That looks like an original Load-a-Matic dist. First check that the advance unit is working, rev the engine while watching the timing with the light to see if it advances. Dwell should be 26-28 degrees.
It's almost impossible to find TDC with the heads on, hope for the best and test drive it. New dampeners aren't readily available, you might get on from John Mummert, I got mine from Falcon Global but they no longer list them, these are Australian made and you are looking at a $200 part. There are a few companies that rebuild them.

Load-O-Matic may have been the original on your car but the later mechanical distributor directly interchanges.  After more than 60 years for many of these vehicles, anything could have been done so I don't assume and ask.

Since that is a Load-O-Matic, the next question is which carburetor are you using?

You can use a piston stop. Turn the crank until it stops.  Mark the damper.  Turn the crank in the opposite direction until it stops.  Mark the damper.  TDC will be in the middle of the two marks.  That is the most accurate way with the heads still on.

There is also a damper installation tool.  You will need one with an adapter for 9/16-18 threads (same as the damper bolt).





Lawrenceville, GA

your dist is a load ematic(the tell tale is the large vacumediaphram)from my exp with the55ford(metior)to get decent go lots of initial is in order. do it by ear with say mid grade fuel when you hit the throtel hard should be only small ping.with vacume line hooked up.i would not change the dampner, just mark it when you are happey with overall performance.Like others say be sure you have correct 3 bolt 2v carb. these dist where not the best,but with some patience they will do fine

Dwell should be 26-28 degrees.
It's almost impossible to find TDC with the heads on, hope for the best and test drive it. New dampeners aren't readily available, you might get on from John Mummert, I got mine from Falcon Global but they no longer list them, these are Australian made and you are looking at a $200 part. There are a few companies that rebuild them.[/quote]

Thank you, there's also a guy I know Big M who might have one. I'll think about it.

Load-O-Matic may have been the original on your car but the later mechanical distributor directly interchanges.  After more than 60 years for many of these vehicles, anything could have been done so I don't assume and ask.

And that makes total sense man, I totally see where you're coming from there. I'm silly to assume that's all original equipment. But you know, sometimes when you see the amount of wear on something you kinda get the impression it's original.

Since that is a Load-O-Matic, the next question is which carburetor are you using?

Like others say be sure you have correct 3 bolt 2v carb. these dist where not the best,but with some patience they will do fine

Well this might actually be interesting to you guys. I know the 2 barrel distributors were what were usually on the 272 from other people's engines I've seen. My car actually came with the 4 barrel Holley 4000 on it. The explanation I think is this: The car's first owner was a doctor who made home visits, it was his work car. I believe I read somewhere that they put 4-barrels on cars used by doctors and the like.. I guess to give them the extra get up and go in emergencies.
Like I said earlier, I just got the carburetor rebuilt last year by Carburetors and More.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVPMieHe_7s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYKo7_dKML0

your dist is a load ematic(the tell tale is the large vacumediaphram)from my exp with the55ford(metior)to get decent go lots of initial is in order. do it by ear with say mid grade fuel when you hit the throtel hard should be only small ping.with vacume

Yeah that's what I was thinking of doing. Advancing it a little at a time, locking it down, putting it in gear and see how reacts to acceloration. Repeat until acceloration is smooth enough.

Thats the correct carb to provide the correct vacuum signal for the LOD distributor. Have you checked to see if the timing is advancing? If you aren't getting advance above idle speed it will never run right and over heat! The vacuum advance unit is one of the most important parts of that type distributor. Just advancing the timing until it runs better is just a band aid, and a bad one..

Okay I've got some big information. I'm uploading about 4 videos which I'll be able to have up by late this evening.

I was initially checking my advance first, I had the vacuum hooked to the distributor. When I noticed that at idle it had a higher advance I'd say about 15o -20o. I figured the distributor was looser then I thought since it wasn't locked down maybe it turned a bit in the drive yesterday. But then when I disconnected the vacuum to do another initial timing adjustment the timing was back to where I left it at about 6o - 8o advance. Also with the vacuum advance hooked up, there would be no advance when accelerating the engine. So it sounds to me like you guys are right, that the vacuum advance is running all the time. I also noticed with the vacuum plugged into the distributor, that in PARK the advance would be 15o - 20o advanced at idle, but in DRIVE the advance would only be about 10o.. but again that makes since right? The engine is doing higher RPMS in Park.

I then popped the cap off the distributor to look inside. I noticed I could turn the plate inside the distributor very easily and the primary spring was literally wobbling on the posts.

So it sounds like I need new springs right?

I'll ge those videos up ASAP tonight.

hmmm..

Here are the videos:

Dude,
Before you start changing springs you might want to squirt something like choke cleaner at the center of the breaker plate while working it back and forth. Gum builds up over a period of time and makes it difficult for them to rotate and can cause them to stick. Also don't overlook the spark control valve on your carburetor, it affects the vacuum going to the distributor.