Ford 260 V-8 Questions

[katzenhammer]

Okay as previously mentioned my father aquired a 1963 Ford Fairlane. The engine is the 260 V-8 backed by the two speed auto. It only has 30,000 on the clock but it has sat for many years unattended to. Ever since we got it running we have a hard time keeping it running.
Here is what we have done thus far..

Flushed tank new gas
Plugs, wires, cap, rotor, points.
New Fuel pump
New Fuel Filter
Rebuilt carb it does not leak
Tried to time it but the damper has no timing marks so it is timed by ear

Timing may still be off but here are the symptoms. It will not idle what so ever. The idle screws need to be out all the way or in some cases they do not effect the way the car runs at all. It will not run with the choke off. If the choke is opened it will kill. If the choke is returned back to the half closed point it will run but at a stupid high idle. It hesitates when given gas. In some cases it will run a little better it the air cleaner is put back on.

We are thinking it may be a vacuum leak. He pulled the PCV valve and plugged the hose and it ran better but still idled horribly. However the idle screw made a difference this time around.

There is a hard line at the back of the manifold that goes to the tranny. Is there a diaphragm at the end of that line that may some how gotten plugged or is not working up to par? Or is this line used as a blow by? We both have little knowledge of Ford small blocks so any advice is greatly appreciated. Also since the damper has no marks how do you time this motor with a light? Is this a dwell timed motor only? Is that possible? Yeah I know we are ill researched but that is why I came to you guys. School me please.

Justin

[old beet]

I think the line to the tranny is to the vacuum modulater. It does sound like a vacuum leak, just a guess!........OLDBEET

[ABone312]

There is a module at the other end of the hard line. There is a small piece of rubber line usually between the hard line and the module, check that rubber line they have a tendency to go bad. I'd say a vaccum leak is your problem. There should be a raised spot on the timing cover with the marks cast into it. The timing mark on the balancer is just a groove cut in it from front to back. Hope that helps.

[katzenhammer]

Thanks OLDBEET that is what we were thinking also. SOooo does that mean yank the tranny? Or is there an access on the bell housing?

Justin

[katzenhammer]

Yeah Abone it is the mark on the damper we can't find. The motor has been degreased but still no mark. Maybe if we chase it with some sand paper it will show. May sound like a dumb question but are the marks similar to that of a small block Chev? Both on the timing cover and the damper? Again I am no Ford guru so sorry if my questions sound dumb...

Thanks guys for the help

Justin

[ABone312]

Try the sandpaper, I've had to do that before. It should have a groove cut the whole width of the balancer. The module on the trans is a seperate part that screws into the case, at the rear by where the tailshaft housing bolts on. They are available at the parts store. To see if that is where your problem is at, disconnect it and put a vaccum cap on the line.

[katzenhammer]

Excellent thanks Abone!

Justin

[TINGLER]

On my 221 that I had in my '63 Fairlane....the mark on the dampner is a little round ball....about the size of a BB. Maybe a little smaller. I painted mine white so I could see it well.

221 might be a little different than a 260 though. I also had a later ('81) 302... the mark on its dampner is a line like has already been described.

Also, like already stated, your problem sounds like a vacuum leak. I had the EXACT same symptoms on a vehicle recently and it turned out to be the base of the carb was leaking (NO GASKETS http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif ).
Fixed that and the problems dissapeared.

Hope some of this helps.

VT.

[k-member]

Did you try the famous WD-40 or other favorite leak detector test yet? You know, the one where you spray that shit till the idle revs up a bit. Just a thought. Good luck.