I need an intervention!

[I6BLUEBIRD]

Don't let me buy a V-8.

My wife just got over the fact that I bought the car. I think an engine swap might send her over the edge.
I'm sure that you have heard this a thousand times..." need a little more power."
I saw a post today (realistic limitations / rommaster2) that described adequate accelleration at speeds below 45mph. This is exactly what I have not been able to achieve.
I am not looking for tire smokin', neck snappin' low end power. I would like to pull into traffic without waiting for a 1/8th mile gap, or to enter an expressway at more than 50 mph at the bottom of a downhill on ramp.
Could my problem be as simple as a carburetor? I'm hoping that you can help me boost my low end power...or tell me that I'm expecting too much. Here are the details that I can provide.

1965 Falcon
200 cid (1968) Pertronix added... runs very smooth
C4 trans
3.20 rear gear

20 in. Hg Man. Vac @ idle
120 lb psi cyl. comp. at every cyl.
initial timing set at ~20 deg. btdc (vac advance works well)
plug gap @ .042

The only problems that I have with the way the engine runs is a Hesitation at initial accelleration (sometimes). I know replacing or rebuilding the carb will fix that problem. But, could my lack of low end be that simple?

Thank you all for the help that these threads have already provided. You have gotten me this far.

 

[Mercury Mike]

My compression is about 165 on every cylinder if I remember correctly. Did you do hot/cold/wet/dry? And rebuilding your carburetor will help a lot with that hesitation, it may be your accelerator pump isn't functioning properly. I have my duraspark II at initial 15* (actually 12 right now trying it out but I don't like it so going back to 15* tomorrow), and it hauls off the line, and when I punch it, it goes! =P Stock motor other than DSII setup. (15* without the vacuum hooked up) I get a bit of a hesitation at takeoff, but I am attributing it to the fact that the vacuum line of the DSII is hooked up to my SCV carb's ported source, and I need to swap it to the manifold vacuum source. Anyways, rebuild the carb, make sure that the timing is just right, and have a blast with it. I'm sure you can find the power somewhere, and let me know about those compression tests.

 

[rommaster2]

just as a sidenote, my car has a 2.77 manual transmission in it and when shifting from 1st to second i can even get a little bit of a snap back feeling. Your c4 might not be helping that much in the acceleration department but thats beside the point.

check your timing, that seems to make such a good difference, and most likely the carb. Also how many miles are on this motor? Is it rebuilt?

Like i said in my post, and Wilhelmus said these little sixes are pretty good off the line, especially in light cars like falcons (is yours a two or four door, mines a four), and even with me flooring it through the gears all time appears to be getting about 18-20mpg (shifting at 3.5k rpms, sometimes 4) much better then my sisters 2 barrel 289, which you have to baby to get 16 or 17mpg. Get that six tuned up right and you'll be more then happy with its mix of power and economy.

 

[buzzA4]

Best advice I ever got was to get this book:

http://falconperformance.sundog.net/

Good Luck,

Buzz

 

[I6BLUEBIRD]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I got home from work today and read your posts. Then I went into the garage and checked out a few things.

Wilhelmus, I decided to check compression again. This turned into a nightmare. I checked yesterday (cold and dry) and got 120 psi @ all cyl.
Today I ran the car for a few min. and checked #1 and #2. I got 125 both times. I thought this was low so I put about a tblspn of oil in #2 and checked again. This time got 150!!! Oh no...bad rings? Now I'm freaked out, so I pull all the plugs and go to #3, = 150. Then #4, = 150. Now here's where things get weird... I check #5 and get 185!!! What the H---.
I figured I did something wrong, so I looked at the comp. gauge. It is a threaded type with "O" rings. Ah Ha! I went back to #1 and screwed the hose in as tight as I could. This time = 185. Then #2, = 185...and so on all the way through. Twice! I'm hoping that the lack of compression was just me not screwing the gauge in tight enough. But, who knows, with all the cranking and Fuel or oil in the cyl's.

As for the lack of power that started this mess. I think I might have moved a step in the right direction. While wrenchin' and cussin', I noticed that the choke flap was not completely open (about 80%). After I got everything back together, I made sure that the choke was open and took a drive with the air cleaner off. Much improved, but still a little lacking IMHO. 0 - 45mph in 9 seconds. 0 - 60mph in 16 seconds. The car makes great power above 40mph, it just seems to take forever to get there.

Rommaster, my Falcon is a convertible. Your probably right about the C-4 holding me back a little. I checked the timing again and seem to get the smoothest idle and most man. vac. (20 in.) at about 20 deg. btdc.
I don't know if the engine was rebuilt or not when the car was restored about 7 years ago. I do know that most everything on the car was rebuilt or replaced at that time. The engine seems to run very well, other than the lack of low end power.

BuzzA4, I plan on buying the Performance Handbook as soon as I get done writing this post.

Thanks again to all of you. You've kept me from giving in to the V-8 urges again. Like a lot of my friends say..."one day at a time."

 

[rommaster2]

Yeah tell me about the taking forever to get there, first and second gear for me rev up great, its when i get to third and try to go above 60 and the damn tach moves so slow going up .

Those numbers don't sound that bad actually, remember that if your 200 is stock then its probably only putting about 60 or 70 rwhp, and your convertible weighs a little bit more. However if your losing compression and are in need of an eventual rebuild or take apart, you are in a good spot to plan out what parts you will put in. As reccomended i would purchase the performance handbook.

 

[Lazy JW]

...I'm hoping that the lack of compression was just me not screwing the gauge in tight enough...

Compression is properly checked with all plugs removed and throttle held wide ope. Oh, and with the guage screwed all the way in.

I think your ignition advance needs some attention.
Joe