Recently found my copy of an old Ford-Autolite "High Performance Engine" catalog that I stumbled onto at a swap meet a few years ago. Surprisingly, it's not just a listing of Ford HP parts. Instead it covers the operational functions of "High Performance" engines in general, as well as the operation of more basic standard engines. Of course it tends to be "Ford-centric" but almost all of the information also applies to any make of GM, MoPar, Rambler, Studebaker or other 4 cycle internal combustion gas engine. Since there consistently seems to be requests for help solving fuel system issues here on the HAMB I thought these pages might be a guide to how fuel systems are supposed to operate, when everything's working right. It should help simplify the troubleshooting process, especially for members who are working with things like mechanical fuel pumps and carburetors for the first time. The information presented does not tend to be overly technical but it is more than basic. And it's presented clearly and well illustrated. It might even work as a refresher course for some of us (like myself) that have a bit of experience.
Well I'm getting an education myself from re-reading this guide. The picture from the series of pages above shows a diagram of a Holley vacuum secondary 4 barrel. And there's an arrow pointing to a vacuum port that's labelled as a . . . "killer bleed"? Sounds like some slang you might hear used by a paramedic who's treating a gunshot victim! So does this "killer bleed" port exist on all Holleys with vac. secondaries, or was it a "Ford" thing? And just what is it intended to kill?
The Jalopy Journal
