I tried excactly what you are proposing... I put the PCV valve to the air cleaner, then I 'blocked' and closed the breather on the front of the engine. It ran better, but I got 12mpg really soon because it's not working properly.
the PCV is a huge vacuum leak. it's supposed to be. so let it do it's job.
the PCV valve goes to the base of the carb, the valve cover breather goes to the main air filter.
62Ranchero200":2orbhyqx said:
I have already tried connecting the vacuum advance to manifold vacuum. With the recommended setting of 12 degrees initial advance, connecting to manifold vacuum gives me about a 28 degree advance at idle
THIS MEANS IT WAS WORKING PROPERLY!! YAY!!!
okay, to tune a an engine 101... disconnect the vacuum from distributor and plug the line, set to 12* inital timing and tighten it down, no need to chagne that anymore!, plug the vacuum canister back into the manifold vacuum. the timing is suppose to advance!!! meaning vacuum advance is doing it's job!!! when you have vacuum is when you want advance!!! espesially at idle. once it plugs back in the RPM should increase, this is normal, simply adjust the RPM to be about 900rpm with the idle screw. once around 900rpm, use a vacuum guage on the manifold vacuum and tune the idle-air-fuel screw to get the most vacuum you can get. it's going to be low, it's not going to be above 10" of vacuum. it's normal for your 110 lobe center. if you wanted more vacuum then you'll want to switch to a 112 lobe center cam.
I guess you are using a stock torque converter, this is probably why it stalls when you put it in gear, it's too tight for the cam.
62Ranchero200":2orbhyqx said:
the engine actually idles more roughly and at lower RPM with that much advance at idle.
I THINK, this means it's either too rich/lean or too low of an idle setting, I really don't think you'll get your idle any lower than 750rpm, it's not stock anymore so you have to find what it likes the best. play with it, aim for a 900rpm first then slowly work down, and always tune your engine after
30 mins of use for the full temp to seep everywhere. once you get 900 rpm, try adjusting one thing to help lower it a little and drive it after every one thing... it's all about trial and error now