Vacuum advance gone bad?

Unknown

I have a 46 truck with the 212 engine. It has been very difficult to start for the past few weeks. I have traced the problem to the distributer not returning the correct position after the vacuum advance advances. I have turned the grease cup a turn or two (yes it has grease in it). Is there anything else to try or is the spring one in the vacuum advance?

Jay

Unknown

Although you may have hit on the solution, it might also be that the sticking vacuum advance is but a coincidental problem. How is your compression? Do you have a good spark (or might your condenser need replacing).

If timing seems 'off', one culprit in the old splasher sixes is often the fiber timing gear, which has been known to break away from the metal hub. This results in an on-again, off-again timing problem, since the hub sometimes aligns with the gear, sometimes doesn't.

Is the battery good, and how are your terminal connections? Four months after disconnecting my battery cables last winter, I replaced them and got hardly a groan from the starter. (Let alone a spark!). I gave the battery terminals and clamps a quick cleanup, and the car started like a champ!

There are other problems that result in hard starting, but these are a few.

Unknown

I have looked at the cables and battery, these are less than a year old. The compression is not great but not bad. When I reset the distributer back to the stop everything works well and the timing is on the mark. The distributer just won't go back to where it should with out a little helping hand.

Jay

Unknown

Have you checked the compression spring inside the vacuum advance unit?
Geoff, N.Z.