My distributor is missing the cap on my 312 y block. The intake is a 4 bbl which I have put a edelbrock carb w/ and adapter plate. My question is, where can I find a cap to fit this distributor, and I have heard that I will have problems with the stock distributor unless I use an original carb.
thanks for your time
My distributor is missing the cap on my 312 y block. The intake is a 4 bbl which I have put a edelbrock carb w/ and adapter plate. My question is, where can I find a cap to fit this distributor, and I have heard that I will have problems with the stock distributor unless I use an original carb.
thanks for your time
Best I can tell there's still plenty of Y-Block distributor caps around, a bit pricey, but available.
What kind of problems with the stock distributor and the stock carb?
There are different distributors in different years, so what is the year of this thing? The 56 and earlier engines used a balanced vacuum distributor for advancing the spark. The 57 uses a centrifugal advance with a simple vacuum advance. The 57 is easier to work with and is not carb sensitive. Earlier models require a carb with unique passages that transfer the vacuum signal from manifold to venturi as the throttle position changes. The 57 distributor can be retrofitted to earlier engines.
Its a 56 from a Tbird mounted in a 56 F100. My Uncle gave me a Edelbrock carb, that fits on the studs, but doesnt line up right. Otherwise. I found an adapter plate for modern carbs, that makes it all line up correctly. The throttle linkage from the truck doesnt seem to line up correctly though...
If original, this would be the balanced vacuum distributor, so it will need a matching carb. I would consider a new distributor. This can be a rebuilt starting with 1957 thru the end of 292 production, any of these should work. That will get you around having to keep the original carb.
If someone changed the distributor out for a later model centrifugal then you're good to go. Fords hide the mechanism under the points plate, so you have to look there for counterweights and spring. Also the rotor shaft is movable by finger pressure, if an lid style vacuum unit the upper shaft will be ridged or at least as much as age allows. Both housings will have a vacuum canister, so that doesn't help a lot with identification.
Rock Auto (internet) parts says that Ford caps, '57-'76 are the same. They go from $4.19 to $17.90 depending on level of quality. You need a rotor as well and they are from $2.73 to $4.74.
If it's a '56 motor, well they are the same from '49 to '53 and are a bit more expensive - $13.53 to $15.18
Go to your "favorite" autoparts vendor .....NAPA, Autozone etc. - and tell the counter person you want a replacement distributor for a '64 292 cid F-100 truck.
That should get you a dizzy with mechanical advance, points and a vacuum advance can that runs on straight (or ported) manifold vacuum. If you can find a junker to trade in it will save a core charge. Assuming your '56 dizzy is really from a t-bird it will have a mechanical tach drive - don't use it as a core! You can sell it for enough to do many more good things for your truck.
This is the one you want - it has a three-lobed stem under the main housing.
You might want to go to www.yblocksforever.com and check the codes on the block and heads and the intake,I have a gut feeling this is an earlier 292 not a 312,in fact Google the casting number on the intake and see what comes up.A lot of folks make this mistake because '56 Ford 292's had Thunderbird Special decals on the valve covers.The engine block code is located behind the starter part of the number will be 6015.
All sounds like good advice. My grandfather bought the truck (56 F100 Custom) in 57. It had a 272 in it. Something happened to the 272 in the 70's and my grandfather gave it to my dad. My dad got the current powerplant from his cousin and rebuilt it and had it bored out, new cam put in etc... The guys who bored it were the ones who told him it was (he cant remember the current cid) a 312. That was in '78. in '80 he left the country till 1993 so it sat on blocks inside a garage till 2002, when I was in high school and flushed it, cleaned the gas tank etc... Somewhere between 80 and 1993 someone had taken the carb. I joined the army in 03, got out this year. Now its my turn
The early four barrel manifold is a "-9425-A" and the late version for the 4160 Holley base is "-9425-B". If you already had to use an adapter to get the Edelbrock carb on (which would match the later base) chances are its the earlier manfold.
