Technical Ford Six loses power up hills

Hi all, having an issue that’s got me stumped at this point.

We’ve got a 65 F100 with a stock 240 and c4 trans. It ran great, shifted smooth and had no hesitation or sputter whatsoever, but the old carter YF was leaking a little, so I had it rebuilt. Got it back from the rebuild, and it started and ran fine, no hesitation at idle or when taking off from a stop, but at almost any speed when you let off the gas and gave it throttle again, it had an awful sputter, and also noticed around this time it would shift into second really hard and really late. Checked the plugs and checked the timing, and noticed there was trans fluid in the vacuum line connecting from the trans to the manifold. The modulator was leaking, so I swapped that with a new one, and now shifts are 50/50… sometimes it shifts 1st to 2nd normal, and sometimes really hard.

anyway, back to the carb. Suspected something was off with the rebuild, so to just eliminate that altogether, wound up buying a new carter YF from Mike’s Carburetors, which seems like a pretty reputable online seller. Put the new carb on, she starts up great, idles great, accelerates smooth… except trying to go up any kind of hill… even the slightest incline… she has no power at all no matter how much throttle you give it.

So I’m convinced that there was an issue with the old rebuilt carb, but now I’ve got a new issue but I’m not entirely sure it is related to the new carb. I guess it could be, but the hard shifts are still there, which started when the old carb was rebuilt, which is probably unrelated.

Any ideas what to check as far as the loss of power going uphill? I’m still pretty new to Fords, so let me know if I’m focusing on the wrong thing here and it might be something not carb related. Any ideas on what to check?

thanks!

 

I’m not your expert but, I’m going to guess a vacuum line in the wrong spot. I had a truck I fought odd problems. A simple line swap fixed it. You probably are on top of that, but I’m bumping your thread.

 

I’ve got the hard line from the distro connected to the port on the base of the carb, and the line connected to the trans modulator connected to the intake. Also off of a separate port on the intake is a hose going to the PCV valve. Lastly, there is a port on the top of the car that I have capped off, but I don’t think that is vacuum.

Sound right?

 

Early 1970's , I had a 327/350 HP Corvette which would do 120 mph on the freeway. If I tried to go over a steep hill at 35 mph, It would quite about half way up the hill.
I tried a number of solutions and after replacing the inline fuel filter, problem solved.

 

post some pics

 

Late hard shifts are due to low manifold vacuum; have you checked that? Is the mechanical advance working? Is the throttle really opening the throttle plates all the way?

 

If it has the Load-O-Matic distributor you may want to make sure everything is operating as it should.
They use both ported and manifold vacuum for advancing timing through a spark control valve.

https://fordsix.com/ci/Loadomatic.html

 

I don’t know if this helps, but here is the new carb and how I have the vacuum hoses hooked up

 

What are you running for a generator/ alternator? Had same problem it was the generator was not putting out enough and going up hills the load was too much.

 

The rubber vacuum line going in to the carb looks tight where it makes the bend onto the carb fitting. Did you replace that rubber section after the carb rebuild or reuse? I’d replace that with a new, slightly longer piece. Many of your symptoms match what you would see if there was a vacuum line issue between the distributor and carb.

 

possible vapor lock? - Ford had a terrible set up with fuel line running so close to radiator hose/valve cover - running rubber hose is not a benefit - try metal lines with heat resistance covering - attached pics that may give you routing lines ideas, even if not your exact motor

 

That air cleaner is small. I would check the valve lash.

I would check the timing and when you do, disconnect the vacuum advance. It should run as good if not better without the vacuum advance and a little more initial timing. I would turn the initial up to 20 and see how she runs and get a real air cleaner on there..

Make sure the gas pedal is opening the carb all the way open..

 

My 1966 Bronco 170 six had a load-o-matic. His has a regular ported vacuum carb, hopefully it has a matching distributor and not the load-o-matic. If it does it wont have the correct advance curve.

 

Notice the "spark control valve" in that one pic. It sort of "looks like" an external power valve. I don't see one on your carburetor.

