New Owner '65 Mustang - tune up help please

Congrats excellent job! Sorry I must have missed that about it being a manual trans. So in that case you will then also need to reset the carb's Curb Idle RPM higher in the range of 500 to 600 RPM experiment and see what it likes 525 or 550 usally is about right. The base timing can also vary some 10 to 12 degrees BTDC is a good starting point you can also try some more to see what your engine likes. It might be as much as 14 to 16 degrees any hint of pinging under a light load back off some timing. Remember if you change the base timing you will also need to reset the #4 the lean best idle setting. Good luck

Hi Bubba, thanks for the update. So I've got one shortfall I hope you can help me out with...

Current settings:
10 BTDC
17 Hg on the vacuum

- I limited my idle to about 800 RPM...any lower than that and it starts getting rough. I've got a mismatched 1940/Load o magic (no SCV on the 1940). Can this be the problem? Also, it looks like I can get more advance in there.

gimmea250swb":8j1484pc said:

Hi Bubba, thanks for the update. So I've got one shortfall I hope you can help me out with...

Current settings:
10 BTDC
17 Hg on the vacuum

- I limited my idle to about 800 RPM...any lower than that and it starts getting rough. I've got a mismatched 1940/Load o magic (no SCV on the 1940). Can this be the problem? Also, it looks like I can get more advance in there.

Click to expand...

Face the facts you need a distributor set up for your engine.
Get your wallet out & get your pride & joy performing better than it came from the factory. Bill

gimmea250swb":3e6gcd0h said:

Hi Bubba, thanks for the update. So I've got one shortfall I hope you can help me out with...

Current settings:
10 BTDC
17 Hg on the vacuum

- I limited my idle to about 800 RPM...any lower than that and it starts getting rough. I've got a mismatched 1940/Load o magic (no SCV on the 1940). Can this be the problem? Also, it looks like I can get more advance in there.

Click to expand...

You could try backing the base timing off some more to get the idle RPM down, 6 degrees BTDC is the stock setting for a 200 manual trans car. Or you could put as much base timing as you can 14 to 18 degrees and still be able to start it without a lot of starter kickback, however neither of those solutions are very good for a daily driver type car. Sorry but yes the problem is there is no SCV in your 1940 to operate the LOD advance system. We see these mismatches of Carbs and Distribitors often because so many just don't understand how the old LOD system works and often the wrong parts are tried to be used togeather. In reality I wouldn't be surprised if this mismatch of parts making the engine run poorly is the real reason the car got parked all those years ago p, I have personally seen this many times in fixing them. The good news is it's very easy to get it runing great again with the right parts.

X2 this mismatch is limiting the engines performance without having the SCV in the carb the Load O Matic Distribitor cant function correctly. Choices are to change the carb for one with a SCV to be able to function with the old LOD Distribitor (that wasn't all that great of an advance system) or finish moving up the rest of the way to one the newer style Duel advance Distribitors. I do agree with Bill (wsa111) this would be the best way to go to get the most performance and economy out of your 200. Best of luck

many of us use any post '68 carb that fits our level of MPGs/pep (performance either way) and post '68 ford dizzy.
U R (I think this has been said) on the right side of '64 so the 'hole at the bottom' (ie ur block) can accept the later
DSII. Dura Spark ('77 on I think) has enuff advantages ppl on the drag strip (Mike in his Mad Mav) and ppl like MPGs
(a fella lookin for optimal mpg in his 'stang) use them...

Again the tech archive above (blue bx w/crossed screw driver/wrench) and 'the Handbook" lay this all out...

It's not a large financial out lay if using car-part dot com, our guidance, the big box stores, etc. Like all else
set a budget and begin research (or vise veras.) Is this a car U need immediatly?

Problem solved. He is going with my DS11 & MSD-6al with Blaster coil.

Hi, with your improved ignition you should open the gap on the spark plugs to .045.
You are going to notice a big improvement in performance.
Good luck

B RON CO":336wlnqk said:

Hi, with your improved ignition you should open the gap on the spark plugs to .045.
You are going to notice a big improvement in performance.
Good luck

Click to expand...

Great, received it on the 15th. I'm traveling and haven't been able to get at it yet but look forward to it.

I may have to give you a call so you can explain to me how to set the advance with the new distributor. At this point I've forgotten how you said I'll need to set the advance past the marks on the block. I hope you don't mind a follow-up call.

I'm also having some choke issues on the 1940 which I'll post in another thready. I feel like I should fix that before attempting the distributor so I can eliminate variables later.

Hi, you should get your ignition set up first, and do the carb last. Any change in ignition timing will also change the idle speed. Good luck

2 X ^^^^^
C the fine tune up posts bubbs has setup
(or there may B 1 in the tech archive above &/or "the Handbook").

I've been following so many threads, pardom me. Forget where U R @.
U IDed the system U have (LOM/SCV?)?
each component tests out as "good"?
Got air, gas, fire?
Got muti meter, test lght, timing lght (&/or vac guage), wrenches'n screwdrivers...?
Sorry 4 any repeats.

It will be about 1/4" above the timing tab on the timing cover.