All Small Six 200 six ignition and/or timing problem?

[Gearhead-DK]

Hello on here.

I have a 1965 Ranchero with the original 200 and three on the tree
I got it last year and have not been able to get it running right. At first it ran, but could not hold a steady speed without stumbling, so I found myself either accelerating or coasting.
I took the aftermarket copy of the 1100 out, took it apart and found that it was missing both check ball and load piston in the acc bore.
The engine still has the original Load o Matic distributor, which I can se is a hated item. I am new to these Fords, but not to old cars, so still learning about them.

So, what do I have here? A double sided problem? A can of worms? New shopping ahead?

I have a feeling that both the timing and the (probably) Chinese carb is the problem, but need good input before importing stuff like crazy. I am in Denmark, so the usual go-to stores are overseas to me.

Thx in advance

Thomas

 

[frozenrabbit]

Check your fuel flow, an original tank can easily have a partially clogged pick up sock. Fuel line could also have partial blockage over the length. Easiest first thing to check. Check your oil for a fuel smell, fuel pump diaphragm could be giving out.

I've only run the original Load-O-Matic dist. on my '63 170, never had issues with it.

 

[bubba22349]

Hi Gearhead-DK, and welcome to the Ford Six forum, wow your 1965 Ranchero looks like a very nice one! What you may need to hunt for and or shop for is going to depend on your goals for the Ranchero and if it's important for you to want to keep it more stock or if you are planning to do some Mods, making it for a Daily Driver or if it's going to only be for occasional use. The Load O Matic (LOM) can work fine for many stockers. With yours being a 1965 Falcon (dose it still have the Original 200 Six Engine still?) so if yours still has a 1965 or newer 200 Six engine in it than its very easy to upgrade to several of the different newer Distributors (they will drop right into those blocks) to give you much better performance as well as good economy. I worked on so many of these stock LOM systems in my younger years and know they can work very well for a totally stock engine combo, but like so many others I usually prefer to upgrade them to a DuraSpark II Electronic Ignitions for something I want to drive more often. On those China Autolite 1100 Carb's many on the site have had good luck with them and the stock Autolite Carb parts seem to fit them well too, as far as the Check Balls missing and the Accelerator Weight missing those would be very easy to fix you can even make a Weight I think we have the spec's for that on the site somewhere. Also there is even the Tuning Info to dial in the LOM Distributor for better performance posted thanks to our site member "78_200_C4". X2 on "frozenrabbit's" recommendations of checking out the Fuel System from the Fuel Tank Forward by doing a Fuel Volume and also do a Fuel Pump Pressure Test, the stock Fuel Pressure should be 4.5 PSI.

To help you with making you decisions here are a couple links about the LOM system that may help you get up to speed on them.
How the LOM works. https://fordsix.com/ams/load-o-matic-distributor-spark-control-valve.28/

Moding the LOM Distributor and Upgrade Distributor & Carburetor Options. https://fordsix.com/threads/1960-to...om-how-to-install-a-better-distribitor.79622/

Best of luck on your 1965 Ranchero.

 

[Gearhead-DK]

Hi Gearhead-DK, and welcome to the Ford Six forum, wow your 1965 Ranchero looks like a very nice one! What you may need to hunt for and or shop for is going to depend on your goals for the Ranchero and if it's important for you to want to keep it more stock or if you are planning to do some Mods, making it for a Daily Driver or if it's going to only be for occasional use. The Load O Matic (LOM) can work fine for many stockers. With yours being a 1965 Falcon (dose it still have the Original 200 Six Engine still?) so if yours still has a 1965 or newer 200 Six engine in it than its very easy to upgrade to several of the different newer Distributors (they will drop right into those blocks) to give you much better performance as well as good economy. I worked on so many of these stock LOM systems in my younger years and know they can work very well for a totally stock engine combo, but like so many others I usually prefer to upgrade them to a DuraSpark II Electronic Ignitions for something I want to drive more often. On those China Autolite 1100 Carb's many on the site have had good luck with them and the stock Autolite Carb parts seem to fit them well too, as far as the Check Balls missing and the Accelerator Weight missing those would be very easy to fix you can even make a Weight I think we have the spec's for that on the site somewhere. Also there is even the Tuning Info to dial in the LOM Distributor for better performance posted thanks to our site member "78_200_C4". X2 on "frozenrabbit's" recommendations of checking out the Fuel System from the Fuel Tank Forward by doing a Fuel Volume and also do a Fuel Pump Pressure Test, the stock Fuel Pressure should be 4.5 PSI.

To help you with making you decisions here are a couple links about the LOM system that may help you get up to speed on them.
How the LOM works. https://fordsix.com/ams/load-o-matic-distributor-spark-control-valve.28/

Moding the LOM Distributor and Upgrade Distributor & Carburetor Options. https://fordsix.com/threads/1960-to...om-how-to-install-a-better-distribitor.79622/

Best of luck on your 1965 Ranchero.

Thank you for some very good info and for the kind words towards my Ranchero. It is a 20 footer but suits our needs well. Unfortunately, someone repaired some smaller holes in the floor pans by completely covering them with new sheet metal and filling in the contours with expanding foam, so the Texas import had me ending up replacing everything from the bulkhead and back to the rear kick up.

We want to use it as a daily driver for as much of the year as possible, apart from the salty months of winter, so we are not at all worried about originality, as long as the mods make it more drivable.
The duraspark sounds like a good upgrade.

I will read up on the links and get back on this.

 

[bmbm40]

Nice looking Ranchero.

 

[bubba22349]

An excellent Job on repairing those Floors! Yes the DuraSpark II was used by Ford on the 200 and 250 Six's from 1976 to 1982 so it fits very well they have a Wider Distributor Cap on them and if you wanted it it look more Factory to your 1965 Ranchero then you could then use the smaller 1975 DuraSparl I Cap and Rotor. If you want to replace the 1100 Carb then going to one of the many newer style Carb's can also help with Drivability too. I am very parcel to these 1964 and 1965 Ranchero's, like their size and find them very useful, have had several over the years even raced one for awhile. Best of wishes on all your Mods.