HI all of you great guys, I really appreciate your comments that give me more and more insight into my Merc's tech. It's amazing how nowadays communication has advanced to the point where we can help each other around the world. Being far away I started back in 1968 to
communicating with the US with letters and later on with faxes!

Taking into account all your valuable help I have a first decided not to swap the Loadomatic with a newer one, as yes KULTUZ I am also addicted to originality and after all it used to work ok for many years.

Now with your eager help yesterday
I ordered from eBay a
NOS (!!!) distributor on eBay and also another NOS distributor gear to go on my spare Loadomatic who's gear is missing. Now with three distributors available I'm going to spend the time to try and adjust the primary and secondary springs testing it on the road.

I'll double check my timing and everything else as suggested. As I'm only a DIY limited mechanic, Ted kindly explain to me what you mean by shimming have no idea what and how you mean this.

Also FORD DEARBORN please be more specific about ''using a vacuum gauge and a hand operated vacuum pump plumbed to the vacuum diaphragm'' is this a way I can set up the primary and secondary springs to my curve as per my manual?

Here is a pic from my manual

That chart gives you how the DIST ADVANCE as was curved by the factory.

You can find the exact curve in your 54 MERC WSM under IGN - SPECIFICATIONS using the DIST ID NO.

It will be tough without the DIST MACH and manometer (LOM).

CLICK HERE - http://m571.com/yblock/loadomatic.htm

GOOD LUCK WITH HER ...

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The vacuum pump mentioned, is often used to bleed brakes. If you do a search on the net, these vacuum pumps should come up. There are also various vacuum gauges available but will require some plumbing work to "T" into a vacuum line.  With the gauge and vacuum pump attached directly to the distributor advance can, you should be able to see with a timing light how the advance is responding in relation to the vacuum signal applied. This will not be precise but with a little experimentation, you may be able to get a feel for how well the advance is responding. I have rebuild/recurved numerous distributors through the years and indeed have a proper machine to do this. However, I have little experience with the Load O Matic. My 1955 Ford truck shop manual shows 4.5 to 6 inches of mercury/vacuum for the various engine and distributor combinations. As KULTULZ asks: What is the exact curve in the 54 Merc WSM?  Hope this helps, let us know....

64F100 57FAIRLANE500

KULTUZ and DEARBORN first I attach the curve chart. The check valve is another eye opener!

If I am correct based on the article my check valve should be marked with a 6 or a 7, correct?
However, I'm a bit confused because in my picture the Mercury parts book lists it with PN. B5A-9905-B but mentions ' stamped 25' unless this is for a Ford PN?

DEARBORN I believe you're showing me a way to adjust the springs while on the car, correct ? I have a brake bleeder pump and extra vacuum gauge and hoses and T's, no problem. Now if I got this right using the T I should splice it in the venturi vacuum line then observe the numbers based on my specs. ( I need to cut and add a hose along the metal line, something I wanted to do way back anyway)

There is another test I have to do about shimming which I had no idea about as Ted mentions

So Monday when back I have some great work to do! Yesssss🥳

.....

Without the aid of a distributor machine, your timing light can be used for determining your existing ‘no load’ distributor curve.  As a general rule, adding shims reduces the total amount of timing and taking shims away increases the total amount of ignition timing.  From what you are describing, you need to add shims ...



Ted ( I tried quoting hope it works)
I used GPT to learn about shimming distributors as I had no knowledge of it, so when setting the timing, I certainly did not rev up to observe any problem ..

It could be that I have messed things up up because at one point, if my failing memory is correct, I put chose and used the best shaft on my current distributor, and probably moved the single gear I had. So much for my expertise 😭

Any instructions or links how to best shimm it will help! Thanks

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This is my spare Loadomatic without gear but I have ordered one.
On the shaft I measure 0.058'' play, if this is the place to shim, what should the tolerance be
?

[img]http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/uploads/images/59f1cc9b-9194-4cb3-b916-92e5.jpg[/img]

Yes KULTUZ, that is why I bought a NOS from eBay yesterday, hoping it comes pre-adjusted. It is PN FAE-12127-A as shown on the picture , my spare one minus the gear I ordered is FAE-12127 A2 and the one on the car must be the same. My parts manual has three PN's, FAE 12127-C (which I wrote must be for the Police Merc of those days as I found also a Police Teapot version), a FDC 12127-A and a FEC-12127-A
So all numbers are the same, so I believe and hope all will fit.

Yes KULTUZ, that is why I bought a NOS from eBay yesterday, hoping it comes pre-adjusted. It is PN FAE-12127-A as shown on the picture , my spare one minus the gear I ordered is FAE-12127 A2 and the one on the car must be the same. My parts manual has three PN's, FAE 12127-C (which I wrote must be for the Police Merc of those days as I found also a Police Teapot version), a FDC 12127-A and a FEC-12127-A
So all numbers are the same, so I believe and hope all will fit.