11 replies to this topic

[TomC]

My 78 bronco was not running right so I took it to a garage. to have the float adjusted. I was told that it could not be adjusted and that the jet was not functioning properly. I was told that I needed a new carb. I had them do this since I am away from home and do not have the timeor tools torebuild my existing one. When I picked the bronco up and drove it it hesitated badly when taking off. Sometimes to the point where I thought the engine would cut out. I took it back to hve them adjust the carb. I was then told that the problem was with my distributer, it was recieving vacum but was not recognizing it, casuing it to hesitate. Does this sound like an actual cause for my problem?

[TomC]

Also if I replace the distributer do I have to also replace the external modual?

[4xfan78]

You should only have to replace the vaccum advance, not the entire distibuter. They just might be trying to screw you out of money. No you do not have to replace the module.

[TomC]

Thanks for the info. I told them not to replace the distributer. I decided to drive it home (325 miles) and fix it myself. however the original problem that I tried to fix by having the new carb, is still there. My truck looses power when going up an incline. Like it is running out of gas. On the way home it got worse. Even slight inclines were causing me to lose speed. Two different times it almost cut off and it back fired a few times. Each time I shut the bronco off and after about 10 min started it back up and it drove fine for a while. Tomorrow morning I am going to check my spark plugs and wires, and replace them. If that does not work I guess the next thing would be my distributer. Any one know if an auto parts store can test them?

[4xfan78]

That really sounds like the vaccum advance is bad. Disconnect the vaccum hose from the carb but leave it on the distributer, suck on the hose and see if the little arm on the vaccom advane moves(with the dist. cap off ofcoarse). If it does'nt move then it's bad.

[TomC]

The vacuum advance was bad. Just took the old one off. While doing that I noticed that the distributer was extremely loose. I am sure that has a lot to do with my problems also. Now I need to redo the timing I guess. Not sure how to do that I have no timing lite or experience on it either.

[TomC]

Actually now I put on the vacuum advance and now it wont start? It did once but ran real bad and ten shut off. Tried turning the distributer to different positions and still no start.

[TomC]

I got it now. And it runs better than when I bought it. Just kept turning the distributer till and it ran smooth. Once I cut off the engine it wanted to keep running so I backed it down a bit. Now it runs great. I guess now I can buy a timing lite and do it the right way.

[TomC]

they ripped me off big time, put on a motorcraft carb and took the holley as a core. I wish that I had the Holley to rebuild it and put back on.

[BlackFord77]

I prefer the motorcraft carbs-- but that sucks that they didn't ask if you wanted the old carb. back instead of trading it in. The ford carb. jets are f**kin' hard to find, but that's my only problem with them lately. Of course, weirdly enough, I prefer the Ford jets because even if the material seizes-a little elbow grease usually frees them up whereas the holleys often have smaller holes where they thread in (making them more easily snapped when removing). I'll never forget this one '56 T-bird holley I built at a young age. It sat atop a 312 Y-block. We dumped gas in to start the car and it would run until you shut it off. We finally realized that the fuel pump was dead shot to he**. It was running off of vacuum without a fuel pump!!! They changed the design-- but those carbs. kick ass.