This is where I feel useful haha

if you look closely at the two vacuum ports beside the air mixture screws, the one on the left is higher than the one on the right, the one on the left that is higher is above the throttle plates (what the choke is hooked to now) and only gets vacuum when the throttle plates are cracked open, that is for the vacuum advance. The one on the right is full manifold vacuum, that I believe is what the choke should be hooked to (my carb has the vacuum deal built in internally). But don't quote me on that I'll try to dig up some info on how that's really supposed to be hooked up lol.

 

Just noticed your edit, a lot of people like to run full vacuum to the advance pots for some reason, (especially the Chevy guys for some reason) I don't like how they work like that, they are pulling like 40* of timing at idle with it like that, mine was pulling 60* timing at idle with it like that. And when you accelerate and the vacuum drops it goes less and less advance. it really needs to be hooked up to the vacuum port that's the higher one, I have no idea why people want it to work like crap lol.

 

Well shoot, i had no idea about that they both looked the same. I will check up on the one side bein higher thing but that's for later today. Idk why he ran it to the manifold, i don't know what it does so i let him do what he wanted. After a few days i was at the park over in Pacific with a friend and i got tired of it running that way so i jumped up there in the parking lot and put the vacuum back and tuned it by ear till it ran on it's own. Do ya think i will have to re-time it after swapping vacuum around? I kind of hopew not but it is what it is. I guess there are a few things to try before i go to those lengths. For instace i should try driving it with the advance on the proper side now

 

If you timed the engine with it on ported vacuum (passenger side like how mine is hooked up) then no, but what did you set the timing at? also what's the stock timing setting for your engine? 6* BTDC? if it is you could put it up to 10 or 12* and it should run a bit better. The one that's higher on my carb is on the passenger side, I'd assume it would be the same for yours but you never know lol.

 

Well the way i understood it the 351M from 78 had a retarded timing chain for emissions so i have to hit around 14*. At least that what i think it was... It's been a while since i timed it, the last time was after i put the intake and carb on. Maybe i should go back in and make sure haha.

 

Yeah those engines have retarded cam timing, a straight up double roller timing chain would fix that, and there not very hard to install either, just takes several hours. I bought mine for the 351W for $25 lol. Holy cow! those timing chains are almost expensive for the Cleveland engines as they are for the FE's. Damn! they are all retarded cut chains too. But it looks like for a 351C double roller straight up timing chain for a good one it's like $45. But they last and don't stretch like the OE single rollers do lol.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cc...view/make/ford

if you ever consider changing the timing chain, that would be the one to get. It would help a bit with mpg and power if it was installed straight up, plus it would sound better lol.

 

I would probably go with a double roller when i change it. I've never done it before though so don't really know what it entails. But i'm sure i could do it at some point. I bet it involves taking the fan off too huh? That's never fun.

 

Yeah, I think it took me about 1.5 hours to get to the chain, not too bad but I was enjoying my self and taking my time. Changing it was the easy part, getting to it was the harder part lol. My fan came off no problem. But the fan, fan shroud, water pump, harmonic balancer and a couple other stupid little things have to come off to get to it lol.

 

Boy that sounds like a job and a half. It will get done eventually i guess. I would prefer just to yank the motor out and have it fully rebuilt but i can't afford that. Another thing on the list.

 

It becomes a job and a half when some asswad siliconed the harmonic balancer bolt washer in there and your pulling super hard and the balancer isn't coming off with the puller LOL.

 

That sounds fun. No telling what the dipstick did to my engine. Here are a few chains but the price different is weird. Idk if getting a cheaper one would really benefit.

Cloyes Replacement Timing Chains 9-130 - SummitRacing.com

This one is for racing but i think it would work the same
COMP Cams Replacement Hi-Tech Roller Race Timing Chains 3030 - SummitRacing.com

Even cheaper?
COMP Cams Replacement Hi-Tech Roller Race Timing Chains 3030 - SummitRacing.com

I don't really get the pricing, there is even one for $124... I get that some are made of better metals but would it require that much of a change?

 

Those won't work with the stock gears, with the new gears the crankshaft gear is what makes the timing different, there's three slots usually, retarded, straight up and advanced. The stock chain is just a single small whimpy looking thing lol, at least mine was.

 

Oh i see so i would need the chain AND gears then.. Hmm i will have to research this more...

 

COMP Cams Magnum Double Roller Timing Sets 2121 - SummitRacing.com


there it is right there lol

 

I had seen that one but thought that i didn't need gears. I also figure i will need to either rent a puller of some sort or see if we have the right one. We have some pullers but i don't really know which one i will need. Also i wonder if my Chilton manual will have instructions. It will be a while though before i can get something like that. I need to get a full time job and another vehicle if i sell this ranger.