The Ford Barn

russcc · 05-23-2021, 07:56 AM

New 59L engine preparing for break in on the road. Started it up recently and it ran rough at idle, enough to make the radiator vibrate a little. I checked for crossed up plug wires. They were ok. The vacuum gauge reading was 10-15, "carb adj., or late timing". I found by turning the idle mixture screws in all the way to lean, the vacuum went up to 18-20 in the green, and she smoothed out.
Have not checked the timing, but will as installed a pointer in the timing cover and a notch in the crankshaft pulley on TDC before I put the heads on. Charlie NY rebuilt the 21A dist. recently so we know that should be ok. He also did the 94 I am running back a few years ago, and it ran fine on the old stock engine.
I haven't pulled the plugs to see if it's running way rich, but will. Where would you start ?

05-23-2021, 07:56 AM	#1
russcc Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 2,871	Rough idle, low vacuum reading ? New 59L engine preparing for break in on the road. Started it up recently and it ran rough at idle, enough to make the radiator vibrate a little. I checked for crossed up plug wires. They were ok. The vacuum gauge reading was 10-15, "carb adj., or late timing". I found by turning the idle mixture screws in all the way to lean, the vacuum went up to 18-20 in the green, and she smoothed out. Have not checked the timing, but will as installed a pointer in the timing cover and a notch in the crankshaft pulley on TDC before I put the heads on. Charlie NY rebuilt the 21A dist. recently so we know that should be ok. He also did the 94 I am running back a few years ago, and it ran fine on the old stock engine. I haven't pulled the plugs to see if it's running way rich, but will. Where would you start ?