My 1955 Crown Vic hac a 1959-69 292 engine.  How trying to figure out if I have the 1955 dist. or 1959-60 Dist on my engine.

  I looked under the distrib cap and see a Igniter II part # 09T-V4 installed.  But when I try to look to see if there are centrifical force springs it is a problem.  Because all I can see is the plate that the igniter II attaches to.

  Can somebody please help me.  I want a 1957 or newer distrib if I don't have one now.  Basically I don't know what distrib I have.

Ray, when you pull the cap if you can see springs on top of the plate you have a Load-0-matic. The springs and weights on the "good" distributor are under the plate and difficult to see. By the way I can't find your Ignitor # in the catalog. Should be a # like 98281?

Which brings us to the next question... What intake and carb do you have. Shouldn't mix the old with the newer and visa-versa.

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

Exploring a new (to you) vehicle is always a "catch-up" game....this following photo is of the top of a "Load-O-Matic" distributor. Has two springs in plain sight.....

It is NOT the one you would want to find. It operates on vacuum, requires a matching carburetor, and has no provision for centrifugal advance. 

Later model Y distributors utilize a centrifugal advance mechanism that is concealed down under the point plate - where the ignitor is mounted on yours? There will be no springs visible on the top side.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Steve,

   You are right about getting a new vehicle and playing the catch up game.  The previous owner had died and the purchase came with no historial records.  Anyhow I am certain and glad that I have a 57 or newer Distributor now.  Thanks to your pictures.

   I currently have a 4 barrel teapot carb on the car.  It needs to be replaced or rebuilt.  Really uncertain what I will do.  Maybe you can suggest. 

   Currently the carb need to be sprayed with starting fuild after the car sets for more than 1/2 a day.  Apparently gas is leaking back out of the fluild bowl into the tank.  After the car warms up it runs fairly smooth.  However when I step on it hard I never feel the secondaries kick in.

   I have thought about relacing the teapot with a Holley 390.  What do you think about this idea?  I have did alittle research on the 390 Holley and some model have a transmission kick down attached to the carb.  My question is does the fordomatic even have any such kick down feature.  Maybe I need to buy a different Holley carb with out the kick down feature.

   Please tell me what you would do.  Rebuilt Teapot or replace carb.

Thanks a million,

Ray

 

Especially on my 70 Bronco with 302, I've found that when I turn it off the carb temperature is above the boiling point of the alcohol-laden modern gas. Even with the air cleaner on, I can hear it boiling away. So every restart means cranking the engine long enough to get fuel back in the bowls. I bought a phenolic spacer, but there is not room between the carb and hood to install it. On the 292 I see a similar behavior but not so drastic. Consider that as a possibility rather than back-flow of gas.



I just saw a Street Demon carb (model 1901) with a plastic main body that is supposed to keep temperatures down 20*. Interesting...

Jim - Erie Colorado, 1957 Country Sedan

I sent you a PM Ray.Let me know if you dont get it.

  

I replaced the Load-o-matic on my '56 because someone replaced the dual diaphragm vacuum advance with a wrong single type. It was a less expensive alternative to get the newer type of distributor than buying the correct diaphragm. It made a noticeable difference. I also have a teapot carb on mine.

I'm curious how your newer engine could have a teapot since I understand you need the older style "A" type manifold to use it.

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

I would think the engine was replaced with a newer engine and the original intake re-installed.The newer engine came with the newer style distributor so that will save a little cash if he  does replace the carb with a newer Holley.He will need an adapter plate to use  the orginal intake.Speedway Motors sells the adapter part # 1351935B.$20.00

  

A '55-'56 Ford manifold will work on a '59-'60 292 so this is how you could have a "Teapot" on a later engine. Someone may have set it up this way to keep the car looking original. I tried this by using a '55 4 bbl manifold and a 1954 mercury "teapot" on a 1961 292 engine but it ran crummy, I think because the late style '61 distributor was not designed to work together with an early '54 style "teapot" carb. I am now going with a new Holly 465 CFM carb on a "B" manifold. I modified the '54 Mercury oval air cleaner to fit very nicely on the 465 carb so with the cleaner installed you can't see that there is a modern carb under it. Hopefully, the engine will now run right. Alan S. Freeman

I have the newer style distributor on my 56 with the original teapot and it runs great. I'm not sure how it compares with an original style distributor with the right vacuum advance as I never had one.

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