If your engine utilizes a LoadOmatic distributor, it must use the correct carburetor, because the distributor of this type has no mechanical/centrifugal advance weights. It's all done through engine vacuum, two different sources & types of vacuum. Maybe none of this applies to your application, but it is a common problem.

Maybe, someone in the past upgraded the distributor to a dual advance type, which would probably be what you want. Then you can use whatever carburetor you want. But figure out exacrly what you have, first.

 

The rubber hose is a bit tight bend at the carb . I suspect the vacuum advance is not working correctly, a vacuum pump is your friend here . I worked for 2 weeks trying to locate an ill running 6cyl Ford issue years ago . Traced it down to the roll pin attaching the dist drive gear to the shaft had given up the chase and slipped . I know it seems strange , but I have found others to be the same throughout the years of tinkering . Just a thought .

 

You may need an Offy intake and a four barrel. Let me know if you think that is a good idea. Sorry for the shameless plug.

 

Yes for V8s. Ford 240s and the smaller sixes continued Loadomatic up in to the 70s.

The Carter YF is the incorrect carburetor for a 240. As far as I know, no YF was offered with the LOM spark valve. The carter YF was used on 300 sixes with a conventional vacuum mechanical advance.

If stock, it should have a Motorcraft or Autolite 1100. The 240 used the LoadOmatic as mentioned. They require the 1100 with the spark valve.

Sure, it will rev. The engine may seem to do fine but without the right carburetor, you have no functioning advance.

Either confirm that the distributor is a LOM unit and change it to a 300 vacuum mechanical unit or change the carburetor to a 1100.

 

How clean is that little air filter.
Twice in the last 18 months I have had the problems you describe, new air filter and all was once again good.

 

I had trouble going up hill, too. Quitting cigarettes helped.

 

Throw that tiny air filter in the trash and get a real one. Personally, I'd keep the YF carb and toss the load a ****ic distributor. Drop in a Duraspark 2 from a late 70's 300. You won't believe how much better it will run!

 

Can anyone tell from these ****py pics if I do in fact have a loadomatic distro?

Worth noting that a previous owner did put a pertronix or some equivalent under the cap.

 

You would have to take the cap off. If it looks like this then it's a LOM.

 

Underneath the cap…

 

Well...looks pretty much the same as the one I posted a pic of. Since you bought a new rebuilt carb I would find / purchase a later updated distributor. Should still be able to get a reman one from a bigger parts store. You can also reuse your Pertronix unit.

 

Not knowing about them carbs, but... the furst problem with the first carb after the rebuild, accellerator pump shot..? As in, easing on it, might be able to use the fuel.. required amount of loud ****on to get going under load or up a hill, bogging it down with too much fuel..?
That might also contribute to the kickdown issue...

i cant see timing being any of the issue if it was the same and not touched before and after the carb work, the carb was the common denominator here...

 

Thanks guys, so I’m ***uming the carb is good and the problem is that I have a loadomatic which was not designed for use with the carter YF, the easiest and most direct solution sounds like it would be to swap out the distributor. I really like this carb and would like to keep it.

So what distributor should I be looking for, and can anyone point me to a link that maybe comes as a kit that provides everything needed for the swap? There are literally zero junk yards within hundred miles, and anything outside of that only has cars that are twenty years old or newer. Sadly all the old pick a parts have disappeared.

 

More than 70 different Carter YF's specifically for the Ford 240 CID from 1968 through 1974.

Will a distributor from the newer 240 work in your 1965?

Jon

 

Looking at something simple like this… would this work?

A-Team Performance HEI Complete Distributor Straight 6 Cylinder 240 and 300 65K Coil Compatible With Ford F100 F150 F250 E100 E150 One Wire Installation Blue Cap https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073WM92CQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_T4BFKA9GEBGCNBVK14BM

 

The truck is a 65 so you don't know whats been changed in the last 50 years. To check the distributor with cap off and rotor on grab the rotor and see it will turn 10 degrees or so in the direction of rotation. If it does it is not a LoadOmatic if does not it is. A change to a non LoadOmatic will wake it up it is a good move.

 

All 240-300 used a 0.312 oil pump drive not like the small 6 that used 2 sizes.