Its cast in a stripe of numbers facing up, across the back of the manifold just behind the carb base. You will want to figure out the cylinder heads too - if you want this motor to run hard (which they can). Aside from getting to know the guys at "Y-blocks Forever" - take a look at Johm Mummerts web site and graze a bit.
the fully rebuilt (lifetime warranty) dist he is recommending is only about $50-$70 (no core) at your local store and includes new points and condensor
it doesn't take much wear at all in the dist body (advance plate and bearings and gear) for a dist to act up...
you don't know the history on your dist so it will cost $50 to have it Sun dist machine tested (and repaired) to know that it is working correct....
slim chance that it is the original vac operated dist but if it is(!!!!) sell it on e-bay...T-bird guys are as nuts as Vettes guys for "correct number matching"
you need to know for absolute sure the dist is working and set correct before you start sorting out the carb
If I could post pictures, would it help? I have some of the intake, and I will get some of the distributor.
So, the part that 65 mustang liked to me will work? If so, Ill buy it.
I should add... I guess I am mechanically inclined, but am not even anything close to a mechanic. I bougt a shop manual for the engine, one for the truck, and a guide to rebuilding yblocks. Im sort of figuring it out from there.
The Cardone photo shows an "early" post '57 distributor - has those concentric rings on the base stem. The one I posted earlier is the "late" Y service part from the sixties - and has the sixties /seventies Ford advance mechanism. It has a "three lobed" base stem without the concentric rings. The later service version looks like it belongs in a 289 or 351 - but has the Y oil pump drive stem and cam gear.
The distributor with the concentric rings will work fine - but the later version can be easily converted to the Ford electronic ignition trigger (Duraspark II) and is more friendly to "re-curve" to get better performance.
especially for older cars parts,,,,, the pictures are a "representation only" on most/all of the local auto parts stores sites...
(look up any specific 292/312 dist on that Advance Auto site and the pic' is the same with just a different part #)
the link I posted is the Cardone part # for a 64' 292 F-100.....
sham,
here's a link to the complete operations/tuning/trouble shooting pretty easy to digest Edie carb manual...
hey greenbird,
I do chuckle everytime I recall the thread awhile back when we all helped the "fella's with a 57'" back fire problem....everything about that thread was as hoot!....us and them!
Sham - this is the later style of four barrel manifold. It has the Holley base pattern cast on to it - but I'm thinking you must have the earlier 9425-A version with an adapter plate. The early arrangement and adapter will work just fine for a daily driver. Make sure there are no "steps" showing beneath the throttle bores. Also think about getting an insulating gasket or isolator to keep too much heat from cooking your carb.
This later 9425-B manifold looks pretty good - but it only has 4 x 1.438 diameter (1-7/16) throttle bores. To get it to match a bigger throttle bore carb - you still have to have an adapter. Don't spend a lot of bucks changing right away - unless you stumble over one in the barn.
These are "air gap" manifolds (from fifty years ago) and you can get them to run faily cool by using the heavy truck style intake manifold gaskets (292 cid) that have a restricted manifold heat riser port. This will work with your "A" manifold too.
Mr. Mustang: Did you follow those guys web site while they went to California? They took off with 30 year old tires and shreaded them somewhere in PA - but not too much other drama. I think they finally ran the dizzy with standard timing setting and full manifold vacuum.
The carb fit on the studs, it just didnt line up properly around the edges. With the adapter it lines up great on the edges and the 4 bbl. The adapter screw holes I had to drill out the threads though... It came with two gaskets, the manifold/adapter and adapter/carb. I cant even remember what exact carb I have. I will have to look again.
Your manifold is a "B" type - a later four barrel version so you have as good a factory part as you will find.
This photo shows a way you can make the adapter and heat isolation spacer the same part. The 1/2 inch phenolic isolator is available from both Speedway Motors and Moroso - maybe others as well. It matches the 1.438 Ford manifold bores exactly on the bottom (thats the way it comes). By matching the upper side of the plate to a carb base gasket, it does both tasks at the same time. The phenolic material is easily filed and sanded to a smooth transition - a funnel that smoothly transitions into the manifold bores. You don't want any sharp edges in the air stream below the base plate of the carb. Be sure you don't taper off too sharply, use the whole half inch - as the butterflies turn beneath the base of the carb they can "re-seat" on the spacer and alter air flow more than you expect.
