So I finally got my Falcon to start, but it was acting like I was flooring it, wide open. I'm not really sure how to fix it. It has a 1904 Holley one barrel carb on it which I had rebuilt about 2 years ago, but then the car sat for a year. And now it's all jacked up, the float bowl is just pouring gas all over my intake, and I have to choke it almost completely to get it to ease up. Any ideas? Thanks! - FG
Try disconnecting the fuel line blocking it off and run it tell it dies and hooking it back up and try again.
Also, here's what the car looks like now and a peek at what I'm planning for it! Please don't judge it too harshly, the hood was painted with spray cans, and then I tried my hand at pin stripping for the first time. I finally got a real spray gun though, so hopefully the second time around will be better!
Yes Saltflats had a good tip to flush out the carb float needle and seat which causes the engine run rich and overfuel due to a piece of sediment to holding open the fuel inlet. It's good to see girls involved in the hobby! Keep it up!
Possible the float is hung up... give the area above the float bowl a sharp rap with a screw driver handle.
Thanks everyone! I haven't had a moment to try it out yet, hopefully tonight. I have another question.... So I bought paint, but it's not quite the gloss I wanted, is it ok to put clear over a single stage urethane? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
So, I've got paint on the car and it put back together (sort of). Now I need to get it freeway worthy. The engine itself runs great, no issues so far after a lot of work, but it has no guts. Which is to be expected from the falcon, but this is ridiculous! I need a good hill and a tail wind to get over 40 mph. I'm convinced it's the ford o matic two speed that's in there, but I don't have the means to do a lot of moding, so are there any transmissions that I can swap it out with that will get power to the wheels better? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Still have to wet sand and buff, but it's not terrible for a first paint job Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Cars lookin good. I would double check the tune up but don't expect a tire burner. If I was going for a tranny swap I would be going with a manual. But thats just me.
I believe that year Falcon has one of those loadamatic dist. advance units on it. When they go bad the ignition timing never advances and the car won't get out of its own way. Quick check with a timing light should show you if its bad.
I had a 62 Comet with the 170 six when I was 17 yrs old...and even with the manual 3 spd it was the most gutless POS I ever drove. If I bought another Falcon, Comet, or Fairlane it would be to drop a 302 in it.
Funny, I never had any problems keeping up in traffic or on the expressway with my '61 Falcon, 170/Ford-O-Matic. And no one who ever drove it had anything other than a comment such as "great little car!" Buy the Ford manual, it's $25 well spent. They are reproduced, so originals aren't spendy. A Motor manual is a good companion, 'tween the two, you'll have it all. That in mind, the 1904 is a fussy lil' bitch, but capable of running just fine. Once you're sure it's clean, you can take off the tri-cornered gizmo on the top of the bowl to gauge fuel level while it's running. This will also clue you on a flooding situation. Make sure the balls are in the correct location, if the jet plate has the screw block-offs, there are balls under there, too. Missing, these can lead to flooding. The Load-A-Matic distributor simply has no centrifugal advance. The vacuum unit should simply hold vacuum as a test. Make sure the points plate rotates back when you release vacuum. I set the distributor as advanced as I dared, until it pinked a bit on heavy acceleration, then backed it off a tad. Cosmo
From the "gutless power" comments it sounds like the timing and perhaps compression should be checked. it should be faster than what you have indicated
Regarding the ignition timing, if it's an automatic set the timing at 12*, manual set it at 10*. If it spark knocks set it back a couple degrees. Like Cosmo mentioned, push it to the limit. 12/10 degrees btdc is a good place to start. I recall when I was 17 got a speeding ticket in a 60 Falcon for doing 90 in a 70 zone. Even with stock components they will go.
First off, get the carb back to specs. No sense looking at anything else till you do. Isn't there a later model distributor that can be swapped into this engine? Something with a centrifugal advance and a more conventional vacuum advance instead of the Load-O- Matic set up? I think you're fighting an ignition/tune up issue more than anything else. And a different transmission isn't going to fix that problem.
Despite my own dissatisfaction with the little 6, I agree with the above. Check your compression, oil pressure and do a full tuneup and carb rebuild before you go swapping major components. If it does turn out that the original power train is tired, the simplest swap for more oomph would be a 200 six with a good rebuilt auto. Once you start swapping things like standards (although I would personally prefer one) you are getting into all kinds of headaches with clutch pedals, linkage etc. that may be more than you are willing to tackle at this point.
I ended up just getting a new carburetor, when I rebuilt the old one it was missing a bunch of pieces I couldn't get a hold of. Honestly this is the first time I've ever dealt with transmission stuff, so I'm gonna have to google a lot of the terms you guys used haha, but I appreciate all the input! My husband is about done replacing the whole brake system... So really the last thing is the tranny, but I don't have a whole lot of time left before I have to be able to drive it. And I'm still not entirely sure how to re-time the engine... By the way how does one flush a transmission? Does it make a difference? Thanks again!
My '60 Falcon has a 144, which is all stock inside. It will drive at 90mph, with ease. Climbs a 19% grade like it is flat. It took two major parts, and some careful tuning.
Listen very carefully to what Gimpy is going to tell you. It's a formula he and I have been playing with and I think perfected over the last few years to make these cars happy in todays traffic. And, for the record, you are most likely working against a timing problem, as others have said.
I'll second Louvers here. I followed he and Gimpy's advice and swapped the three on the tree in my 63 wagon for a t5 and I run 75 uphill in traffic in 5th to work every day. It is such a difference in this car it is hard to even describe. I have a complete list of parts and advice that Gimpy shared with me that I would be happy to forward on to you. If I can help in any way with pictures or advice feel free to pm me. Jake in Portland
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