HI GUYS

YOU FIND ONE PROLEM AND THEN YOU LOOK AROUND AND FIND MORE

SORRY FOR THE OUT OF FOCUS SHOT

JUST FOUND THIS PIPE NOT CONECTED TO ANYTHING.

IT IS THE BACK OF THE DISTRIBUTOR THE VACUM PIPE I THINK .

SHOULD THIS BE CONNECTED TO YHE VACUM FROM THE HEAD.

STEVE.

That’s the vacuum advance hookup for the distributor.  It normally hooks up to to a ported vacuum signal at the carburetor.  Not a show stopper if it’s not hooked up as long as you are running a ’57 and up distributor and the vacuum port at the carb is plugged.  But when hooked up and working properly, fuel economy will be improved and depending upon the mechanical curve in the distributor, low end throttle response will also be better.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

If you open the distributor cap - maybe remove the upper rotor as well - do you see two springs on the upper plate adjacent to the contact points?

Perhaps the points base is "straight" where it screws down? These are features of the earlier distributor (1956 and earlier).

The 1957 and later unit will not have the two prominent upper springs - and the points base is curved.

Our reason for asking - the earlier version needs a matching carburetor with a particular vacuum port in order to operate the vacuum mechanism on the distributor. 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

the vacuum port at the carb is connected to the power assisted brakes

should i connect in to this and join it up.

steve.

Steve, brakes should be connected to a constant vacuum source. Distributor should be hooked to a timed vacuum source, if not distributor will go to full vacuum advance when you are at idle. Mike

1956 Fairlane Victoria (ORREO)

 

Overlooking Beautiful Rimrock AZ

thanks for the advice

so where abouts does the vacum pipe from the distributor connect too????

THIS IS A PICTURE OF MY CARBS AND INLET MANIFOLD

STEVE.

New Steve,

Where to hook the vacuum advance is in large part personal preference. Myself and Steve (Greenbird) run live vacuum, that is it's getting vacuum at idle and also advancing the timing at idle. No problems. Since your only option at the present time is live vacuum, give it a try.

You might find a fitting that will go in the place of that pipe plug at the back of the intake and use it as the source of vacuum.


Lawrenceville, GA

If you end up not being happy with drivability when using ‘live’ or ‘direct’ distributor vacuum that’s sourced from the intake manifold (or from any point under the carburetor butterflies), then give the ported vacuum signal at the carb a try.  On the three deuce setup, you’ll want to run the ‘ported’ signal off of the center carb after that particular carb has been suitably modified for the correct signal.

 

Here’s the link to how to modify the Holley 94’s so that they will supply a ‘timed’ or ‘ported’ vacuum signal for the ’57 and later distrubutors.

Modifying Holley 94 two barrel carbs for ’57 and up distributor usage

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Ted:

Steve has Strombergs, would the ported vacuum mods be the same as the Holley?

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

John.  Good catch.  And the answer is ‘probably not’.  The ‘97’s didn’t register with me when I saw the pics and just had ‘94’s on the brain.  I currently don’t have a Stromberg ’97 laying loose to see exactly what’s going to be required to modify one of those versus what it takes to modify the Holley ‘94’s for a timed or ported vacuum signal.  I’ve drilled completely new ports in carbs in the past and on the earlier Strombergs, that’s potentially the only fix.  Now my curiosity is piqued and will be on the lookout for a Stromberg to see exactly what’s required on those for an appropriate vacuum signal for the ’57 and up distributors.  In the past I simply recurved the distributors for a mechanical advance only with the Strombergs but can see where having the vacuum advance hooked up could have some advantages on a daily driver.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)