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Old 09-22-2021, 09:37 AM   #1
KULTULZ
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Default load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

Quote:
THE LOAD-O-MATIC DISTRIBUTOR

By Gerry Dubois

The Load-o-Matic distributor is essentially the same from the bowl up on all modern Ford units. Take a '57 or later distributor, remove the breaker plate and upper shaft assembly. Replace these with the beaker plate and upper shaft assembly from any '75 or later Ford V-8 distributor. Install a new stator and reluctor.

SOURCE - http://www.y-blocksforever.com/tech/...oadomatic.html

Does anyone see something wrong in the article's opening statement?
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Old 09-22-2021, 10:08 AM   #2
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

.
The vacuum dependent distributor style usually referred to as a "Loadomatic" was last used in '56. The main shaft, dist housing, internal hardware and method of timing advance were all redesigned in size, style & function for the '57+ distributors.

The '57+ (Y-block) distributors have fly-weights inside for timing advance that is approx 90% (?) mechanically controlled by engine rpm.
'75 and newer I'm not familiar with.

I'd be passingly curious to see photo examples of what Gerry Dubois is trying to explain.
He's got me confused. (which unfortunately is easier to do these days)
.

Last edited by dmsfrr; 09-22-2021 at 10:35 AM.
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Old 09-22-2021, 10:17 AM   #3
KULTULZ
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Question Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

Then why has this TECH ARTICLE been posted for so long and no one has questioned it?

OLD WIVES TALES just keep 'on rollin' ...
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In addition, any above tech information is supplied in good faith. No responsibility implied or otherwise can be accepted for the way others use or interpret provided data.

Your experience(s), opinion(s) and mileage may vary.

DIAGNOSED CDO - (OCD In Correct Alphabetical Order)
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Old 09-22-2021, 10:22 AM   #4
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

[QUOTE=KULTULZ;2059006]
SOURCE - http://www.y-blocksforever.com/tech/...oadomatic.html


That opening statement is 100% wrong!
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Old 09-22-2021, 10:43 AM   #5
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

Quote:
Originally Posted by KULTULZ View Post
Then why has this TECH ARTICLE been posted for so long and no one has questioned it?
OLD WIVES TALES just keep 'on rollin' ...
Maybe for about the same dumb reason that some distributor sellers (and customers) think '64+ sbf distributors are an acceptable substitute for y-block distributors.
They either don't know, don't care or are only interested in peddling parts for more $ in their pocket.
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Old 09-22-2021, 11:18 AM   #6
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

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Vacuum-advance only distributors continued to be used on 6-cylinder Fords after 1956,
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Old 09-22-2021, 12:22 PM   #7
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

Quote:
Originally Posted by 55blacktie View Post
Vacuum-advance only distributors continued to be used on 6-cylinder Fords after 1956,
I'm apparently stuck in "V8 Land".
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Old 09-22-2021, 01:46 PM   #8
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

Admittedly, I learned about the Loadomatic distributor being used on later sixes only recently. Much more familiar with Y-blocks and Windsors.
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Old 09-22-2021, 05:32 PM   #9
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

Well, I think I would have rather said that all Y-block mechanical advance distributors ('57-'64) are similar from the bowl up.
If he was trying to state a fact about mechanical advance dizzy's, it would be true to say that early Ford V8's up until 1957 had Load-o-matic distributors, but the 215/223/240 I-block 6-cyl engines had Load-o-matic distributors clear into the late '60's.
A lot of people don't know this, but Fomoco did NOT completely discontinue air-cooled Ford-O-Matic converters in 1956. All the 223 6-cyl engines with Ford-O-Matic had the air-cooled converters at least thru 1959, maybe even thru '64, but I personally haven't seen one newer than '59.
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Old 09-22-2021, 05:37 PM   #10
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

The '57 thru '64 mechanical advance distributors for Y-blocks are similar, but there are some differences in the counter-weights that developed under the breaker plate in the late '50's. Although you might be able to swap breaker plates, I'm not so sure that going further wouldn't cause a need for some advance recurving, depending upon which engine you have (272/292/312).
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Old 09-22-2021, 11:47 PM   #11
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

Examples of the two styles of '57+ distributor breaker plates I'm familiar with...

'57/'59... the breaker plate is round and pivots on a circle of ball bearings around the outer edge.
The operating arm from the vacuum canister is flat and straight. photos 1 & 2

'59+... the breaker plate is fairly angular and pivots on a small pin, the red arrow in photo 3.
The operating arm from the vacuum canister is nearly flat and has two curves.

Last edited by dmsfrr; 09-22-2021 at 11:55 PM.
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Old 12-28-2021, 12:58 PM   #12
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Arrow Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

There is a thread on THE OTHER FORUM whereas a poster found a service that can/will modernize a LOM DIST to a DUAL ADVANCE.

