I know my 2100 2v carb has issues but I read about vacuum advance and checked it. With engine off it feels like sucking air through a straw as described. Would it be safe to assume my vac adv is shot? I am clueless on some things and vacuum operated parts is on my "duh" list. Also have posted about the carb seperately but it seems the 2 are related. Crappy mileage even for an fe, stumbling just above idle but otherwise fine, backfires when cold. Timing is at 10 btdc or so, set by the old ear and does it ping under load method. Plugs new and gapped .32 still points ignition. She runs sick-azz rich due to my carburetor ineptitide and nobody I have met in Portland knows spit about carbs or distributors. I have finally got the float set right to spec and the carb is baby's butt clean now but still drips fuel on the left side venturi. bone stock 360 v8 with autolite 2100 2 barrel in an F250 c.s. automatic choke (bimetallic) - I know I need mixture screws for the carb as the existing ones look like hell. The distributor works ok but the vac adv fails the suck test. Ideas?

 

I know from experience that two things will really whack out these motors. Vacuum leaks and clogged passages in the carb. The vacuum leaks like you're seeing with the vacuum advance as well as looking at the intake gaskets, vacuum brake booster, PCV setup, carb baseplate, carb gaskets and making sure none are leaking will do wonders for making it run better.

As for the carb, all the little passages inside have to be clean, People tend to worry about how the outside of the carb is, but inside are all kinds of little passages that are very small to begin with; if they're half plugged then the carb will never function correctly. To really do the carb right it needs to be taken apart, soaked in carb cleaner and then have all the passages blown out with compressed air and verified that they are clean. Sometimes they have to be cleaned with a torch tip cleaner to get the gunk out.

Anyhow, your vacuum advance pot is a pretty simple fix, disassemble the top of the dist, two screws and a tiny circlip and it's off and replace with a new unit. If the motor is pinging the timing is probably too advanced to begin with; fixing the advance will allow it to advance a few more degrees, so you'll probably have to pull the timing back a bit.

 

thanks. good list to start looking. compressed air... what pressure should i use?

 

Line pressure. 100+ lbs.

 

so i need a nipple fitting on a shop air compressor? the tire pump at the gas station wont do it? thanks.

 

another thought. could my 2100 just have areas too far worn to bother rebuilding? I have done it twice already and it works fine for a few weeks then dribbles. what about just rebuilding a junkyard 2100 and scrapping my recently rebuilt one for spare parts? If that is not a good idea I ask for what new carb to save up for. $200 and up for crap reman 2 barrels. geez. I wish the intake fairy would leave a weiand 4v intake and edelbrock 600 under my pillow.

 

Well, as long as the casting itself is sound (no cracks, stripped threads, etc), no reason it can't be rebuilt.

Not sure where it's dribbling from, that doesn't sound right after a few weeks, where exactly is it leaking from?

Yes a nozzle type air hose is going to work best for something like this.

 

COZADLANCE,

Check out Classic Auto Service and Performance in Lake Oswego owned by Steve Heino. He knows carburetors and distributors really well. The work this guy did for me as I drove past on my cross country trip was very professional and he even typed up a report of exactly what he did. I was even considering staying in Portland to keep him as a mechanic.