The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 47 Project-mix of several years.-need some advice

I've got a 47 Coupe-which I have now determined has a 54 Motor in it according to casting numbers. 105 lbs compression across the board. It ran like crap. I replaced points/plugs and wires-it got a little better. Stuck a kit in the Rochester B and it ran a little better. Timed it by vacuum-max reading-and got best idle but lost power on road. Timed it today with timing light against peep hole and it runs even better but still bogs down in third when trying to accelerate. I've determined I have a 46 style distributor in it which has the smaller cap/rotor button set up. I've located a 54 distributor which I'm cleaning up and plan to install with new vacuum advance, Can anyone tell me if counter weights-advance will be better with the 54 distributor-or just what the differences are in these distributors? Catalogs seem to reference 53/54 distributors as being unique to those years. I hope it will run better as It is what should be in the car-so I'm hoping for an improvement. Also-my motor has manifold with heat stove for automatic choke. I plan to rebuild a Rochester BC carb that came with car and install it. The carb may of come off a 54 car with automatic transmission-would that be a problem?. I plan to rebuild this BC carb and try it also on the car. Can anyone tell me main differences in distributors/carbs from the 46-48 style to the 53 style? has anyone tried a Pertronix and if so-could you tell a difference? Thanks a lot

Post the part number of the distributor you're planning to install and I might be able to look up the centrifugal and vacuum advance numbers for it. It will be a 7-digit number that probably begins with 111- - - -. Depending on the part number the point gap and/or dwell adjustment is considerably different. Distributors for Powerglide-equipped vehicles run a different dwell setting than standard trans vehicles, but the distributor needs to be set according to its part number, NOT the transmission you're running at the moment.
Jerry

You sound like you're an experienced wrencher, but I'll ask anyway: are you sure you have proper vacuum advance on the existing distributor? The dizzy body should rotate when you tweak the throttle at idle. Further, are you sure the centrifugal advance is working? You can either disassemble the dizzy breaker plate to verify the springs and weights, or use a timing light with advance settings to verify.
-Michael

Thanks-The 1954 distributor I have came out of a car with Powerglide I recently parted out. The Vacuum advance on it was toast. I cleaned distributor up today and all weights and springs in the advance mechanism were clean as a pin and worked well. I've ordered a new vacuum advance. I'll look at numbers on distributor tomorrow. My motor No. is 0136058T54XB I know it's 54=but couldn't tell if car or truck. Can I use this distributor in application for manual transmission OK? I also have the auto choke carb off the same 54 with Powerglide I wanted to use as the motor in the car has manifold with heat stove for choke riser.

Well-the distributor 46-47 style-on the 54 motor has the style of vac. advance shown in the catalogs for this model. It surely advances when motor is revved up. I'm pulling the distributor out tomorrow to take apart and clean and inspect the counter weights/springs etc.

I must say, I'm at a point now where I don't really do anything to my distributor while it's in the truck. I love my SUN machine, and I'd rather go to the hassle of removing and re-stabbing the distributor so I can get it tested and set-up with confidence on the distributor machine.

Once you've eliminated the distributor function as a culprit, you can look into other areas, though I scratch my head as to what they could be. Had a fire truck that fell on its face on the highway. Turned out the fuel pump wasn't keeping up. We connected a pressure guage to the fuel lines and drove it, the pressure was dropping over 35 mph.

I suppose a carburetor float that was set to high would be staying closed too long before letting more fuel in.

If it isn't timing advance, and it isn't lack of fuel, I can't figure what would cause it to bog down only in 3rd gear.

-Michael

I wish there was an old school shop around here that would look at the distributor. Maybe someone on the forum could suggest one. I'd still like to know what the majority of guys think is the best carb and distributor for a 54

T54XB is a 235 from a 1-ton (3800) truck.

That carb should work OK on either a car or truck 235.