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So I just finished rebuilding my 240 inline 6 and I'm running rough when I accelerate. It sputters and does not like to go uphill. I noticed the rpm's fluctuating 800 to 1400 at idle but likes to hang out around 1100. The timing is good and set TDC with cylinder #1 on compression. I adjusted the electric choke and set my idle screw accordingly. Fuel is clean and I've checked the needle to make sure no debri was inside. Brand new fuel pump, carburetor, distributor, intake manifold and exhaust manifold. My distributor vacuum line is good. The PCV is getting vacuum. However I noticed that the engine runs very smooth when I block off some of the air flowing into the air cleaner housing. I'm scratching my head here. Could this be a vacuum leak somewhere else?
In this photo what does the bottom part of the air cleaner connect to? Apparently a hose connects to it a goes somewhere but I don't believe that was the original air cleaner for 1966.
When I close that hose inlet off with my hand and partially close the main air inlet the motor throttles smoothly.
This is the air cleaner that came with the truck when i bought it
the idle should be about 600 rpm or in that range and try setting the idle air screw @ 1 1/2 turns out
you may want to post this in the in-line 6 forum also . very helpful folks there
good luck
I see you posted in the 6 cyl. forum and didn't get a lot of response there either. First off I'm not a 6 cyl. person so take anything I say with a grain of salt. Does your engine still have the Loadomatic distributor? I ask because that carburetor doesn't look like one for a Loadomatic. But if it's all Loadomatic I would guess, bad spark valve in the carb. If the carb and distributor have been changed to a regular vacuum advance I would guess killer vacuum leak. Or a carburetor that was not correctly rebuilt.
Sorry I'm late on getting back, been working alot. I appreciate the responses. I'm not real familiar with the loadomatic and vacuum advance distributors. I looked on autozone where I bought the distributor and it says nothing about either one. The carburetor is a YFA carter rebuilt, bought it on ebay. I believe it was originally for a 1981. Now I'm concerned that they are incompatible. Where all could there be a vacuum leak at? I've checked the distributor vacuum line and the pcv and its hose.
That distributor you got. Is it a Cardone 30-2609? If so it is a Loadomatic and will not work with the carburetor you have. If that is the distributor you have, you only have two choices. Get the original carburetor that is made to work with that distributor or buy another distributor that has both centrifugal and vacuum advance. I don't know when Ford quit using the Loadomatic. But if it were me I would toss that Loadomatic and get a distributor for a middle 70's truck that still used points. Something like a Cardone 30-2689 . Let us know how it works out. Like I said I ain't no 6 cyl guy, but I think you may have a parts mismatch.
crop duster,
Thanks a lot for your help. You nailed it. I pulled that distributor and replaced it with a later version and the truck idles so smooth now. I've had this truck for 4 yrs and this is the best I've heard it run. Huge thanks Sir! Loadomatics are crap!
I'm glad you got it all sorted out. I guess the Loadomatic system was Ok, when they were brand new and you could buy leaded fuel. But they just can't deal with todays unleaded gas very well and the folks that are still trying to run them are probably leaving a lot of performance and fuel mileage on the table.
I've read all the horror stories of the Load-o-Matic distributor but, have also read of one longtime distributor rebuilder who claims when setup correctly (sound familiar?) they work excellent, so I dunno. May be. They had no mechanical advance whatsoever, depending exclusively on two different sources of engine vacuum and require the use of the OEM type of carburetor. It seems to me that an engine badly out of tune, or with low compression would really cause trouble.
04-24-2018, 12:21 PM
