81 F100 flare side custom with 300 six & T18

Do they really make a special can for the 300?

I thought they fit any DSII distributor.
The only thing different ***up top** is the reluctor and the cap, right?

Gary Lewis wrote

Dave - I think the Allen wrench you want to try is 1/8" not 3/32".  However, I'm not sure that is accurate information because it comes from guys who are known to say things that aren't very accurate.  It is from this thread on FTE.  

Seriously, I did a search for "crane adjustable vacuum advance ford 300 six" and the very first result was a thread on FTE.  And when I started reading the text of the first post, before I even clicked on the search results, I thought "That sounds familiar."  Indeed it was/is.  

I will go out with my Allen set so I don't have to keep heading to the tool box LOL

I did a Summit & Jeg's search: Jeg's did not list anything for the F150 truck for any motor? Maybe why I don't use them?
Summit did list the Crane but think was for the 302 and was not sure it would fit the 300 six? And at $45+ I would have to do more checking before I pulled the trigger for it. Fingers crossed mine is adjustable.
The others listed on Summit were Standard products non-adjustable, 6 different part numbers but no listing of the working HG so I don't know how you would pick the right one ?

I did not think of checking over there to see if anything was listed.
Didn't you post that at your show you did a vacuum adjustment and if so was this on a 300?
If also so was it the stock factory can bolted to the dist.?

Good news the Blue Top box has been ordered. Banker said I needed it so before she changed her mind I got it.
I also checked both boxes I have and both have casting marks from Ford so core(s) should be good.
Dave ----

Well, I guess Gary schooled me.

I definitely did not remember that thread.  

Jim - Not sure if this guy knows what he is talking about, but he says the 300's dizzy rotates the opposite direction.  

Read a bit more in that thread and those yokels suggested that the screws may come in from the bottom.  

Dave - Glad you got the BlueTop on order.  

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Well, I guess Gary schooled me.

I definitely did not remember that thread.  

Nor did I!  Looked at the search results and thought "That's kinda the way I string words together."  Then got in there and it was deja vu all over again.

I went over the link you posted on FTE and if I understand it the factory cans / vacuum advance units for the 300 six could be adjustable for 81 & 83 and not sure on the 82?

I will check and hope my can is adjustable as we (me) are not sure if the Crane unit will work or not.
Also when I looked up the cans on Summit Racing, Standard products, none were adjustable from the details. So unless mine is not adjustable I will need to find a Motorcraft one for 81-83 300 six.

There is hope yet
Thanks
Dave ----

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Do they really make a special can for the 300?

I thought they fit any DSII distributor.
The only thing different ***up top** is the reluctor and the cap, right?

They appear to be quite a bit different.

The small block 302 and 351 distributor has the vacuum advance arm inside the housing like below:



The 300 has the cannister and arm outside of the base assembly...



Going by those pictures, the vacuum advance mechanism is similar, but not the same.

I crudely put the 300 distributor beside the Crane advance below, and at a glance, it doesn't look like it would work to me, but I could easily be 100% wrong. I'm just screwin' around.



Dave, I *may* have a Crane vacuum advance you can use, I'm not sure yet. I have a new distributor coming from Parkland Performance soon, and he will be sending my old distributor back (and it had a Crane vacuum advance on it). Only thing is, I'm not sure if he was going to reuse the Crane advance or not. I probably won't have it back for a couple weeks, so I don't know.

PS: Also, if you look at the small block vacuum advance and the Crane unit, there is a bend in the arm, and the 300 vacuum advance arm appears to be flat.

Good sleuthing Cory, and I appreciate the side by side comparison.  

Gary's link to the FTE thread kind of shows the how and why but you (and the I-6 fan base here) certainly have a better handle than I even remember having.

Maybe Dave's dizzy already has adjustable advance.
Maybe someone has one to offer up in the marketpace/FTAGH.
Maybe another answer is to put a hard stop to the amount of advance the vacuum canister can pull in.

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Good sleuthing Cory, and I appreciate the side by side comparison.  

I don't know anything...lol. I was just screwing around on RockAuto while I'm sipping my first coffee.

I have the Crane kit on my old distributor, but I don't have much experience with the 300/6 stuff.

I am oddly fascinated by the 300/6 and would love to have a Bullnose with one...maybe someday!

But, we do have some 300 Experts on here, so I'm confident the boys will sort out any issue in short order.

Thanks Cory & Jim,
In day light in a few hours I will see if my vacuum unit is adjustable or not.

I have also thought of a lint or hard stop but don't know just how this could be done till I get inside the distributor but with some luck I won't have to.
Dave ----

I imagine you could use the same twist tie trick one would use to see carb secondary opening to determine how far the arm pulls in at 20"Hg, or whatever manifold vacuum is in your truck.

Observe how much advance that equates to with a timing light.

Then drill the arm for a roll pin that won't fit into the housing.

Interesting that the 300 advance unit has those gussets cast in to the longer housing.


