loadomatic distributor spring Identification

gb500

Well-known member
Supporter 2018
hello - trying to identify the two springs in my loadomatic distrbutor for my 170 manual falcon.

does anyone have any shop manuals hiding there that have descriptions of the springs - ie diameter , no coils ,length , wire diameter that would allow me to sort through my parts for the correct ones ?


a timing light shows the distributor whacking up to full advance at approx 1200rpm (engine) and consequentkly pinging
checking the springs shows they are fairly light ones - so guess in last 50 years someone has swapped them (and have put in a new Spark Control Valve (SCV) at the carb.)

an early australian workshop manual i have actually lists the springs (ie wire diameter , number of coils , length, etc )for a 144 engine - but not for the 170 engine (later engine in australia and not in the early workshop manual

i have another workshop manual which lists the part numbers ONLY for the 144 and 170 but i have no way of identifying what the aprt nubers mean -in relation to the springhs.

the springs are listed -for the 170 +manual gearbox as :

primary spring : C1DF 12192 A
secondary spring : 8EQ-12192


will try and add a scan of the pages once i am able to (cant from work..)
 
Personally any springs stronger will beat the living daylights out of pinging…
There are a lot of members here that can help you with the springs.

I just ant one o dem..
However.... have you checked your static timing.

Just in case:
Disconnect your vacuum line from the distributor and plug that line tight.

With your engine warm and at idle take a look and see what your timing marks are telling you..

It should be no more than 12º or less……..
 
thanks guys - static timing is fine - was about 12 -014 -but knocked it back to stop the pinging to about aprox 8 deg now and certainly not a resto .

just a driver that was bugging me with the carb /timing issue - so checked the advance at rpm . then looked in the manual for the springs .

problem is i have a whole lot of loadomatics sitting in abox - so was looking at the springs in them (seemed every one is different ..)figured i could sort out a correct set -If i knew what i was looking for.
 
Well I cant help with the spring id part, but there are members here that can and will...

However I can show you a picture of my L-O-M...
It ran great as soon as I cut my plugged up muffler off.

oldautolitedistributor.jpg

Could be the colors could help you??
Good luck
 
Hey gb500
When you resolve the L-O-M spring issue, go back and reevaluate your initial timing.

These six’s run best when that timing is optimized.
I would think 12 is peak and 10 better than 8.

That’s according to ClassicInline
 
You know...
I forgot to confirm if you have an automatic of stick shift. :bang:
Their timing is very different...
 
Ok I'll be a bit more Blunt , Unless this is a concourse car a pre Centrifugal advance( loadamatic ) dist is a waste of time , Ive found setting the timing to 18-30 works better than even hooking up the hose , if it is a concourse car fine play with different springs , if not , throw your cell phone or any modern updates away and only start fire with rubbing sticks together as a loadamatic is only slightly more advanced.
 
gee -thanks falcon sedan delivery.
i thought i would put it out there to see if the falcon knowledge tree could assist.

its been trucking on for 50 years with the loadomatic so a few more years aint going to matter.

as it happens after a bit of searching at work today ( non work time - of course :wink: )the part numbers are listed on some american website - so ive shot him an email to see if he can supply - if its a few bucks i'll do it , if not , well we will see.
its a 3 speed manual box and 170 engine - but orig came with a 144 -

who ever changed the engine put the 144 carb on it (holley 1904) -

so was checking what the dist was from - 144 or 170 - but i cant tell without IDing the springs

all bone stock. ive had it for 9 months now and just getting around to checking this
 
echo1955":37w235cz said:
Well I cant help with the spring id part, but there are members here that can and will...

However I can show you a picture of my L-O-M...
It ran great as soon as I cut my plugged up muffler off.

oldautolitedistributor.jpg

Could be the colors could help you??
Good luck

echo - just viewed your pics - kinda does help - what is your loadamatic on - ie 170ci ? manual or auto?
 
The manual I have covers '60-'63 U.S. models . It has no spring information . Would the distributor #'s help [see PM] ? The '60-'62 distributors for both engines show the same max advance [16 1/2*] with minor differences in the advance pattern . The '63 specs for both show a max advance of 10* [early emission control ?] , again with minor differences in advance pattern . The distributors for '60-'62 automatics show less max advance . All show max advance not reached till past 2000 rpm .
 
Your Welcome , This was not a dig just fact , I recurve Dist't for a sidline at my shop , problem with Old info is just that , ITS OLD . if this was the mid 60's and the gas was the same , I could understand the relative nature of the question , but it AINT , your better off as I discussed above , or just experiment with differt springs , what was right then ISNT Now , old specs have some value , they give a starting point , but beyond that , well i , oh never mind.



gb500":2pufq3wg said:
gee -thanks falcon sedan delivery.
i thought i would put it out there to see if the falcon knowledge tree could assist.

its been trucking on for 50 years with the loadomatic so a few more years aint going to matter.

as it happens after a bit of searching at work today ( non work time - of course :wink: )the part numbers are listed on some american website - so ive shot him an email to see if he can supply - if its a few bucks i'll do it , if not , well we will see.
its a 3 speed manual box and 170 engine - but orig came with a 144 -

who ever changed the engine put the 144 carb on it (holley 1904) -

so was checking what the dist was from - 144 or 170 - but i cant tell without IDing the springs

all bone stock. ive had it for 9 months now and just getting around to checking this
 
thanks guys .

will try to get these ones from the supplier in the states if it aint too much hassle - or fiddle around with a few combo's to see if i can get it somewhat acceptable on the advance curve.
 
gb500":3jxihgji said:
an early australian workshop manual i have actually lists the springs (ie wire diameter , number of coils , length, etc )for a 144 engine - but not for the 170 engine (later engine in australia and not in the early workshop manual

i have another workshop manual which lists the part numbers ONLY for the 144 and 170 but i have no way of identifying what the aprt nubers mean -in relation to the springhs.

the springs are listed -for the 170 +manual gearbox as :

primary spring : C1DF 12192 A
secondary spring : 8EQ-12192

Hey gb500, wow that's a pretty amazing level of detail compared to my '66 Ford Shop Manual. This might not be much help to you (but was surprising to me). My '66 FSM shows all the advance in by 2,000rpm (oh wait is that distributor rpm not crank :?: ) ...ah well here's the '66 advance characteristics that would have been on a 1966, 170ci, stnd tranny w/o thermactor.

Distributor.....................Advance..................Vacuum
(rpm)..........................(degrees)..............(inches of Hg)
800..............................2.5-3.5....................0.80
1200.............................6.5-7.5....................1.80
1800...........................8.75-10.0...................3.00
2000....................../...10.25-11.5..................3.90
Maximum advance.........................14.5 degrees

I tried checking a site I had bookmarked for other FSM's but can't get to it...
http://falconfaq.dyndns.org/
Might be the copyright police got to 'em. They had a few different copies of older FSM's posted there.
I'm sure you're probably well aware, but I'll mention it anyway for others reading along...not to forget you can rotate the outer spring posts to affect curve as well. Good luck!
 
yes -i thought it was remarkable that the early australian service manual had the wire diameter, number of coils, coil dia and length forthe springs -thats why i asked if other info out there.
i checked the http://falconfaq.dyndns.org/ before starting the thread-no luck only had part numbers-not details.
just waiting to hear back from the US suppliers
 
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