All Small Six 250 Won't Stay Running

[Aeroneous]

So it turns out I was wrong about it being a points distributor. I opened it up to get familiar with it and realized none of the parts look like what I was seeing online. I showed them to a more mechanically inclined friend of mine and he said it looks like a stock distributor that had an electric conversion done. He also recommended replacing the rotor and distributor cap because the contacts looked rough in his opinion.

I went and picked up a new distributor cap and rotor kit at Autozone, but unfortunately it isn't the right form factor. Way too shallow.

Any thoughts on next steps with this new info and pictures?

 

[Otto]

I don't believe what you have is a conversion, it looks like factory stuff but I don't know which application. Couldn't the counter person match up what you have?

Buy a cap and rotor.

I re-read that you went to Autozone, do you have a real auto parts store where you live?

 

[Frank]

That's a good ignition system, leave it. Cap and rotor only.
Autozone is about the worst of the chain stores.

 

[B RON CO]

Hi, look up parts for a 1978 Ford 200 or 250 at Napa online, and bring the old ones with you. Good luck

 

[Aeroneous]

I don't believe what you have is a conversion, it looks like factory stuff but I don't know which application. Couldn't the counter person match up what you have?

Buy a cap and rotor.

I re-read that you went to Autozone, do you have a real auto parts store where you live?

Lol yes. I'm in the Kansas City area, so plenty around. I went with AutoZone because it was late at night, they were still open, and they had what I thought was the right stuff in stock. I'll return it today, no big deal.

In their defense I didn't bring the cap with me. This one is more on me than them. Lesson learned.

That's a good ignition system, leave it. Cap and rotor only.
Autozone is about the worst of the chain stores.

Will do.

Hi, look up parts for a 1978 Ford 200 or 250 at Napa online, and bring the old ones with you. Good luck

The parts I found doing that looked like the cap I got yesterday that didn't fit. When I look up stuff for my 1974 Maverick there are about three different cap options on all the different parts sites. There's the shallow one I got and need to return, one that uses screws instead of the clips, and a deeper one that looks to be the right one. I can get that last one at O'Reilly today, so I'll give that a shot.

Thank you all for the help. I'll let you know how it goes with the new parts today.

 

[DON]

When you get the right one- save the part number for next time. I just cut the part of the box with the number off. Keep it with the rest of the receipts

 

[Aeroneous]

Continued inspecting things while waiting on parts and realized that there is a line coming off the distributor which is not connected. There are two lines that look like vacuum lines on the diaphragm side of the distributor, one going in the top and one coming straight out. The line coming out the top is connected to what I believe is the vacuum advance port on the carb. The line straight out was simply disconnected, but was routed in a way that I didn't noticed it earlier.

I've been reading around and the best solution I've found is that this might need to go to the intake manifold. I do have a spare port that has been capped off by a small piece of plugged vacuum hose, so I could connect to that if that's where it goes. Having a hard time finding diagrams for my year and engine. See the attached pics for the distributor connections I'm referring to.

 

[Frank]

No diagrams needed, they will lead you to emissions tuning. Run a single line from the distributor can to the ported vacuum on the carb. Period. No branched lines. 1) Be sure the line is good condition. 2) Ported vacuum can be determined by holding thumb over the distributor end of the line, no vacuum at idle, vacuum comes in strong as throttle is increased a few degrees.

 

[Aeroneous]

No diagrams needed, they will lead you to emissions tuning. Run a single line from the distributor can to the ported vacuum on the carb. Period. No branched lines. 1) Be sure the line is good condition. 2) Ported vacuum can be determined by holding thumb over the distributor end of the line, no vacuum at idle, vacuum comes in strong as throttle is increased a few degrees.

So is that the line coming straight out of the distributor or coming out of the top of the distributor that I need to connect to the carb? And what do I do with the second unused port on the distributor at that point? Cap/plug it?

 

[Frank]

Hi, look up parts for a 1978 Ford 200 or 250 at Napa online, and bring the old ones with you. Good luck

Question for the small6 guys- was'74 electronic ignition already? Does this engine have a later distributor? My history with Ford does not go back that far.

 

[powerband]

by '74 most Ford small sixes were using the DS-I electronic ignition Distributor and Ignition Box. Early DS II's (DS-I) used same appearing cap as Points Distibutor with old style spark plug wiring until Pin top larger caps were used to prevent crossfires.
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DS-I distribs' & caps from a '76 Comet has screw cap (with HEI ignition instead of Ford box.)
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250 w/DS-I has 'Mustard' color snap clip cap

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DS-II Distrib w bigger cap and Pin Spark Plug wires.
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hav efun

 

[Aeroneous]

Well the cap and rotor I got this time were the right parts but unfortunately nothing has changed. Still the same problem.

 

[Bill1958]

Since the over-heating problem...have you pulled the plugs to take a peek at them? Might give you a clue...

 

[Aeroneous]

Since the over-heating problem...have you pulled the plugs to take a peek at them? Might give you a clue...

I did and they looked pretty good.

I am throwing in the towel. Dropping it off tomorrow at a mechanic that is experienced with older cars.

 

[Bill1958]

I did and they looked pretty good.

I am throwing in the towel. Dropping it off tomorrow at a mechanic that is experienced with older cars.

Probably not a bad idea...the overheating makes me wonder...but if it cleared up it could have been just the thermostat stuck. With the fuel line work done...maybe there's some crap from the old line stuck in the carb. Good luck and hope it's nothing big $$$.

 

[Frank]

Well the cap and rotor I got this time were the right parts but unfortunately nothing has changed. Still the same problem.

Yes, sorry if there was a mis-lead: with the electronic ignition I was not expecting the cap/rotor to fix it. Only if there were points, they have to be kept fresh or misfiring occurs.

I did and they looked pretty good.

I am throwing in the towel. Dropping it off tomorrow at a mechanic that is experienced with older cars.

Let us know what he says!

 

[Frank]

So is that the line coming straight out of the distributor or coming out of the top of the distributor that I need to connect to the carb? And what do I do with the second unused port on the distributor at that point? Cap/plug it?

The outer nipple on the advance can is what should be used. The inner one actually retards the timing- that is 100% an emissions rig. don't plug the inner one, it has to provide atmospheric pressure to the back side of the diaphram. I prefer to leave a short piece of open-ended vacuum hose on the inner one, tuck it over between the distributor and block so it's facing down. This keeps debris out of the can.

**** If you didn't do this before taking it to the mechanic, BE SURE this is done by you or him as stated above, or engine performance and economy will be diminished a good bit. ****

 

[powerband]

Frank in previous post is dead on...
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here's distrib' advance - 'retard' chamber with short red hose plugged but with open notch cut into it for pressure relief.

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have fun