IIRC, the Crane style advance just puts more preload on the spring inside, eventually so much that it is not overcome by manifold vacuum.

ArdWrknTrk wrote

I imagine you could use the same twist tie trick one would use to see carb secondary opening to determine how far the arm pulls in at 20"Hg, or whatever manifold vacuum is in your truck.

Observe how much advance that equates to with a timing light.

Then drill the arm for a roll pin that won't fit into the housing.

Interesting that the 300 advance unit has those gussets cast in to the longer housing.


IIRC, the Crane style advance just puts more preload on the spring inside, eventually so much that it is not overcome by manifold vacuum.

Checking timing could be an issue as my dial back light walked with a bunch of my drills & Saw Zall so I was just going to get the pinging to stop before damage is done and the truck parked.

I think I can put hands on my vacuum gauge so I can at least check when the arm starts to move @ what HG and where it stops.
Dave ----

You know how posts go - Good news Bad news

First the bad:
I left the truck out last night and it started raining before I could get it inside (not the bad thing).
When drying it I could not wipe the drips off the windshield then hit me it leaks!
1 of the 2 spots that the sealer did not "seal" to good I did not add enough of the left over to seal it.
Hope once dry I can stuff more in there.

I checked the oil level and the stick had milk shake on it.
Had to run it in & out a few times before I could see a level.
It is down 1/2 qt but looked clear. Checking the cap only the cap had a little under it but none on the rockers or head. I think I have not driven it enough to boil out the condensation. Yes it have a new stat, factory gauge reads low, and the PVC system is new but will check both when I can run it outside.

The good:
The vacuum can on the dist. is adjustable!
Uses a 1/8" Allen wrench
Here are the numbers on the tag.
       91
  E0TE or EOTE
    12127
      PA
     9J27

The can had a 4 cast into it.
Don't know what all that means?

I am sure this is not the motor from this truck as it had electric switches on the valve cover that would be for a newer year maybe with feed back system, mine did not have any wires to plug into them or listed on the radiator stickers.
So I don't know if this dist. is from this truck or not?

I gave it 2 turns counter clock wise as per what I think Gary had posted and will see what that does as a starting point. I don't have a dial back timing light to know where I am at and why I just turned it.
If not raining tomorrow I will take the truck out for a spin with wrench in hand and adjust as needed.
Dave ----

Dave, I expect the 4 is just a mold number.
This way as it wears out QC can have it changed.

Why would you need a dial back to check how much advance you're getting?
It's pretty easy for me to do the simple math when I release the hemostats on my distributor hose.

Glad the can is adjustable.  That should simplify things.  Hope you get it dialed in easily.

Found three hits in the MPC for that distributor:

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Dave, I expect the 4 is just a mold number.
This way as it wears out QC can have it changed.

Why would you need a dial back to check how much advance you're getting?
It's pretty easy for me to do the simple math when I release the hemostats on my distributor hose.

Math whats that
Little lazy on my part.
I should at least see what the base timing is and to see if the mechanical advance works (moves not the numbers). Main thing right now is to stop the pinging before I hurt this motor as the truck will be parked for a long time as I don't have the money to fix that.

Wife has been saying I should have taken $10k and bought a newer truck. I keep telling her I cant fix them with out another $5k in tools and could take days to fix as you have to take EVERYTHING apart just to do something simple.
On new stuff most you need to drop a pan just to get to the drain plug!

Thank you I will keep my old truck that I can rig to get home to fix it right, try that with something new.
Dave ----

Gary Lewis wrote

Glad the can is adjustable.  That should simplify things.  Hope you get it dialed in easily.

Found three hits in the MPC for that distributor:

Thanks
I am also happy it is adjustable as I was having night mares on it if it was not.

Am I reading it right being my truck is a 12/80 F100 4x2 w/300 and M/T
I can see the 1980 but the rest does not match?

I see 4x2 as a F250 with 300 M/T?
Then see 1980 F-U 150/250 -- F/W/D (4x4)
It is what it is and it's working so it stays but just strange is all.
Thanks again
Dave ----

edit: still raining, pretty good since I got up at 6am, so have not taken the truck out for a test drive.

Basically it says that dizzy came from one of these vehicles:

Parts List #1: 1980 F250 - - 2/W/D-M/T exc, Calif. or 1980 F-U150/250 - - 4/W/D

Parts List #5: 6 Cyl. 1980 300 C.I.D. (4.9L) or 1980 E250 - - M/T

Parts List #49: 1980 6 Cyl. 300 C.I.D. (4.9L) or 1980 F250 - - 2/W/D-M/T exc. Calif. or 1980 F-U150/250 - - 4/W/D

But the fact that it is working is the key.  And it has an adjustable vacuum advance is a big boon.  So what it came from doesn't really matter.

Be glad.  It's sleeting up here.  

People ask me why I keep this truck.
I tell them it's the last carburetor, non-computer, non-airbag vehicle that I can fix with baling wire and a hammer, some get it.