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By Y-oh-Y - 13 Years Ago
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Hello All, It was suggested by a few that I move this thread, so here it is. Lost my 75 F250 4x4 to a 3 ton oak limb, ( never loan your truck to a tree guy, even if he is your son ). The 1960 F100 I picked up as a project is now needed as my daily driver. I am looking to increase gas milage when possible, increase power when I can but not at the cost of milage. Any thoughts and or opinions as to what I can or should be doing as I am getting the truck road worthy will be very much appreciated. The truck; 1960 F100 with a 292 2 barrel holley 2300, small valve heads, stock crossover exhaust, t-98 trans, and a 3.70 rear end, 245/70 r 15 tires. The truck had been sitting for 2 years. I turned it over by hand a few times only to be met with a lovely clanking sound as 2 push rods slid into the valley. I pulled valve covers to find 2 valves stuck open and 2 push rods missing, 2 more rods bent. I pulled the heads and cleaned, soaked , and cleaned some more. I lapped the valves just to be sure all were seating well. cleaned some more and reassembled the top end. Cranking the engine with the starter the oil pressure it at 50 pounds, cold compression tested 130 all the way around. Thats about where I am with it, I will post more as it comes up. Thanks, Mark
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By Y-oh-Y - 13 Years Ago
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It has been suggested that I go to a dual exhaust. I had planned on the exhaust but have a question on how to deal with the heat riser for the intake. The original valve was not installed on the exhaust when I bought it. I live in Red Bluff Ca. and it doesn't get too cold here ( 30-40 in the mornings) but it's over 100 degress most of the summer. It has also been suggested that I install a breakerless ignition, I have a lot of learning to do about those. Is there a low budget favorite ? On other engines Ive worked on there was a spacer/insulator block under the carb, This motor did not have one. Any suggestions as to what if anything it needs ? On my valley pan at the rear of the intake there is what appears to be a pcv valve, it was run into the side of the air cleaner housing with a hose, is this typical ? why the need for the valve ? Thanks, Mark
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By mctim64 - 13 Years Ago
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I'll start the ball rolling with an ignition suggestion. I use Petronix kits in mine, they run about $80 at most places on the internet. (#1281) Be sure that your dizzy is in good shape before you instal it. You could go with a CDI box like from MSD (there are others) and just trigger it with the points, you need your dizzy to be in good shape for this set up too along with a good coil and 10-12v to the CDI. (no ballast resistor) I've seen the MSD street version at Summit for $120. All of this does no good if the timing is off. Make sure the mark on your damper is right as they slip some times then set the initial at around 12* btdc and total should be about 32-34* around 2500-3000 rpm. That's what I like to see anyway. Under the carb. you should have a insolating spacer of some sort, 1/2" bakelite would do. Keeps you from boiling gas out of the carb. and flooding the engine when you shut it off.
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By paul2748 - 13 Years Ago
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I would go with the dual exhaust. As far as the heat riser goes, since it is comparatively warm you can do without it, bearing in mind that on the colder days it will take longer to reach operating temperature. If you go with the stock sedan type exhaust manifolds (not sure if there is fit problem with the steering box)you can go with the heat riser, putting it in the same spot as the sedan units - at the end of the exhaust manifold on the passenger side. With headers, you probably will be unable to use the heat riser.
As far as ignition, the cheapest way is probably the Pertronix unless some one has something else I am not aware of.
As far as a heat shield goes, I haven't heard of one for the 2300 2bbl. You might check with Summitt or Jegs to see if one is available.
The PCV is probably a California required retrofit (smog). I'm not even sure there is enough vacuum for the valve to work going into the air cleaner, but maybe. The valves are usually plumbed into the either the lower part of the carb or a separate plate between the carb and intake.
Y-oh-Y (1/25/2012)
It has been suggested that I go to a dual exhaust. I had planned on the exhaust but have a question on how to deal with the heat riser for the intake. The original valvewas not installed on theexhaust when I bought it.I live in Red Bluff Ca. and it doesn't get too cold here ( 30-40 in the mornings) butit's over 100 degress most of the summer.
It has also been suggested that I install a breakerless ignition, I have a lot of learning to do about those. Is there a low budget favorite ?
On other engines Ive worked on there was a spacer/insulator block under the carb, This motor did not have one. Any suggestions as to what if anything it needs ?
On my valley pan at the rear of the intake there is what appears to be a pcv valve, it was run into the side of the air cleaner housing with a hose, is this typical ? why the need for the valve ?
