Don't feel "like a dumb poser" about this.Most of us have had the same problem.Like Ted suggested just let it soak maybe even overnite.I used a nylon type hammer and just tapped on the advance gently back and forth until it came loose.By the way there is NO seal used on the dist. when you reinstall.If its still startable you might let it run until it warms up and try  to remove it then(after shutting it off LOL).

  

Soak the distributor base area with a good penetrant like PB Blaster or Rust-Solv and let it soak for awhile.  This will take some patience so be gentle with it.  A pipe wrench around the base of the distributor after soaking may help in getting a twist on it to help it get broken loose.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

What exact carburetor are you running?  You didn’t specify if it’s a three bolt or a four bolt.  A three bolt flange at the carb uses the original Load-O-Matic distributor while a four bolt 2bbl carb will require the later model distributor.  And is the vacuum advance chamber on your current distributor working?  You may need to do a vacuum check on the vacuum pot or check with a timing light to verify that the vacuum pod is indeed functioning.  And like everyone else is mentioning, if you do have a ’57 and up carb/intake combination, then you do need to upgrade to the ’57 and up distributor.  But....if you still have a three bolt carb, then the vacuum advance chamber at the distributor or the line feeding it is suspect and needs to be looked at.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

When you do this changeover let us know how it works out.You can start your own  topic on this by clicking on "add topic" at top left of page.Regards,Mark

  

Yes you need a 57-up distributor.Go to Napa or one of the parts stores and ask for a distributor for a 64 F100 with 292(last year used).Price is $40.00 -$80.00 depending where you buy so check around.You will also need cap and rotor for 57-74 Ford V-8.Wires should be reusable unless you want to install a new set.Run your vacuum line to manifold source unless there is a provision for it on your carb.You will be very happy with the improved driveability of the later distributor.Ford went to the dual advance distributor when they changed intake design and introduced the standard pattern Holley 4bbl in 1957.Hope this helps.I cahanged my 56 over to this setup this summer and it works great.

  

If you are you are running a later carb with the '55 "Load-O-matic" distributor and have the vacuum diaphragm hooked to ported vacuum nothing is working right. There is no mech. advance in those distributors and the vacuum is supposed to be hooked to venturi vacuum so it comes on gradually as you increase the throttle. What you will get is initial timing at idle, then when you crack the throttle full advance, and loose it as you push the peddle farther. "57 or later dizzy is needed.

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

When you say the cam is installed straight up, did you infer that the camshaft is degreed in and installed at 108° intake lobe centerline or simply installed in the zero position on a multi-slotted crankshaft gear?  I like 4° advance with the E4 camshaft or installed at 104° intake lobe centerline.  Simply installing the gears so that they are twelve pins apart is not the same as degreeing in the camshaft.  I ask because this makes a difference when trying to troubleshoot.  What’s the cranking compression look like?

This is a mod that’s only performed on a ’57 and later style of carb when attempting to run the early (pre ’57) Load-O-Matic distributors.  And the only distributor worth doing this for is the ’55-’56 T-Bird units when a ’57 T-Bird distributor is unattainable and still wanting to run a modern style of carb.  Much of this modification is trial and error as each engine combination ultimately has different requirements and the modification itself varies depending if being performed on a Ford, Holley, Demon, or Carter (Edelbrock) carburetor.  Likewise, I’ve modified the Holley 4000 4 bbls (Teapots) so they could be used with the ’57 and up distributors.  This is a much easier mod as it simply requires the blocking off of the venturi vacuum which tees into the ported vacuum circuit.  But life can be made simple by lieu of simply using ’57 and up distributors with ’57 and up carbs.  Some adjustments may need to be made to get the curve right, but the basics are there without having to re-engineer the whole shooting match.

But in regards to the use of ported vacuum for the distributor, I have found it necessary to relocate the ported vacuum holes in some of the Demon carbs as the hole has been too high above the blades and was providing insufficient vacuum for the distributor.  This ends up limiting the amount of ignition advance available in cruise situations.  Lowering the hole and/or resizing it larger increases the amount of vaccum to the distributor and thereby allows for additional cruise ignition advance.

 

Gas mileage is the fuel economy as stated in miles per gallon or mpg.  This value can vary depending upon how the vehicle is driven, whether it's town or highway driving, and the fuel quality among other factors.  Improved fuel economy is the recipient of a correctly working advance chamber which is why so much effort goes into getting it right but the ported vacuum part of the signal allows the engine to idle and take off without the surging or quirkiness associated with running the distributor vacuum directly off of the intake or a vacuum port located under the carburetors throttle blades.  A properly tuned vacuum advance will net an additional 3-4 mpg while maintaining a basic tuneup that will not clatter or detonate under heavy loads.  It’s not unusual to go even leaner on primary fuel jetting when the vacuum advance portion of the system is up to speed.  This is a subject that could be devoted to a whole book in itself so it’s difficult to expound on it in any detail in a paragraph or two.

 

As always, this is fuel for thought so feel free to pick it apart.

 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

None of the new style carbs have the venturi vacuum feature (as far as I can tell) - just the "on/off" with the throttle blade as Tim said. Ted has mentioned modifying a modern carb to supply venturi vacuum before - but I don't know how you would go about it.

If you run the modern style "ported" vacuum -  at idle, the sucker will run at the initial timing setting. Then it "turns on" the manifold vacuum as you accelerate the engine with the throttle blade open. At that point everything works just like when you use straight manifold vacuum. Put a gauge on both ports at the same time and check its function - pretty easy to see.

I like running the engine with manifold vacuum at idle - runs cooler during the "burn down test". Running it in the "retarded mode" (initial advance only) no vacuum - will produce a nice sound and a lot of hot water. 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

I know this can get touchy,  but I say just the opposite. The vacuum advance is for cruise only to increase milage, when you go to full throttle you want the extra advance to go away to prevent detonation. When I know I'm going to carry a load I disconnect the vacuum advance so the engine wont "ping" because it is working harder at partial thottle but still has vacuum to the advance.

   Ported vacuum is from a port just above the throttle plate, it will give you manifold vacuum when the throttle is applied but not when it is closed at idle.

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

Thanks for the info Steve.  It looks like a kit & some junk yard searching may be in store for me.

I did want to comment on the connection of the advance that you suggested...

I have always found ported vaccum to be best, especially on a street motor.  The whole point of vac. advance as I understand it is to assist with milage, under load. 

 If I were connect to manifold vac, under load it will actually act as a sort of retard.  (no punn intended!!) For example,  if I go from cruise part throttle, to a slight incline & slight to moderate increase in throttle application which is essentially more load; manifold vac would go from applying advance, to un-applying advance, thus the reverse of what it was intended to do. 

Ported is based off of venturi velocity, thus when you crack the throttle under load you get a boost of ignition timing to help burn the additional fuel that the carb meters under low vac, increased load.

Anyone?    Feel free to correct me if I'm goofed up on this.