Use a large set of water pump pliers to grip the base of the dist and turn it, mine are about 16" long and never fail. The vacuum advance adjust, if the unit has it, is inside the vacuum nipple on the vacuum dvance unit, the screw limits how much the unit will move. The ones I've seen were all from NAPA. They usually come with instructions on where to set it for you engine.

 

The "Smog Pigs" killed the sales of the older fully adjustable vacuum units. With them you could limit the amount and when it starts to pull in advance. I'm running the old style which stopped detonation problems that the newer allen wrench style could not. I purchased 4 of 'em new in box a few years ago. Down in Oz there is a rebuilder of the old style units, cost is app $40 USD before shipping. They did the vacuum unit for the 278" Rover, $52 USD vs $117.

 

Ok, I've got the ping pretty much gone. Here's what I did:

1. Put the fan shroud back in.
2. Set timing at 6* BTDC, it was at 10* BTDC.
3. Put in a bottle of Water Wetter, some stuff from Red Line that is supposed to increase the cooling ability of coolant.

Which one fixed it I dont know, but it seems gone for the most part. Probably the timing change. Maybe I should change out the 192F thermostat for a 180? I hate to now, since I just got done putting new coolant in it. Maybe down the road. Next up, we'll see how it works with the AC on. That should cause some more problems. I had it on for a few minutes today, and it blows cold, so we'll see.

So far it looks like this motor doesn't like a whole lot of timing.

Edit: This distributor is in good condition, the busing isn't worn. Dwell is nice and stable.

 

Well Kurt...I run a 180* thermostat year round.....But as i have said before and I'll repeat Myself....If a motor's going to run 200* the thermostat wont meen S**T...It will just take longer to get to that point....These guys that think there getting something out of a 160* stat..are just kidding thereself's..

Your timing was probably the main problem..And with your Commander not quite dailed in yet...thats reason Number 2..... and if you want an additive to help cool you oul system....try adding some MT/10 to it..I know alot of huys that race BIG CUBE motor's..and they swear by it..I havent tried it yet..

But I will need to in the Wild street class..for the little car...Its suppossed to drop you oil temp..30*

I have a friend that sells it..and I can get it for cost!! Or right at it....

Russ

 

Check what vacuum you get at idle (in neutral AND in drive, if you have an auto)...

You might want to recurve the dizzy to restrict intermediate advance a little more than it already is... idling at 6BTDC was impossible for me with only a slightly larger cam than yours...

Is the cam in straight-up? (not advanced?) Mine was 4 degrees advanced and I had a heck of a time getting good vacuum, and especially no ping... mine was 11:1, though...

 

Yep ...your right Krewat...Running a Cam advanced will make em run hot and Ping too..ya have to run a higher Octane gas... Higher Octane gas will make them run cooler also!!

Russ

 

Well, I have the vacuum advance plugged into full manifold vacuum. If I put it on the ported, it doesn't idle worth a poop. With the vacuum advance on at idle, it idles quite nice actually. The lope is still there, but it doesn't sound like it's going to die. Vacuum at idle is around 16" with full manifold vacuum, with ported it's around 6" and if I put it in gear it dies.

The cam is installed straight up. No advance, no retard. I figure Crane knows how to grind a cam; I'm not going to play backyard mechanic on something that would take me quite a while and new gaskets to change.

The Commander 950 EFI is fully tuned going down the road. The map is all worked out, and I'm running it at stoichometric (sp?) going down the road, 14.7:1 air to fuel ratio. With increased loads I have it set to go rich though, per Holley's instructions. That's not the problem. I know I was cussing it out the other day, but I've done some tuning since then, and the idle quality has VASTLY improved. I'm almost happy with it now, but I'll continue to refine it.

Edit: I wonder if advanced timing and race gas would help, if I ever wanted to go race it?

 

Nice to hear that your FE is feeling better.

I also appreciate the fact that you included more Commander 950 info. I am saving my pennies...and think this is the way to go. I know that MegaSquirt is out there, but I prefer to move towards something that is a little more solid. Tuning is tuning...carb or EFI...Might as well let the Holley experts do the research.

 

Trust me, it's no walk in the park to tune one of these things. It takes lots of time, and you'll lose about half your hair trying to figure it out. I'm still not completely done, but I'm getting there, probably 98%.

Your reasoning was exactly the reason I went with the Holley system. I wanted a solid, proven system, with research, documentation, instructions, and tech support to back it up.

That said, I can save you plenty of time, since I now have a program for an FE. The closest program included with the system was for a Chevy 350. It required quite a few changes. Now that I have mine close, it should work as a base map for anyone who wants to to install one of these on an FE. You'll still have to do some tuning as every motor is different, but it will be FAR closer than anything holley gives you. The good part is that the whole program is only a few kilobytes, so I can email it instantaneously.

I also like it for the gas mileage potential. It uses an oxygen sensor that you weld in the exhaust. This means that the system is constantly making changes based on the current condition of the motor, so fuel delivery is always optimal. So far it's been around 15mpg if I can keep my foot out of it, which is very difficult.

 

Thanks for offering the FE base map program! I will certainly keep you in mind when (if) I go with the Commander 950 setup. With my current setup, I get 14-15mpg, so with the Commander 950...I should get 1+ mpg more.

 

Just out of S**ts and giggle's...I know I'am Old School..But doesnt seem kinda Silly to spend $2000 on a System to get a couple of mile's a gallon???

Nothing again'st the commander...I do know they will support up to 575hp... But It just seems to me like alot of hassle..I can tune a Holley maybe without the same gas Mileage......But in about 30 minutes time including a road test......

I think if ya want to go Injection ....use Rons toilet set-up.....Throddle bodies with injector's.... JMHO!!!!

Russ

 

Cool, that's what I did to get the initial timing at idle up so I can get some decent idle and vacuum.

You might want to get an adjustable vacuum pot and adjust so that it pulls the advance at idle, but immediately lets go of it when you hit the gas even slightly. That might be causing the ping.

Anyway, you seem to have it well in hand! That 6BTDC is without the vacuum advance hooked up, right?

art k.

 

Yes, the vacuum advance hose is temporarily pulled and plugged, then I set the timing, then I plug it back in. Remember, when you hit the gas, the manifold vacuum goes down, and the vacuum advance goes away, depending on how far you hit the gas of course. I dont think that was causing the ping.

On the mileage, I fully expect it to improve as this new engine gets miles on it. So far the rings aren't seated yet, and the motor is still tight. I dont think it even has 500 miles on it yet.

 

Did you use moly rings? They should pretty much be seated I would think if they are cast-iron or moly.

 

Granted though Kurt, your motor isn't fully broken in yet.