Thanks, Mark
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By 46yblock - 13 Years Ago
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You wont need a heat riser in Red Bluff. Bakelite heat isolators/insulators for Holley 2300 and Autolite 2100 are the same, and almost always available on ebay.
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By Y-oh-Y - 13 Years Ago
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OK, got both of my pcv questions answered and came out of it with only 1 new question. If a slight weep at an intake gasket causes grief, how can a 1/4" pcv hole in the intake system not make it curl up and die ?
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By charliemccraney - 13 Years Ago
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It is usually located centrally and so is more uniformly distributed to the cylinders. The carburetor is tuned to compensate. It is a sort of planned or designed vacuum leak.
When a vacuum leak occurs at a gasket it is not planned or designed and it usually favors one or two cylinders and the carb is not tuned to compensate.
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By Riz - 13 Years Ago
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I live in Ohio and have been operating without a heat riser for years. Takes about 5 min to warm up and I am even running 3 Holley 94s. I doubt you will ever miss it. I run a Mallory distributor with mech advance. Pretty user friendly. Charlie helped me out recently with a PCV problem. Bottom line the simple answer is probably correct. Although mine is not a true daily driver it is out all winter barring snow. But that is more an issue of traction than the heat riser.
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By Y-oh-Y - 13 Years Ago
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I pulled and cleaned the distributer and all seems good with that. I'm going to run the points system for now I will be replacing them with a pointless system in the near future, I want to see how well it runs before I invest the cash. I also rebuilt the carb, just waiting on a trip to the junk yard for a spacer/insulator block. It's getting real close to running. Mark
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By Y-oh-Y - 13 Years Ago
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I have searched the truck from headlight to taillight and can't find where to plug in my OBD11 reader, Can anyone tell me where it is ? 
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By MoonShadow - 13 Years Ago
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Ask the kid down the block, he should know! Chuck 
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By Y-oh-Y - 13 Years Ago
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Here is an update on my truck. While looking for a dual exhaust system I started going over the rest of the truck to make sure it's roadable, nothing was. I had hoped to find things in better shape. I now have a new brake system, wheel bearings, seals, trans seals, rear end bearings and seals, spring bushings all around. Just to be able to start it, I used a piece of fence pipe for a header pipe until I can afford to get the exhaust. It does run, kinda. It will not start without full choke, cold or warm. It will not idle without the manual choke 3/4 the way closed, and it will not go below 700 rpm without dieing. It will run with the choke open but will not go below 1100 rpms or it dies. it's running way rich and the exhaust has a sputter to it. The new plugs are white on one side and soot black on the other side of the electrode. I have checked for vacum leaks at the carb base and manifold/ head and found nothing. I did find that I had no mechanical advance due to worn posts on the weights, replaced dist. with rebuilt. I redid a compression test( a friend did the inital test) and found way different results;120, 90, 100, 110, 100, 90, 100, 70. These were done with engine warm, throttle wide open. I retested after putting a tablespoon or so of oil in each cyl and there was no notible change. the h/b is right on the 0 pointer with #1 cyl @ tdc I have maybe 3-5 degrees slop in the timing chain When running with choke open at 1100 rpm my vac gauge shows a steady 20 inches. when trying to idle with choke part closed at 800 rpm vac gauge shows slow movement from 15 - 18 inches, doesnt seem to be in sync with sputter/ missing all rockers are working, all push rods are good, valve adj is good, valves lapped nice. The carb (holley 2300) I have rebuilt 2 times, cleaned and blown 5 times, all looked good all times. Any thoughts ?
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By Y-oh-Y - 13 Years Ago
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Yeah, I thats what I figgered.
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By MoonShadow - 13 Years Ago
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Don't be that way. I'm sure some of our resident Guru's will hav some thoughts but they are getting old and a bit slow. Sometimes its hard to find someone to read our messages to us with our aged eyesight. Just on a quick reading it sounds like you did a valve job? I was going to suggest valves with no change in the compression while adding oil. I really don't know whats going on there but will watch and learn. Sounds like a bit of frustration setting in. Are you running 0Deg in the timing? I would think it should be 8-10deg without advance. Have you checked your spark at the coil? It should be blue, if not you have a weak spark. Is the idle slot in the carb properly exposed? Should look like a little square above the lower butterfly. Other than that it sounds to me like a vacum leak somewhere. Try spraying some carb cleaner around the carb base and intake to see if the idle changes. That would indicate the location of a vacum leak. Good hunting! Chuck
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By charliemccraney - 13 Years Ago
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Ignore what the damper indicates for now and see if you can adjust the timing (distributor) to get it to idle.
