Just got a (all original) 60 Comet. Seller had a few things replaced on it since the car sat for like 20 years in a garage. New oil pump, fuel pump, water pump, carburetor, timing gear, timing chain, crank gear, rebuilt starter.... Anyway the motor has a high pitch squeal when I start it up, but goes away if I put it in gear or it idles for a bit. Idles good but if I close the manual choke it dies. Leaving the manual choke about half open it idles decent, but if I try and drive the car it loads up/dies. Then it takes some farting with the choke to get it to start up again. Feathering the gas pedal keeps in running while in drive. I haven't had a chance to dig into it yet and was wondering if anyone might have a recommendation on what to look at. There seems to be a leak or something around the head/exhaust manifold because smoke comes up from underneath the air cleaner.
the power valve in the carb is more than likely shot. the carb and the distributor are (if they are STOCK) a matched pair; they are referred to as LoadOMatic and the distributor relies on carb vacuum for advance. reman carbs are available that must match the carb # on the tag. or.... you can ditch the 144 dist for a later 200 unit with DSII capability and use a better holley reman carb. BUT; to use the later dist you have to replace the oil pump with one that uses a 5/16th drive shaft. 144 is limited to about 90hp and only has five mainbearings, go easy on it. smoke coming from under the air cleaner MIGHT be coming from the road draft tube but more than likely is fuel dripping onto the intake. make sure of which is happening because fuel onto the intake is a bad fire risk.
The Distributor and Carb, I believe, are both new. Looks like a new vacuum advance as well. What kind of $$$ are you talking to change over to the 200 distributor, carb and oil pump? Thanks for the ideas. I'll mess with the belt, maybe slap it around a bit.
search on rockauto for those parts to fit a late 70's Fairmont, except the carb, which, if you have a new one already, don't mess with. you need the pump, an oil pan gasket, get a new pickup tube (cheap insurance), a pump drive shaft, the DSII distributor and a blue grommet DSII module and a DSII coil. mount the module with a nice gap between it and the body for cooling. you CAN still use the standard cap and rotor but it's best to move up to DSII parts. you can wire in the DSII with or without the white retard wire; it helps when starting but can be ignored. the last time i did this i bought ALL the ignition off a Granada 6cyl and it bolted right up to a '66 200.
If you really search a bit and scrounge you can do the DSII deal for less than 100.00 with a new module. Makes a big difference in drivability and milage with these cars. The best thing you could do is AFTER that 144 dies it's horrible smokey death, find a 200 and c/4 combo for it. Looks stock, but delivers a much more usable batch of horsepower plus it drops right in.
don't dog it, change the oil regularly, and it ought to do twice that. you're falling for the ***umption that it was a cheap, low quality unit; it wasn't. it was built for city driving when that meant your driving speeds were lower than what we expect TODAY for in-town driving... here; you better be ready to do 65 on surface streets in town. crazy. BTW; that 144 saw duty in Econolines as well as industrial applications, and was very popular for sprint racing. not bad for a low cube six.
I second the 200/C4 advice. It will make the car much more driveable and still look stock. Don't fall for the V8 hype. http://www.cl***icinlines.com/ Has lots of products for the Ford small six.
The Jalopy Journal
