I think you are right about the vacuum connection.
When I got my car about 8 years ago, I needed a new retard unit.
I was lucky to find a used one at a wrecking yard. It
may be harder to find one now.
Did you try simply leaving the vacuum advance disconnected (and
the port on the carb plugged), and setting the advance to 8 degrees btdc?
That is essentially how my car runs now, after I replaced the Stromberg
with SUs.
Doug Braun
At 11:09 PM 8/14/00 -0700, Glenn Trunnell wrote:
>After reading the discussion about this topic last week it occurred to
>me that my vacuum advance may be at the heart of my problem. My car
>runs great everywhere except at idle. I have a '76 Stromberg and a
>vacuum advance distributor, I know without a doubt that this is in fact
>a vacuum advance unit instead of a retard unit. I currently run with
>the timing set at 12 deg. btdc with the vacuum advance line
>disconnected. This gives me good off the line acceleration, but
>requires that I run the carb very rich to keep it from missing at idle.
>If I connect the vacuum line I get something like 20 deg advance at idle
>which drops off as soon as I hit the throttle. I believe that the ZS
>carb I am running is in fact designed to run with the retard distributor
>rather than the advance unit I have. If I retard the timing the idle
>smoothes right out but the car will not accelerate at all,. Does anyone
>know of a source for the retard type vacuum actuator or have one that
>they would like to sell? I would really like to have the smooth idle
>and be able to lean the carb out and I think this may be the solution.
>
>
>Thanks,
>Glenn
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