Flathead Distro Qeustions Revisited...Experts wanted!

[topdeadcenter]

OK everyone. My flathead is running very poorly! There are many reasons, but one of them is that the Load-o-matic is truely not right. I plan on taking it to a local shop and having them rebuild it all and set it up right.

How should I tell them to set it up? Dwell? Advance? School me... I am distro stupid http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif! By the way, the engine is stock and will remain that way for a good while. (I need to get a job before I build a proper flatty)

Thanks,
Mike

[topdeadcenter]

Hello???? Maybe if I was a chic with a NEON you guys would reply to my posts! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mike

[oldchevyseller]

is it a 51 motor? put a mallory electronic dizzy in it and be done with the other stuff ,still 6 volt? convert it to 12

[Fordicator]

Lose that thing. That is what I am going to do. You will have problems if you want to ever run different or more carbs. I am thinking Dual Point Mallory for mine. But someone on here knows how to put Mopar HEI guts into a stock distributor so it keeps the old looks. Some use modified Chevy HEIs. Or you could get the new Mallory but the curve is set up for a small block Chevy and will need work. Those requires 12 volts though except dual point I believe). But you can't beat the electronic ignitions. If you really want to keep the stocky just buy one off eBay or something. It will probably be cheaper than having yours gone through. I have also heard of just switching to a pre 49 dizzy and lose that goofy vacuum venturi stuff.

I am no expert but I have spent the last two days researching this stuff and this is what I have found.

I hope that helps but if not I am sure some experts will chime in.

[Bruce Lancaster]

I am an expert on the most important two adjustments on these things: the Navy-spec flotation test and the highly important "Loadamatic Basketball" maneuver, which requires use of a quality garbage can. For attempts to make it function, you need 286, who seems to have left ...
You MUST get hold of shop manual info on this thing, which give advance specs for different levels of vac in the tube and how to tune the two springs by turning the little D-shaped eccentric pins to meet the specs. This can be done on a distributor machine with a vacuum pump. This will get you to factory spec, based on a mythical engine that produced the right venturi and manifold drop at the right times to follow the factory curve. It isn't particularly likely your engine is exactly following the program, and the factory curve is a bit retarded anyway compared to the better full throttle curve of the old pre-49 Ford-Mallory.
T tune to YOUR engine once distributor is ballparked on a machine I would suggest something like this: "T" a vac gaugee, a good sensitive one since some of the readings are low, into the line to the distributor vac can. Do NOT read the vac anywhere else, since you need to tap into the strange combo of ported manifold vac and venturi pressure drop the distrib sees--one signal from the venturi throat, one from above the throttles, connected so they modify each other AND serve as air bleeds for the other under some circumstances--in clear language, voodoo.
Chart vacuum under a lot of different circumstances--full throttle, part, up hills, etc.
The full throttle area is where your distrib will fall down--early rodders, just before all hands gave up on these, reported that their '49 Fords accelerated faster at 3/4 throttle than at full, since the thing functioned pretty well when manifold vac was available to it.
You will likely have to tune for the best achievable full throttle curve and accept more than optimum part throttle advance and maybe too much initial advance to get there...
Now, remove and plug the vac line and idle engine with 0-30 degree marks on pulley drawn in from the stock mark in magic marker--again, go to the manual, I don't remember where the stock mark is exactly, somewhere in the 2-4degree area I think. With a hand pump and timing light, pump in vac and make a chart of actual advance at every vac number you recorded on the road. You now know what vac each type of RPM/Load puts out and how many degrees of actual advance that causes, and can start rotating those pins until you come close to the desired curve. The process should really be repeated after the first round, as engine vac nubers will change as more advance happens! Fun, yes?
Try to find an early two-piece cap Mallory.

[topdeadcenter]

WOW! I think I will just buy a Mallory http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I knew these thing were junk from the factory, but I was hoping that they could at least be recurved and "tuned". Oh well...

Thanks for the responses!

Mike

BTW where is 286 anyway????

[oldchevyseller]

gee his last post was in april ,must have gotton busy http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Bruce Lancaster]

The big problem is that the venturi vac is small and feeble, while the ported vac is strong--and they work the same stuff. The air-bleed built in corrects this a bit, but is VERY hard to get enough full throttle advance without letting the part throttle advance go nuts. Holley designed this mess, and Holley and Ford flogged it for 7 years or so before going back to a real distributor. Hotrodders started putting on the (Early, good) Mallory almost immediately even on stockers.