Thats an understatement!! Just put this one back together last week and it rand bad so I rebuilt the card today thinking that would help. It didn't! I have never seen anything run this bad. It will only run at about 1/4 throttle. I thought maybe the gas was bad, dont know how long the car has been sitting so I unhooked the fuel line and am running it out of a can of fresh gas. It misses and shakes. I moved timeing and beleive it was ok as when i moved it it ran worse yet. It is a fresh rebuild, new plugs, wires etc. I did not replace the points or condensor but did pull the cap and turn it over and there is plenty of spark. I have checked the plug wires and even switched them to the 302 fireing order, wouldn't run at all. Any ideas? TIA, Tbolt
PS: if it matters it is a 69 351w 2v

1. Check firing order. #1 cylinder is on passenger side. 13726548....counter clockwise

2. Make sure the distributor is not 180° out.

3. Make sure all plugs are firing.

4. If you changed balancers, timing covers, or pointers, make sure that your pointer points to 0° when the #1 cylinder is at TDC of compression stroke.

5. Try another carb.

Brent, tried all that but the carb. I don't have another one to use. Thanks for the reply. Tbolt

How about your carb ?? If it's a original 2100/4100 they are know for leaky floats and sticking needle valves after sitting. Good Luck...RW

vacuum telling you ??? valves open / steady vacuum signal?/...valve adjustment / cam timing / ignition timing / plus more can ALL be told by vacuum ...

John, I can't begin to check vacumn. When I say this thing runs terrible that is putting it mildy. The heads were milled .020 and I used the same push rods, surely that is not too much preload? Open valves would explain how bad this runs. Umm, dumb question, but these are non adjustable rockers? If not I am in trouble. Stock 69 351 Windsor.

grind (moves stem length up)...block surfaced ?...new cam (different base circle height)...new lifters ? (different pocket height)...the list can go on and on...ALL these effect lifter preload..wiil cause your problem....get shorter pushrods !!!

Just redid the carb today, did not have a new float though but don't think that is the problem. Thanks, Tbolt

I had a similar experience, car ran, but not as good as it should, started fine, idled, but wouldn't accelerate, had the distributer too far back, so the engine shouldn't have run, but it did, once it was set right, everything that was wrong cleared up. Even if the carb wasn't working correctly, it should still allow the car to run.

as opposed to a 302W cam? See below for firing order by type. If it's a 351w cam, it must be wired to a 351W firing order....not the std. 302W.

http://www.302w.com/Firing-Order.aspx

Bob, It is supposed to be a 351w cam. lol I had tried wireing it for a 302 just in case, would not run at all that way. Thanks for the reply, guess I will back the rocker nuts off some, start it for a minute and see if that helps.

Network 54 Windsor site soon if this doesn't work. Saw your post just now over there too.

cap and rotor.

this will cause more problems here is a link that explains what you need to do to get your pushrod length right which is very important even if you have adjustable rockers

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/116_0401_setting_pushrod_length/index.html

Something else you have to watch if you have HS rockers on an FE is the oil hole orientation for the pushrod cup. I know we are talking abouut a 351W here, but geometry is important to any engine. Pushrod length is critical to allowing adjustability within the range of what the rocker is made to oil at.

You still adjust the geometry with the pushrod length even with adjustable shaft rockers. Ironically, the stock adjustables I have on my truck, though a little looser than I liked on the shaft still came out perfect on their geometry. With a foot its a little different than what you see there in the article, but it should be a centered sweep, no hourglassing, or twisted if its right. Torquing rockers down takes a while, but you need to tap the stands around with a mallet while tightening and reference that foot to every tip.

Ask me how i know!

Ron.

/

1954 Ford Customline 2-dr. sedan 390 4-speed
1955 Ford Fairlane Victoria 2-dr. hdtp, 292
1962 Ford Galaxie 500, 4-dr. sedan, 292
1968 Ford LTD 2-dr hdtp, 390 auto. (rough but driveable)
1970 F-100 360 auto (owned since 1985)