Carb swap update

[Mercmarquis]

Well today was real warm for january so I went out to try a few things on the car. I still have crap for power at high rpm so I messed with the timing hoping it would help. I still think I have an issue with my heads or carb or it could be something really dumb. The more I retard it the better it gets but then I have crap for idle and low end throttle response. So I adjusted the mixture and idle on the carb to compensate. So my thought is if I hook up the vacuum advance and try running it a bit more retarded I would be runing good at low rpms. My question is if I hook up the vacuum advance, will it advance it more at high rpm full throttle than the mechanical advance? I still havent read alot explaining how a duraspark distributor works. I guess my youth might be really showing since I am kinda vague with vacuum and mechanical advance. :confused:

Then I ripped out all the old wires form the CFI. It went really quick and everything still works! It looks a ton better now too. I also think I have an oil leak now at the timing cover which is getting slung onto the balancer and coating the passenger side engine bay with a light coat of oil :pissed: . Its a small leak but enough to make a mess and get me pissed about it. I dont know where its coming from tho and all the bolts are tight. My spankin new water pump is shit I think since the fan pulley is wobbleing like a mofo and the bolts are tight too. :yell:

I'll get some pics of the engine bay with out all the wires and junk asap. And I didnt pull the computor since I have nothing to cover up the hole it would leave.

[Mercmarquis]

Today I messed around a little with the vac advance and timing. Nothing really helps. I think it might be one of the first things I was told it might be. Running out of gas? I looked and I have a small kink in my line by the fuel pump, but I dont think it would cause that. For all I know it could be the carb isnt set up right.

Running out of fuel could explain why it like never gets power when I stand on it, then it picks up when I ease off it. Hopefully the weather stays warm so I can investigate. I know I said I would get pics but its raining hard out now. Go figure I wanted to wash it today but it starts pouring.

[gadget73]

Having too high a CFM carb without enough jetting to feed it at full speed can do that, but I would be absolutely sure you have enough fuel feed first. I had a high rpm bucking problem in my Beetle that turned out to be a slight kink in the fuel hose. I didn't think it was enough to cause a problem, but straightening it out cured it. I would also think about getting a fuel pressure guage so you can monitor how much pressure you're running at. Depending on the carb, you probably want somewhere from 3-7 psi. The carb manual should specify an exact ideal range. It does sound like its running too lean at speed tho, which can do really really really bad things to your engine.

If you want the vacuum retard setup like older Fords have, just tap the vac advance into full manifold vacuum. At WOT vacuum drops to nearly zero, effectively disabling vac advance, but at low speed/idle you have full advance. Not sure if that will help you any but it might.

[Mercmarquis]

I might go out later this week and get another section of fuel line and try it. I tried to run it as smooth as possible, but the pump is real tight to the frame so it kinked a bit on one side.

Jettin hmmmm..... I'm going to get some gauges (tach, temp and oil pressure)soon but I cant find ones inexpensively with green lighting. I found autometer lunar series which arent cheap. But I cant run a fuel pressure gauge in the car I guess? My vacuum gauge is supposed to read fuel pressure but doesnt have a tee or anything

[Grand Marquis GT]

My vacuum gauge is supposed to read fuel pressure but doesnt have a tee or anything

For all us carb guys, I reccomend a fuel pressure gauge inline with your existing fuel line...