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.

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.


Lawrenceville, GA

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

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

Yeah, I thats what I figgered.

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 ?

Ask the kid down the block, he should know! Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

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 ?

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

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.

Mike Rizzo

1963 F100 "Rudy"

Daniel Island, SC

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.


Lawrenceville, GA