[raythecaddie]

I'm trying to get the engine on my 66 purring just right. I have a new pony carb installed and the most I can get on my vacuum gauge is 16, and I figure it should be around 19. I've rotated the distributor to set the timing to max rpm, played with the curb idle screw, adjusted the idle mixture to max rpm and I can't get higher than 16. I can't locate any vacuum leaks, or if there is one I don't know how to find it. I know something is wrong because when I take out for a test drive and cruising around the engine will lurch or maybe hesitate is a better word. I JUST CANT GET IT RIGHT.

[429ragtop]

Where are you connecting the vac gauge hose to? Make sure the vac advance to the dist. is diconnected and plugged. Make sure your timing and ignition are all intact first i.e. plugs, gap, points, timing, carb settings etc. 16 is not a bad number. Is the vac gauge needle steady? What do you get on a snap test?

[Ivy66GT]

Whatever your problem may be I doubt it is manifold vacuum. The Ford spec for a '66, 2-cyl is 17 inches of vacuum. That is a sea level number; you at somewhere north of 2200 foot elevation where the air is thinner and vacuum readings are less. That means a reading of 16 is just what the Ford engineers thought it should be.

I live at 6100 foot elevation and my manifold vacuum is 3" less than sea level. You are about 1/3 of my elevation so 1" less is exactly what I would expect.

[raythecaddie]

I have the vacuum gauge hose connected to the intake manifold just below the carb on the passenger side and the needle is steady at 16. Everything else is intact, as you say. I didn't have the vacuum advance to the distributor disconnected, why is that necessary?? and what is a "snap test"

[429ragtop]

it sounds like you just have to many things out of adjustment (timing,carb,idle etc.). Maybe its time to have it tuned professionally.