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I have had many condensers fail since they started being made in china. I try to get Accel brand or NOS now days.
the timing being off 5 degrees wont make any difference in whether it loses power under load. I time my flatheads at 7 or 8 advanced. 89 octane is like race fuel for a flathead. advance at will it shouldn't ping even at 12.
M37 dist only goes in one way. the flat tang on end of shaft is offset. the gear is on the oil pump. if it runs nice not under load then most likely not off a couple teeth.
There is a bolt on the bottom of the distributor that holds the lock down plate. you can adjust the plate by loosening that one.
I still say carb issue like float or maybe debris up at the needle? or weak fuel pump? failing rubber fuel line causing a clog?
No Power Under Load
Moderators: Cal_Gary, T. Highway, Monkey Man, robi
Re: No Power Under Load
Thanks for the assistance. Will locate the bolt under the distributor.
Re: No Power Under Load
There are two timing adjustments. The bolt on the block for fine adjustment. Another on the bottom of the distributor to coarse adjust and set span.
"It may be ugly, but at least it is slow!"
Re: No Power Under Load
Re: one of my original questions regarding timing marks. Attached is a picture that I got off the internet. Looks like it has TDC marked. In this picture would BTDC be below or above this mark?
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- Timing Marks.jpg (119.01 KiB) Viewed 1180 times
Re: No Power Under Load
That is not the timing marks I have on my pulley. one way to be sure you are are looking at where before TDC is, and sitting here now a thousand miles from my own truck, is to put the gearbox in neutral, and grasp the fan blades and slowly pull the the blades around in the direction they world properly pull air thru the radiator.
Then, as the timing marks, (I think there is ten little marks on each side of the TDC mark), when the marks first start to approach the timing mark pointer tip, that is advance. As the marks move past the tip of the pointer, to the middle, then to the last marks, that is delayed or retarded timing. Be sure your engine is at idle, about 500 rpm or so, as the centrifugal weights in the distributor will start to give advance at much over that. If you set your timing at say 800 rpm, it will be delayed, which can cause high cylinder heat.
I recently had a "knock" or "ping" of too far advanced timings, and my motor under load had a rattle, really did sound like pebbles in a can. It is tricky to get a 7/16 wrench on the "coarse" timing bolt under the distributor, you can try from up top or from below,
When I re-set my timing recently, then using the fine bolt, with the motor off and the bolt loose, the dizzy kept wanting to turn before I could get a socket on the fine bolt. So I held the dizzy with one hand, snugged the bolt down, and then would start the motor and re-check timing until it had it right.
There are various opinions as to the "correct" timing.
Also, I had one bad plug wire, found out by doing a continuity check with my voltmeter, and then bought a single used wire (later a new set from Midwestern for all six) from VPW. The other good wires had a nice spark when held just off the spark plug, the bad wire had a weak or no spark.
You have good suggestions from others, I too would replace the fuel filter, cut the old one open to see what is in there, and you might put in an electric fuel pump, avoiding the danger of a failed gasket allowing gas into the oil. Not hard to do, we can offer suggestions on that too If you wish. You can run your wiper vacuum off a spare manifold port.
Keep at it, the cure will come soon.
NV
Then, as the timing marks, (I think there is ten little marks on each side of the TDC mark), when the marks first start to approach the timing mark pointer tip, that is advance. As the marks move past the tip of the pointer, to the middle, then to the last marks, that is delayed or retarded timing. Be sure your engine is at idle, about 500 rpm or so, as the centrifugal weights in the distributor will start to give advance at much over that. If you set your timing at say 800 rpm, it will be delayed, which can cause high cylinder heat.
I recently had a "knock" or "ping" of too far advanced timings, and my motor under load had a rattle, really did sound like pebbles in a can. It is tricky to get a 7/16 wrench on the "coarse" timing bolt under the distributor, you can try from up top or from below,
When I re-set my timing recently, then using the fine bolt, with the motor off and the bolt loose, the dizzy kept wanting to turn before I could get a socket on the fine bolt. So I held the dizzy with one hand, snugged the bolt down, and then would start the motor and re-check timing until it had it right.
There are various opinions as to the "correct" timing.
Also, I had one bad plug wire, found out by doing a continuity check with my voltmeter, and then bought a single used wire (later a new set from Midwestern for all six) from VPW. The other good wires had a nice spark when held just off the spark plug, the bad wire had a weak or no spark.
You have good suggestions from others, I too would replace the fuel filter, cut the old one open to see what is in there, and you might put in an electric fuel pump, avoiding the danger of a failed gasket allowing gas into the oil. Not hard to do, we can offer suggestions on that too If you wish. You can run your wiper vacuum off a spare manifold port.
Keep at it, the cure will come soon.
NV
Re: No Power Under Load
Hi all,
I finally got my R-2/M-56 engine timing correct today with a second hand helping. After checking it with a light and adapter, I found it was about 12 degrees BTDC. after adjusting the coarse and fine bolts, I got it back to at least TDC. I did have to lock down my adjustment plate with the fine bolt and then adjust and tighten the coarse bolt. Fine adj bolt would not let me go past it to get to TDC. Seems like a washer or spacer is missing from the Dist shaft which did not allow the dist to be adjusted past the bolt.
Bottom line is it now runs better and idles a lot better. Thank you for all of your input and your advice/suggestions in my problem. Keep up the great work.
Matt
I finally got my R-2/M-56 engine timing correct today with a second hand helping. After checking it with a light and adapter, I found it was about 12 degrees BTDC. after adjusting the coarse and fine bolts, I got it back to at least TDC. I did have to lock down my adjustment plate with the fine bolt and then adjust and tighten the coarse bolt. Fine adj bolt would not let me go past it to get to TDC. Seems like a washer or spacer is missing from the Dist shaft which did not allow the dist to be adjusted past the bolt.
Bottom line is it now runs better and idles a lot better. Thank you for all of your input and your advice/suggestions in my problem. Keep up the great work.
Matt