Hot Rods 1962 Falcon 144 not running properly

I am not sure what made me think that it is a 170. Either on is plausible.

In all seriousness, what is the color of the block? The head?

The colors changed as time went on.

Also. check the part number on the head. It is on the "log" that runs parallel to the valve cover, on which the carburetor sits. The first position is a letter, which indicates the post-war decade. C=1960's. The second position is the year, so C0=1960, C1=1961, and so on. That will at-least tell you the year of the head.

Also, look on the mounting boss that the road draft tube is in, the flat plain that the clamp is on. Check the flat area between the distributor and the head. See if there is a letter stamped in there.

Here (shown with no head installed):

N=144, T=170, no letter is early 4-main 200.

Hope that helps.

Test your distributor. There is no reason that you should be not driving it, if this is another, easy fix.

Also, when is the last time that the valves were adjusted? From 1960-62 these had solid lifters, and adjustable rockers. The must be adjusted periodically. From 1963-65 they had either solid or hydraulic, in the event that the engine is not original, or is a composite of years.

If it is the distributor, and you just cannot swing the HEI, at-all, or for a while, I have a functional Load-O-Matic in storage, which you may have, for the price of shipping it to your door.

 

If that's the leak.

You can also do the old "blow cigar smoke through a vacuum line and see where it comes out" test. If smoke comes out the dashpot, the diaphragm is shot.

 

My 170 started do that same thing. Mine turned out to be the base gasket on the carb. There are some vacuum passages cut into the bottom of the carb leaving little surface area for the gasket to seal. Mine blowed out in one of the passages. It was hard to see. A new gasket carefully installed solved my problem. I've also seen the screws on the base plate on the carb get loose over time. Make sure these are tight.

Duane in Tennessee

 

Gimpy's, I checked my engine tonight and it has an 'N' stamped on it, designating it a 144 cu in. I couldn't find the other number on the log, all I see is '1J22' and 'code 8090' or could be 'code B090'.

I checked the vacuum again, gave it a good suck, an held it about 10 seconds, and there was no loss in suction.

 

Econopoor, when I rebuilt the carb I used a new base gasket. Unfortuately that didn't fix it.

 

Did you do both of them? The one under the carb, and the one under the adapter?

 

Oh, no I did not. I will check into that, thanks for the heads up

 

So, would I disconnect the vacuum hose that goes from the carb to the distributor, but blow towards the carburetor, and if it comes through the dashpot on the carb, then the diaphragm is shot? I would then need a new dashpot?

 

I meant, if you can blow through the vacuum advance dashpot on the distributor. You must be looking at the anti-stall dashpot on the carb. Check that one too.

Anyhow, the smoke test will find gasket cracks and leaks you can't readily see.

 

I tried the smoke trick, and was not able to blow it toward the distributor... felt like it was blocked, so then the vacuum advance should be okay i think (for now)
Sometime next week, my step dad is going to head up to my house and bring a timing light, vacuum gauge, and compression gauge. Hopefully we will get it all straightened out soon. I emailed DUI for a quote on a new distributor, but the cheaper route for now will be gimpyshotrod's stock load-o-matic. I will update this after next week.

 

I contacted DUI via their website, regarding the availability and price of the hei distributors and got an answer... They're discontinued for the 144. If I have to go that route, guess it'll be a fun search

 

You should get my Load-O-Matic soon. If it is indeed a distributor issue that will get you by, for now.

Once you have it up and running, go to you local self-service yard, and find a car with a 200 or a 250, from the late 70's or early 80's. Grab all of the Duraspark stuff.

Yes, it has the wrong distributor housing diameter. Take it apart, documenting with photos.

Take that DS housing, and the old Load-O-Matic to your favorite machine shop, and have the housing turned down on the lathe. This should be cheap.

Grab a 200 oil pump drive shaft on eBay (search: 1965 ford oil pump drive shaft). Should be about $15.

Have the same machine shop reduce the hex on one end from 5/16" to 1/4". Should also be cheap.

Then you will have a bolt-in Duraspark. Don't forget the module.

 

Even if it is not the distributor, that step will make it feel like you added 30 HP, because you probably did.

 

+16X at least!!! True story - About twenty years ago I got my '62 coupe back on the road with a 200 and a C/4 trans install. I also took the time to adapt a Weber 32/36 as I have recommended. The ignition? Had that covered! Stock Load-O-Matic with an expensive Allison electronic racing conversion! We are ready to rock!!! Well, no. 'Cause although the performance was better with the Weber, and the three gears made a nice difference, it still could be beat out of the lights by ANY nun on roller skates. But not knowing much about ignitions and how they worked, all I knew was that putting a major scale electronic conversion that I sold to race guys for years had to be as good as it gets, right? Then, Speedway sent me a flyer of closeout and old stock stuff they were blowing out, and right at the top of the list was a Mallory "double life" distributor for Ford Falcon applications, only 45.00! As an afterthought I thought it might look cool, and it wasn't vacuum advance, so I didn't have to have that line cluttering stuff up anymore....

So it arrives, and at first I'm kinda bummed
cause it's real apparent that my expensive electronic system isn't going to drop in, and I almost send it back. A buddy (Elpolacko) said "drop it in anyway and let's see if it makes any difference..." HOLY CRAP! The thing suddenly would rev! It would spin the tires when the secondary kicked in or the kick down snapped! It was like the difference between night and day!!! From that day on learned all I could about ignition systems and why this did what it did, and why the stock stuff was sooooooooooooooo dismally terrible. Trust me on this one, this was my gateway drug on great ignition systems, and if ever a car needed better than stock, the Ford Falcon is it!!!

 

You know what the distributor looks like. Grab the coil too.

Here's the Duraspark Module (wired to coil and distributor, on inner fender):


Here's the wiring diagram:

 

Gimpy's... I got the distributor in the mail today. It will be a few days before I'll get a chance to get my hands dirty, but thanks again!!

 

When you are checking vacuum leaks check the freeze plugs in the ends of the intake manifold.

 

Let me know how it goes.

 

Well, I changed the distributor today, still the same issue. Haven't blown out the fuel lines though

 

Damn. Sorry man. Keep it then, as a spare.

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I replaced the vacuum hose for the wipers, as I only replaced a section when I first got the car (I didn't replace all the way through the firewall). It seems to have worked. Gimpy's... If I may keep it, I'll send you a check. I can always use a spare. Now, I just need to tune the carb properly and I'm still gonna check the timing and vacuum, compression, etc. One thing I did notice tonight, was that it was running hotter than usual.

 

Check your timing. Late timing can cause an engine to run hot.

Don't worry about the check. Pay it forward. If you see someone who needs help, and you have the means to, help them.

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Very generous of you. Will do, thanks again

 

If we all look out for each other, we will all be better off.