A "closed " four hole spacer that keeps the two sides of the 180° manifold seperate will help build torque and these Y motors are torque motors.
The spacer that Speedway sells is made for a Holley 390 CFM 4160 type carb - a "modern design" vacuum secondary version. The original four barrel carb was a Holley 400 cfm - with the (4) 1-7/16 throttle bores that just match the "B" manifold. The base plate on the two carbs (old and new) is an exact match. Some 50's models of Mercury used this same "B" manifold with an AFB type carb like the Edelbrock.
This modified "B" was set up by my friend Charlie McCraney. It is opened up as a slot side for side - but the center wall is maintained to keep the 180° split (every other cylinder feeds left or right).
I put a Road Demon Jr. 525 on mine - a vacuum secondary 600 cfm is about the limit for a responsive street driver carb on a Y.
sham,
from memory, the Edelbrock carb bores are 1 and 11/16 so you need to modify the the too small spacer bores and too small 1 and 7/16" intake bores to match the Edelbrock to have it work correct....
Plan B: because the Edelbrock is a bit to big for 292 cubes anyway is buy a smaller cfm carb that does have 1 and 7/16" bores to match the stock intake bores for more low rpms TQ.....
as always: "time or money"
the 600 Edelbrock will work fine on your motor, they are the simplest to tune, I'd go the spacer and intake modification route....
heck, ya want a phenolic carb heat insulator anyway (even with a different carb) for best performance
a spacer does typically help low end TQ on a stock manifold so it will offset the performance difference of a smaller carb advantage (not a big difference either way)
The reason I'm sending this diagram is because we were trying to help a guy - and found that he had mounted a "too big" carb on a smaller manifold (one hole over another) - and simply added gaskets under the carb to get the butterflies to swing. This is only OK to drive it home from grandma's house.
This is a double problem - the step all around the bore is bad news for air flow all in itself - but also the primary butterfly turns down and then starts to "reseal" at the rear. This forms a "pocket" where air flow is nearly stopped - and everything has to go over the leading edge of the throttle blade. It is also happening at a throttle opening where you should just be reaching "cruise" for ordinary driving.
Charlies "B" manifold was opened to create a slot - which is a very common practice with aluminum high perf replacement manifolds. Makes a big hole right where the butterfly swings open under the carb. It is also a lot cheaper than buying a "BlueThunder" Y-block manifold.
Thanks for the additional info. I will double check my carb size. I really dont want to mess with the manifold, as I think they are probably harder to find and more expensive than an adapter. I will eventually have to get a new carb anyway.
Right now, all I am trying to do is get the truck running so I can move it to my house from my uncles. Once moved I can start pieceing together things for it. One more immitiate question... The throttle linkage doesnt line up correctly for the carb, and I dont think it is long enough. Will I have to get one made, or does someone sell one that would fit? Thank you
In the picture of the engine I posted above you can see most of it. It looks similar to the one you linked, but has a shallow u shaped bend in it. when I try to line it up to the carb, it also seems to be hitting against the side of the carb, and a some of the stuff on carbs side you can see here
Caution:I've never used that particular spacer so contact those folks and confirm it will work for your specific application....
for absolute best motor performance a tapered spacer isn't real smart but it will likely work more than plenty good enough will you re-build the truck....
LOL, worry about the linkage alignment "after" you have found a carb mount that works!!!
I got bored one day and made "purdy" linkage for my car, for about about $5-7 and one trip to Lowes= .0125x 1/2" aluminum bar stock, 1/4" diameter steel tubing to use for dog leg spacers (use 2 tubes to form a "box" of bar stock and spacers so it won't flex/twist) and some 3/16" stove bolts thru the tubing to tie all together....
something like I made will work,,,,
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