How is the rest of your ignition? Coil, cap, wires, rotor, etc?
Consider replacing the timing chain.
Find out why you have low compression. Perform a leakdown test.
It may simply be time for a rebuild.
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By Y-oh-Y - 13 Years Ago
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I am sorry for the last post I made, It wasn't directed at anyone on here. I am very frustrated with this truck. I needed something to go right with it and I know better than to hope that a 50+ year old truck would defy Murphy.( in my case, "the more you need it, the less likely you'll get it") The timing is set at 10 degrees initial. I have advanced and retarded it with no improvement. I have checked for vac leaks and found only a small one at the carb base. The idle stop screw is turned all of the way in and I still have 1/8" air before it hits the choke cam, the butterflies are fully closed. I know this aint right but I don't know whats wrong. I agree that it needs a rebuild, I'm thinking it's time to quit polishing a turd and find another engine.
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 13 Years Ago
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I re-read the posts on this, you mentioned going to the salvage yard and getting a carb spacer. Sometimes a late model spacer does not seal against an early manifold and/or carb, creating a vacuum leak. You might check the spacer carefully against both the carb and manifold and gaskets.
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By Pete 55Tbird - 13 Years Ago
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Mark If you do have a compression reading of 70 PSI as the lowest and 120 PSI as the highest then how can you you have a MANIFOLD VACUUM of 20 inches? Are you taking the vacuum reading off of the manifold or the CARBURATOR? Pete
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By Y-oh-Y - 13 Years Ago
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The only source for a vac measurement is the line from the distributor to the carb. I plan on picking up a nipple to fit the bung in the intake on my next trip into town.
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By Riz - 13 Years Ago
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Not for nothing, I don't want to get you chasing another gremlin, my intake set up is different, but I chased a combo bad PCV valve and a leaky PV in the carb, I kept looking for a vacuum leak when it turned out it was pulling the air from the PCV and running off the PV rather than the idle circuit. It made it seem like the rings were shot from running way too rich, also ended up with a lot of fuel smell in the oil, turns out was really simple at the end. Mine also would drop dead when coming to a stop and the engine lugged below 700.
Long story I had some of the folks on here give good advice and just start eliminating one at a time.
From your description it seems like you probably have 2 or more minor issues mimicking something sinister. As the others have mentioned I would start with the electrics coil and distributor, wires etc. maybe spend a few bucks and get a local shop to bench flow test the carb. Kiss---- fuel-air-spark. I don't want to sound condescending, but I also have been in the place I was going to take a .45 to it. I needed someone to talk me off the ledge.
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By Y-oh-Y - 13 Years Ago
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She Runs !! Most problems have been fixed, still runnin a bit rich, even drove it around for the first time. Thanks to all for the help, Mark
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By MoonShadow - 13 Years Ago
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What turned outto be the problem? Chuck
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By Y-oh-Y - 13 Years Ago
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I think there were many problems, my attention to detail being at the top of the list. The carb turned out to be a mix of parts that a po had put together to "make it work" The plastic points that came with the new rebuilt distributor were crap. I installed a ballast resistor in the "on" feed from the ign. switch, and reconnected the "start" ign. lead from the starter selenoid. I replaced the single pole selenoid that was in it with a dual post starter selenoid. The exhaust I had rigged was too small (1 1/8" id  it now has the stock crossover manifolds dumping into 2" id with a 90 degree sweep instead of a sharp 90 in 1 1/4". I pulled the intake again just to check and found nothing that looked like a vac leak. I had lost the o-ring seal on my comp. tester somewhere along the way. with that replaced my comp. tested 125# - 130# warm with throttle wide open. I installed a vac port in the intake right near the carb. base and am getting 17-18 inches at idle with a small/fast bounce in the needle.The engine does need to be rebuilt but it is running well enough to drive local which is what I needed it to do for now. Thanks again, Mark
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By MoonShadow - 13 Years Ago
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Great! It can be so frustrating when the puzzle pieces just don't seem to fit. Sometime you have to sleep on it and start with a fresh look. Now you can enjoy the truck while you work on it. Chuck
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 13 Years Ago
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Sometimes we have problems, and want one thing to be the cause of all the symptoms. We have to step back, take a deep breath, and go throught everything step by step. The end result will often be just what you found, many little things causing a big headache. Glad to hear you fixed it, now enjoy it.
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By Riz - 13 Years Ago
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Awesome news! Sometimes I look at the guys who just open their checkbooks to get hot rods, my truck will never win a trophy, but those guys will never know the satisfaction of working through it and getting it done. Enjoy it.
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