sounded to be willing to start at any time.
4) installed the NEW coil (which finnaly had arrived ~20 days after order) and she fired right up.
5) She runs poorly, but likely needs tunning, after so much fidling, trial and error approaches. Points gap, dwell, dizzy advance and so forth.
At least I'm now able to drive her to my friend's shop (auto electricity), which is a 5km drive.
Probable causes: bad condenser + bad coil. My friend also proposed that setting the new sparkplugs (which I already had bought a while ago) to proper spec (.34) might not have been very good since the rest of the stuff might not have been in top condition.
What do you think?
Now that she runs I can properly look for the vac leak.

Did I get it through clear? This is kind of confusing even to me. If any good comes from this long lasting ordeal, I hope it is help to someone in the future.

Thanks again. I'll report soon on the outcome of things.

[George/Maine]

If it start right up and died do you have a 12 volt coil and a resister about 1.5 ohms.
If no resister will die soon after startup.
I think 12 volt should be neg grd. I have a 54 223 and got a carb on the bay could be only the gasket under carb leaking.