Just for information, even changing to say a later Holley carb does not guaranty that a similar gas leak problem won't happen. My 2 Bbl 2300 would leak fuel down into & onto the intake after shutdown. It was caused by plugged orfices also. As usual the problem was diagnosed by people on this site.. Fortunately it never caught fire.

Paul

I worked on the '56 today and cleaned up most of the extinguisher dust of the engine and surrounding areas. That stuff is hard to clean up. There was no damage.

Anyway I checked the big screw on the back for the needle and it has the flat gasket on it but it doesn't look like it's leaking. After I got it running again I went to check the screw for leaks and it was holding pressure because it sprayed gas when I loosened it. Is it a sign that the needle is sticking? The tiny bleed holes in the top of carb seemed to be clean as I was able to stick a very small needle into them with out any trouble. I haven't checked the needle yet to see if it's a rubber tipped one as it looks like I'd have to take the carb off.

I think I found something else that may be an issue. It looks as if it has the wrong distributor. Right at idle it produces about 20 degrees of advance and only advances about an additional 10 degrees or more at higher RPMs. So setting the timing with the the advance disconnected it becomes way off after it is reconnected.



A few photos before I cleaned it up:











And the distributor in question:




~DJ~ AKA "Bleach"
1956 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan 30K original miles

A question about your distributor.When you take the cap off are there springs visible ABOVE the breaker plate?That would be the original "loadomatic " type distributor.At idle it should NOT advance at all.Have a look and let us know what you have for a distributor.The later style distributor has the springs UNDER the breaker plate and you can see them through the holes in the breaker plate if you look close.One thing I do see in the pics is that the distributor has  a vacuum advance unit with only one line to it.The 4bbl 292/312 had a dual chamber on it originally with 2 lines going to it.Looks like someone changed the vacuum can to a single or maybe the whole distributor.When  you take the cap off check for broken return springs if its the loadomatic type distributor.

  

I opened the distributor and it has the two springs on the breaker plate like it should. It certainly has the wrong vacuum advance unit. I found it was replaced many years ago by the previous owner at a shop that appears didn't really understand this engine. I will have to look around for the correct unit and get it plumbed correctly for it to operate correctly. Currently the the spark control orifice on the carb is plugged.

Perhaps this may correct some of its starting issues? I'm wondering if its likely that in its timing setting at the time of the fire that it may have backfired and started the fire.

~DJ~ AKA "Bleach"
1956 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan 30K original miles

If you are interested in a litlle better running car before you spend money for an advance unit(they are fairly hard to find new and not cheap)you might consider buying a later model distributor.What you want is a rebuilt unit for a 1964 Ford F100 truck with 292.They are available through most auto parts stores and if you check around they should be $50-$75 plus you need a cap and rotor for V-8 Ford from 57-74.What this gives you is a unit with centrifugal advance and vacuum advance.Much more sensitive to engine RPM and load.We have a couple of inexpensive tips to "tune" the advance curve if you go that way.If you are thinking of changing carb at some point you will need that distributor anyway.I have that later distributor and 390 Holley on mine with the 57 and later manifold and its quite an improvement.I only used the new distributor at first and even just that was a noticeable difference.

  

So it sounds like it may be easier and maybe less expensive to change the distributor than find another advance unit?


~DJ~ AKA "Bleach"
1956 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan 30K original miles

The later distributor will work wayyyyyy better than the 55 advance setup you now have plus the performance should be alot better as well, and should cost less than the advance for a 55 or 56 as the others said.

-Gary Burnette-

I think you will find it less expensive than fixing the original.Just check around price wise.They all come from the same rebuilder-Carcone.The appication is 1964 Ford f100 pickup with a 292.Thats the last year the Y-Block was used in N.America

  

You will also need the matching cap and rotor for the later distributor.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

If only a distributor from a '94 302 would work. I have a spare one that is almost brand new.

I'll start looking around for the later distributor set up.

~DJ~ AKA "Bleach"
1956 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan 30K original miles