Most of that info is on PAGE 16 of the thread -

http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/Topic148849-16.aspx

If I am reading the post correctly, the only visible give away would be the VACUUM ADVANCE CANISTER as they (FBO IGN) says it still takes the smaller LOM DIST CAP (IMO) ...
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Old 12-28-2021, 02:54 PM   #13
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

to use the dura spark you need the replacement dist with the o ring seal.with that dist its a drop in.
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Old 12-28-2021, 11:18 PM   #14
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

I thought I'd seen this posting before until I scrolled down and noticed I made a couple of replies over a year ago. But reading back over Gerry Dubois statement, he would have been more accurate to say:
"The mechanical-advance distributor is essentially the same from the bowl up on all modern Ford units", instead of load-o-matic. And if it had been me, I wouldn't have used the term "essentially the same". Any minor differences that he knows of that would effect swapping internal components from one year distributor housing to the next should have been listed, so that the reader would be informed more of what he might not be able to do.
Here is what I would point out to the reader that might be valuable to him:
If you are still using an old load-o-matic dizzy and it works fine in your engine with your original carb, why change it? I had a Y-block with mechanical advance and didn't recognize ANY notable improvement in performance or gas mileage over a '55 load-o-matic. The only reason I would ever change is if replacement parts such as ignition points, condensers or vacuum advance cans were no longer available for load-o-matics. And folks were are essentially at that point now. '56 & earlier vac cans are no longer available for the V8, but still available for 6-cyls (probably because they were still using the 1952 vac can from the 215's in 1968 for the 240).
Also, Chinese made condensers are a crap shoot. Best bet is to keep what you have until it fails and carry a new one (or one from a junkyard dizzy) in the glovebox if your old one does fail. Has anybody seen the new load-o-matic ignition points that just came out in the last few years? They are disgusting. The point contact on the pivot arm is about 1/32 of an inch deep, but the stationary contact is twice as deep as the original design. In attempt to install the adjusting screw thru the point base, your screwdriver is hindered by the contact arm even with the points closed. It is terrible, as if they weren't hard enough to install in the first place. I'm still running mine with old parts, but if my vac can fails, I will be out of business.
I don't recommend pertronix conversions. They are woefully lacking in quality and can't endure even 160 degree heat from the engine. They're too expensive for such a short lifespan and I don't recommend taking a long trip using pertronix unless you are prepared to swap it back out for your old points and condenser on the road somewhere. Sorry, not me.
Folks with '57 and later engines or older engines converted to mechanical advance can easily select the year distributor they want based upon the type carb they are using. Easiest thing to do is to get the OEM distributor of the year that type of carb was used.
Beware of some of the dizzy rebuilding outfits. I have heard complaints of Cardone installing the dizzy shaft of the wrong length on Y-block dizzy's. In my town, there is a guy who is experienced in replacing bushings, bearings and shafts in starters, generators and dizzy's. If you can find a trustworthy local guy like that, it's your best bet.
Keep a good set of dizzy cap hold down clamps on your dizzy. Old ones tend to stretch over the years and allow the dizzy cap to shuffle around a little bit such that the rotor inside will cut grooves into the plug towers underneath. This causes the spark to jump a little gap between rotor tip and tower. if you are a cheap SOB like me, you can re-bend the curve on the clamps and place them in a vice. Heat them up red hot and take them out and drop them in a little metal tuna can full of oil until cooled. Then re-install.
Always try to get a cap with copper tower sockets and use a Q-Tip coated in silicone hi-dielectric grease to smear all inside the tower sockets regardless of the tower sockets being aluminum or copper. This will vastly help to preserve the tower sockets and plug wire terminals and keep green corrosion off of them.
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Old 12-29-2021, 12:23 PM   #15
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

Ford used the Load-O-Matic system on the Thrift Power six family (Falcons, Mustangs, & other similar body platforms) clear up to 1968 (except for 1967 California) while still using the Thermactor systems. The dual diaphragm Improved Combustion or IMCO systems came on line in that time frame. This changed the 1100 type carburetor as well but they were still kind of a limited system not unlike the older LOM system. The Falcon series of sixes just didn't need a lot of advance in stock form. They certainly were not the high perf engine that the V8 was by comparison. Folks that build them usually chuck all of that stuff anyway.

Ford Larger 6-cylinder engines like the 240 and 300 had a more normal configuration for fuel delivery and ignition. The late fuel injected 300 was a damn good set up but it went the way of the dodo bird.
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Old 12-29-2021, 12:37 PM   #16
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Default Re: load-o-matic - (CAPITALIZATION OPTIONAL ON MY BROWSER)

"The late fuel injected 300 was a damn good set up but it went the way of the dodo bird."

I worked at Ford Truck Engine Engineering in the late 80's through 2013. In the last years of the 300 six cylnder they were working on a cross flow cylinder head for the EFI engine, and would have been a great performance increase. The project was dropped because of the hood lines dropping and not enogh room to package an inline 6 cyl. engine.

Sal
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