Buying the correct distributor

[Anonymous]

I have been having a problem with my car on take off. If you try and accelerate fast from a dead stop, it bogs down and then after a second or two it will launch pretty hard. I have adjusted the timing and have checked everything else I could think of. After reading around for awhile, I think my problem is that I have a Weber carb installed and I am using my original distributor. I read something about "Load-o-matic" and that the carb and dist. go hand in hand. My solution was to get an '68 dist. with a single vac advance. Should this fix my problem? Thanks for any help.

 

[CZLN6]

Howdy Josh:

It is possible that the mismatch of carb vacuum signal to Load-a-Matic is adding to your problem.

What you're describing sounds more like a fuel delivery problem. Check to verify that the accelerator pump system is function and that the enrichment is enough to provide for transition and wot acceleration. You could try to enrichen the low speed idle circuit to help to cover the transition leaneww.

Which Weber are you using? What is the distributor vacuum line hook to on the carb? What is the initial advance set at?

Happy New Year,

Adios, David

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the quick response. I am running the weber 38-38, and my vacuum line plugs straight into the front of my carb. It also came with a fuel pressure regulator which was factory set at 3psi, I hope. The fuel pump only has about 2000 miles on it, it should still be good. At high RPMs the car runs great and accelerates great on the freeway. Something else I did notice, if you try and hold the brake and mash the gas pedal, the engine starts to rev, that cuts out, then revs again. This goes on until you release the gas.
As far as my initial advance, I tried to set it by the book, but any setting above TDC was to fast and resulted in lots of pinging. Now I am set at a hair below the TDC mark. Very strange??

Josh

 

[Anonymous]

isnt factory fuel pressure higher than 3?

 

[robbinsj]

Josh-
I'm running the Weber 38 as well. First, don't count on that regulator being set properly, mine was not out of the box. Get a vacuum/fuel pressure gauge and check. I think your problem may actually be the float setting. The Weber is very sensitive to it. I had a cold engine bog that I cured completely by making sure the float was set properly. It wasn't off by much, but it made a huge difference.
-Joey

 

[JackFish]

As far as my initial advance, I tried to set it by the book, but any setting above TDC was to fast and resulted in lots of pinging. Now I am set at a hair below the TDC mark. Very strange??

Maybe the balancer marks are off.
Or maybe the dizzy's getting too much vacuum at idle.

 

[CZLN6]

Howdy Back Josh And All:

You've got some pretty good suggestions on the carb to check. Add to that the accelerator pump in the carb. Some Webers have a to or three hole option for the accelerator pump arm. The upper hole is leanest, the bottom richer. Check that out too.

What you are describing sounds like a lean condition when the secondary opens.

Certainly check out the timing mark issue. Accurate timing is essential regardless of what distributor you use. Determine top dead center and make a new mark on the damper if necessary. Did you disconnect the vacuum line before setting the initial advance?

I believe that the vacuum source you are describing is a ported vacuum source, but am not sure. In any case, it is not correct for a Load-a-Matic distributor to function correctly.

Keep checking, and keep us posted on your results and progresses.

Adios, David

 

[Anonymous]

Well add one more problem to my list, my car killed another starter!! Thats like three in the past year!! Well once I get that fixed, I'll re-check my TDC mark and I also picked up a '68 distributor, so I will also install that as well.
As far as the carb adjustments, I think thats a little over my head at this point. I'll fix the easy stuff first then tackle that.
After another starter of course

Josh

 

[addo]

Josh, spring for a new starter, not rebuilt. It's crazy to go through a starter swap three times in twelve months.

OTOH, if you learn undercutting, you could prep a "rebuilt" one and it may last a good while longer than recent units.

Cheers, Adam.

 

[JackFish]

OTOH, if you learn undercutting, you could prep a "rebuilt" one and it may last a good while longer than recent units.

Cheers, Adam.

Undercutting? Whazzat :
I have a dead starter I might rebuild for fun.
After killing one in 3 months, I went with the 2year warranty replacement.

 

[addo]

Contrary to the apprentices believe, rebuilding a starter does not mean washing the bits in solvent, pressing on new imported bearings, polishing the commutator with glasspaper and spraying the reassembled part black...

Undercutting is establishing a groove 1/32" deep in the mica between commutator segments. It allows carbon dust from brush wear to accumulate/purge without shorting the segments.

The important aspect of undercutting is that a thin wafer of mica is left either side of the groove. This is to break the continuity/conductivity referred to above.

The tool of choice for hand work is a hacksaw blade ground (linished) to a consistent width (say 1/32") that will allow retention of the side layers as mentioned. The rotating assembly is lightly clamped in soft jaws and undercutting is done. Dust blown away, the motor is reassembled after checking for scuffs or snags on the copper segments.

It is assumed that you will have already checked every winding for continuity and tightness. Excessive brush pressure (overlong generic brushes) may make the dust build up faster... confirm these aspects as per the factory manual. Field windings almost never go wrong.

Cheers, Adam.

 

[JackFish]

Undercutting is
Cheers, Adam.

We are so fortunate to have you on this board. 8)
And to all the others (a list I won't start for fear of excluding anyone), whose depth of knowledge is made available for us plumb, thanks.
This board is awesome :!:

 

[addo]

I've heard about some electrical tester called a "growler" that is supposed to find poorly tensioned windings and such. Don't know anything about it though. That's probably more of an issue with stuff that rotates fast and longer, like an alternator.

 

[cfmustang]

Your a brave man, Addo.

Years ago I used to work for a commutator manufacturer/rebuilder. Personally, without the right tools, I wouldn't try undercutting the mica myself, but that is just me.

 

[addo]

I first read it about as a kid. Then when I pulled down a starter once, I found that the mica was almost higher than the copper. No wonder it was erratic.

A junior hacksaw blade that's had the end cut square, and linished to remove the "set" is a good tool for many applications, and a regular hacksaw blade (similarly modded) suits others. When you work out how long the parts stores' "rebuilts" are processed for, in order to be profitable, you quickly realise how many corners are cut - not insulation...

 

[JackFish]

Adams tip led me to some further investigation and I found an illustration describing the process somewhat.


I can post this hijack to a new thread, should it go in Hardcore?