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Doesnt wanna idle when timing is set to 10-12. Only idles happy when advanced.


tw205

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You mentioned a noisy dizzy.have you checked under the cap for loose rotor? Are you using the standard small base and cap or did you upgrade to the larger size? The small ones are known for scattered spark.
Aside from what we have talked about I don’t think I can help. I went over how I set mine up. They both run great.
 


ford4wd08

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What has been mentioned should get you in the ballpark.

Much easier and better to run the vacuum advance off of the ported vacuum for the dizzy in my experience. Much easier to tune the idle.

Are you sure you're timing pointer hasn't been moved? I believe they're adjustable.

I would start with cylinder number 1 at TDC and make sure the groove on the crank pulley lines up. Then work from there.

Set the mixture screws ar 1 and 1/2 turns like mentioned and don't mess with it until after timing is set.

Are you sure choke abs fast idle are all functioning properly.

I do agree, it sounds like you have a vacuum leak.
 

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Not to interrupt, but I will, lol

I would pull out #1 spark plug and manually rotate engine to find TDC of #1 piston, to confirm TDC mark with pointer, if its off then make your own marks
And DO use the pointer NOT the Eyelet, on some Fords there was a eyelet for a Ford timing tool, do not use that as a timing point

You will need vacuum advance at some point, assuming you want to drive the vehicle :)
The distributor has weights and springs inside for RPM advance, but can't do Load/fuel advance, that's what vacuum advance does/is for

I read you have a distributor that vacuum advance doesn't work on, don't use it until you take it apart and find out why, this is not the reason for the required 15deg BTDC, but its a waste of time to time the spark with an unusable distributor that will need to be pulled out
You must have Load advance to drive
 

ford4wd08

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Not to interrupt, but I will, lol

I would pull out #1 spark plug and manually rotate engine to find TDC of #1 piston, to confirm TDC mark with pointer, if its off then make your own marks
And DO use the pointer NOT the Eyelet, on some Fords there was a eyelet for a Ford timing tool, do not use that as a timing point

You will need vacuum advance at some point, assuming you want to drive the vehicle :)
The distributor has weights and springs inside for RPM advance, but can't do Load/fuel advance, that's what vacuum advance does/is for

I read you have a distributor that vacuum advance doesn't work on, don't use it until you take it apart and find out why, this is not the reason for the required 15deg BTDC, but its a waste of time to time the spark with an unusable distributor that will need to be pulled out
You must have Load advance to drive
Ron knows well. Listen when he speaks.

The only comment I'll add is that some folks do run the duraspark setup with the vacuum NOT hooked up on the dizzy. I have mine hooked up as Ron mentioned as it serves a purpose for engine load while applying advance.

Best advice I had to learn the hard way is change one thing at a time and test. They carbs have a lot of adjustments, throw in timing changes and you'll be chasing your tail and you won't what you changed that may have fixed your issue.

Be sure you don't have any vacuum leaks, it will make this much harder to figure out and fix.
 

tw205

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What he 👆🏻said
 

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Thanks everyone for all of the advice! Tomorrow and Im gonna replace the spark plugs, remove and check over the dizzy, and while the spark plugs are out. Im gonna check my crank/timing marks are true. Once Ive gotten the engine running and such. Im gonna check for intake leaks. Id just like to get it running and driveable until I can get my 302 swap ready and I find a transmission and I can get all of the parts to do the swap. Instead of it being a week by week or month by month project of buying parts. I wanna get them all at once.
 

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UPDATE:
I replaced the plugs, gapped them, and set timing to 12. It still runs like crap and has issues wanting to idle once I start it back up. As if its flooded or something. It "clear" up after blipping the throttle.

When I was replacing the plugs. The driver's side bank was rich/fuel fouled looking and the passenger's side looked clean/lean. Im thinking my carb might be the issue but idk. I checked for intake leaks before and after the engine warmed up. Found none.
 

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UPDATE:
I replaced the plugs, gapped them, and set timing to 12. It still runs like crap and has issues wanting to idle once I start it back up. As if its flooded or something. It "clear" up after blipping the throttle.

When I was replacing the plugs. The driver's side bank was rich/fuel fouled looking and the passenger's side looked clean/lean. Im thinking my carb might be the issue but idk. I checked for intake leaks before and after the engine warmed up. Found none.

Which carb are you running, have you rebuilt if recently?
 

MadMax_636

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MadMax_636

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Which size is it? The 1.08 venturi?
yeah should be. im only now having issues with it

I might be bigger, like 1.23

Its a replacement repo carb.
 

MadMax_636

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UPDATE: I installed the new carb. It runs great now. I set timing, still tuning it and the curb idle and the idle mix screws but she runs good. I also need to replace the PV with the proper rated one. Since the one it came with doesnt feel right. I also had to mess with the throttle linkage since it would hang open (Return springs. I have to find the one that was good). The only issue Im having now is sometime when coming to stops it feels like it wants to die/leans out. The second issue is when starting (HOT) even after 5-15 mins I have to blip the throttle to get it running clean/right. IDK if its lean or too rich but input would help.


I also found an exhaust leak.... Great. Gonna have to buy a new gasket and make sure its the right one...
 

ford4wd08

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@19Walt93 should be able to give some good advice. Might be worth a look at my long thread about tuning carbs too.
 

MadMax_636

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franklin2

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UPDATE: I installed the new carb. It runs great now. I set timing, still tuning it and the curb idle and the idle mix screws but she runs good. I also need to replace the PV with the proper rated one. Since the one it came with doesnt feel right. I also had to mess with the throttle linkage since it would hang open (Return springs. I have to find the one that was good). The only issue Im having now is sometime when coming to stops it feels like it wants to die/leans out. The second issue is when starting (HOT) even after 5-15 mins I have to blip the throttle to get it running clean/right. IDK if its lean or too rich but input would help.


I also found an exhaust leak.... Great. Gonna have to buy a new gasket and make sure its the right one...
Having to rev it after stopping hot is pretty normal with a carbed engine and the ethanol fuel we run now. The carb sits there and gets heat soaked and the ethanol fuel percolates up and drips into the engine, making it a little rich on a hot start.

On the dying when coming to a stop, get it warmed up and idling normally and then pull the vacuum advance on the distributor and put your finger over the hose. It should not change anything. If it does, you need to find the correct ported vacuum port or turn the idle speed down. If you want to experiment with it, take the vacuum off the distributor and plug it. Tune the idle and the mixture screws and then drive it like that and see if it tries to stall. If it's ok, you know it's the vacuum advance causing problems. You really do not need to run the vacuum advance, it's only there for fuel mileage, not performance.
 

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