Distributor vacume brake question

Willit Stop

Willit Stop

Well-known member
I have a stock 36 coupe 221 ci. 85 hp.It has two vacuum ports.One just below the rear of the carb on the intake manifold pointing toward the firewall.The other is in a "riser" between the carb and intake facing forward.It made sense to me that the wiper vac. hose should attach to the rear port and the distributor vac brake hose should attach to the front port.After having a few beers,I started wondering if the dist.vac hose is on the wrong port.My question is,should they be switched or should I have the rest of the beer and forget about it? Thank you in advance.
 
Have another beer & then buy a bigger carton. I'm sure the front connection is fine.
Hey do they still have the kinetic sculpture races across the bay?
 
More convient the way you have it. Dont worry about it. You pull the same vacume from either port. ken ct.
 
BOB Thanks and yes,the kinetic races, I believe, are in May. Last years race was great!! I can't believe what talent there is here behind the Redwood Curtain.The most impressive that I've seen was the fire (real) breathing dragon.Just amazing!! The head and neck had to be 15-20 feet high and all controlled from inside the dragon with levers and propane. The guy that built it is a local artist.He does the artwork for Lostcoast Brewery and their labels are his work.Downtown Brown etc.
 
If you have a stock 36 engine and intake manifold the distributor vacuum is from the LH side of the intake manifold between 5&6 cylinders. The wiper vacuum is on the same side of the intake between 7&8 cylinders. If you have a plate under the carburetor it was most likely for the gas heater or maybe a Columbia since both needed vacuum and there was no additional port to attach to for these aftermarket accessories. This plate is not original to the car. If the original ports for the distributor and wiper are not used they then have to be blocked closed or you will wind up with a very large vacuum leak effecting engine performance.
 
Thanks for the responses guys.Terry...There aren't any plugs or ports anywhere on the intake.The engine is original to the car as the number on the block matches the vin number on the title.I think it's an early '36 because it had a domed top coil.Would this make a difference?The plate between the carb and intake is only about 1/4 inch thick and the port is about 1/2 inch below the butterfly.It seems that I would have a little vacuum at idle but would have even less as soon as the gas pedal is depressed.The car runs great at low RPM's but seems to lose it's spunk in the upper revs.I know it only has 85 HP but at 35 MPH it feels like a four cylinder.Any comments?Should I move both hoses to the rear port and use a "T"?Anyone want a beer? Thanks
 
Willit Stop said:
Thanks for the responses guys.Terry...There aren't any plugs or ports anywhere on the intake.The engine is original to the car as the number on the block matches the vin number on the title.I think it's an early '36 because it had a domed top coil.Would this make a difference?The plate between the carb and intake is only about 1/4 inch thick and the port is about 1/2 inch below the butterfly.It seems that I would have a little vacuum at idle but would have even less as soon as the gas pedal is depressed.The car runs great at low RPM's but seems to lose it's spunk in the upper revs.I know it only has 85 HP but at 35 MPH it feels like a four cylinder.Any comments?Should I move both hoses to the rear port and use a "T"?Anyone want a beer? Thanks
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As Terry said,you must have a plate under the carb or you have a cast iron later intake manifold on there.Stock alum. 36 intake has the 2 ports where he said they are.Later CI ones had a port built in to the manifold just under the carb base. ken ct.:)
 
Willit Stop said:
Thanks for the responses guys.Terry...There aren't any plugs or ports anywhere on the intake.The engine is original to the car as the number on the block matches the vin number on the title.I think it's an early '36 because it had a domed top coil.Would this make a difference?The plate between the carb and intake is only about 1/4 inch thick and the port is about 1/2 inch below the butterfly.It seems that I would have a little vacuum at idle but would have even less as soon as the gas pedal is depressed.The car runs great at low RPM's but seems to lose it's spunk in the upper revs.I know it only has 85 HP but at 35 MPH it feels like a four cylinder.Any comments?Should I move both hoses to the rear port and use a "T"?Anyone want a beer? Thanks
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Read Terry's response again, he's correct. Look again at your intake manifold. Youll see thew two vacuum ports Terry refers to down low in line with the manifold mounting bolts. The ports are angled rather than perpendicular to the deck.

Remove the plate from under your carburetor, as this leans out your fuel mixture, giving you poor response on acceleration. Use the correct ports on the manifold, rear to the wiper, front to the distributor.

The Vin number on your title is the serial number of your engine/transission assembly which was stamped on the bell housing of your transmission, and at three locations on your left frame rail, never on the engine block itself. Look under the hood on the frame near the steering box for the serial number that should be on your title. It will start and end with a star, may be lightly hand stamped, and will be painted over, so don't be too aggressive to uncover the number as you may damage the number itself.
 
If he dosen't have the 2 vacume ports its not a 36 manifold. Later CI ones didn't have but 1 port just under the base of the carb. But its on the manifold itself. Show us a pic of the manifold you have. ken ct. Is it alum or CI.
 
Much thanks for your help.All numbers match.The intake is cast iron(so says the magnet) and there are no ports anywhere else.I looked down both sides ....nothing.The only one is just below the rear of the carb on the intake. So removing the 1/4" spacer would improve throttle response?I'll take your word for it. I guess I'll "T" off the remaining port for the dist. and wiper.I hope the dist. doesn't know it's sharing the same vacume as the wiper.I don't think they like each other.
 
'it feels like a four cylinder'...heeeyyyy, I know a four cyl that would make the '36 jumppp ! If it's mojave red, I'll take that beer:)
 
Willets: Ken is right we need pictures, sounds like you have a later intake, and cast iron. should be aluminum, to answer you first question, your dist. works off manifold vacuum, and below the throttle plates. You need to hook a vacuum gauge to the port and see what is going on, If you ever get out of town, all the way to Hyhdesville come on buy a we can put a vacuum gauge in service, I loan you one, for a test.....bring your own beer, I drink Snapple, raspberry......OLD....BILL
 
Willit Stop said:
Much thanks for your help.All numbers match.The intake is cast iron(so says the magnet) and there are no ports anywhere else.I looked down both sides ....nothing.The only one is just below the rear of the carb on the intake. So removing the 1/4" spacer would improve throttle response?I'll take your word for it. I guess I'll "T" off the remaining port for the dist. and wiper.I hope the dist. doesn't know it's sharing the same vacume as the wiper.I don't think they like each other.
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Flathead mtrs dont have #'s on them.#'s that match from ****** bell and frame only tell you the ****** came with the body,has nothing to do with the motor. Ford's way of doing things. ken ct.Are you sure its a 36 mtr. to begin with. ?? ken ct.:)
 
Yep.Pretty sure.The dist is held on by three bolts, the coil is a domed top and held on by three screws and the water pumps are on the heads.For what it's worth, the oil pan is vented on the right front via a small triangular tin box.As I recall, I bought an intake and oil pan gasket,dist,water pumps and gaskets etc. for a 36 and they all fit.
 
Come to think of it.....When did Ford go to electric wipers?It could be a later model intake and that would explain the single port. I dunno.
 
From what you've described, you have the wrong intake, correct distributor, possibly correct heads, and possibly correct block, but could be a '35, '36, or even a '37 or '38.

Electric wipers were never a Ford option during the flathead era. Your intake manifold may be early '50's.

Pictures????
 
Umm, hate to break in but what year series is the cast iron manifold with the two vacuum ports on the left side near the bolts?

Lonnie
 
I would say 32-37 mostly CI was used on trucks not pass cars. ken ct. Even those would have the 2 vacume ports and possibly a yr or 2 later. ken ct.
 
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