SET TIMING : TUNE CARBURETOR + DIAGNOSE ANY ENGINE = VACUUM GAUGE VOODOO!

power tune the intake system and distributor timing together for max performance! using the most important over looked tool in your shop!
I start w/ a QUICK 3 STEP SYSTEM diagnosing a customers engine 100% ACCURACY! w/ this magic forgotten tool and its sister tool!
____________Vacumm-Gauge_Testing____________
1.. Connect the Vacuum Gauge as close as possible to the intake manifold.
2.. Start the engine and let idle until reaching normal operating temperature.
3.. Adjust throttle butterfly valve and set idling speed to get a smooth engine idle.
--------- Normal ---------
This a normal reading-between 17 and 22 inches of mercury (19.5 optimum) Stock cam running at sea level. Higher elevations may cause slightly lower readings. For every 1,000 feet above sea level, you can expect the reading to be about one inch lower. You can also expect the readings to be lower for more aggressive cams.
--------- Slow, fluctuation between 14 and 22 IN/Hg ---------
Carburetor needs adjustment, air leaks, or there are other engine problems diagnosed as follows:
--------- Gauge remains at 12 IN/Hg any RPM ---------
Late valve timing.
--------- Steady Low/Extremely Low ---------
The gauge shows an extremely low reading, which holds fairly steady. This means the engine is producing less power and, therefore, less vacuum. Common causes of steady low reading are blowby due to worn piston rings or possibly late ignition or valve timing. An extremely low reading could also indicate an air leak at the intake manifold or throttle body.
--------- Steady Low/High Swing ---------
A regular swing between high and low readings often means a blown head gasket between two, side-by-side cylinders. To confirm, you’ll need to perform a compression test.
--------- Rapid Vibration at Idle ---------
If the needle vibrates rapidly between 14 and 20 inches of mercury, but then steadies as rpm increases, you may be dealing with worn valve guides. How fast the needle vibrates is telling of how many valve guides may be worn.
--------- Fluctuation Under Acceleration ---------
Conversely, if the gauge’s needle swings back and forth as the engine accelerates, your valve springs are probably too week for your engine. The swing on the gauge is usually anywhere from 10 to 22 inches of mercury, depending on the speed of the engine.
--------- Gauge pulsates @ Idle, but steady at higher RPM ---------
Indication of loose valve stem guides.
--------- Drastic Needle Drop ---------
With exhaust restriction, the vacuum gauge will often start in the normal range but will soon drop drastically as rpm is increased. You likely have a restriction somewhere within your exhaust system. When pointer drops slowly when the engine is sped up several times in secession = a clogged muffler. An unblocked muffler will cause the gauge pointer to momentarily drop to zero.
--------- Abnormally High Reading ---------
Conversely, a choked or restricted air cleaner would result in a higher than normal reading, depending on how hard the engine works to pull in air.
--------- Normal/Low Pattern ---------
When the needle drops to a low reading, returns to normal, and then repeats the pattern at regular intervals, you’re likely looking at a burnt, sticking, or leaking valve. A constant low reading on the gauge could indicate a burnt valve(s).Often, a sticking valve will cause more sporadic drops during this pattern, intermittently about 4 IN/Hg, Remove Rubber Hose, add a few drops of Marvell Mystery Oil to the manifold and test again. If the valves stop sticking, valves need to be cleaned.
--------- 4 or 5-Inch Fluctuation --------
If you notice the needle slowly fluctuating between four or five inches, chances are you have an ignition-related issue. Check your spark plug gap as this condition often indicates too narrow of a gap. Also, check your distributor cap and wires. If none of these areas are the culprit, you may need to adjust your idle mixture.
--------- 8 to 14-Inch Reading ---------
A steady low reading between eight and 14 inches of mercury is usually indicative of incorrect valve timing.
-------- gauge pulsates rapidly w/ increasing RPM ---------
it could indicate weak valve springs or poorly seated valves.
---------- Test choke Close throttle all the way and start engine. The gauge should immediately rise to 22 IN/Hg (green zone). If the gauge pointer stays around 3 to 6 IN/Hg = burnt riser tube, or the failure of the throttle valve to close

[@BobVan]

I still use my vacuum gauge. Of course I use mine on an old 74 sbc but there’s so much to learn just monitoring the vacuum. Love the Valknut. 🙏🏼

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

Half the data on your odb2 is manifold pressure , reading the vac gauge for you, (and then checks the current drop on every spark to tell what cylinder it is... guess thats the only advantage, we arent fast enough to see what cylinder is firing at the time, a trick a 100 dollar multi meter will do) BTW Odins Lock Im about to watch your Step Van videos, I saw your photo and was like, wait he also has a Vulknut, and now I see the step van, and was like ok this must fake account lmao, Guess its just Odin's way brother lmao.... next year we are rolling out on tour with my 70 metro, full vid series on fixing it up, full series on enjoying our hard work and research)

[@BobVan]

LIVE FREE OR DIY 😂, I’m real, I use the valknut as my business logo and on my business cards for my “side hustle” (I have mobile locksmith business). I love Norse and Van type stuff.

[@riverreece9979]

i know I'm kind of off topic but do anybody know a good website to stream new movies online?

[@genesisdavis9111]

@River Reece lately I have been using flixzone. You can find it by googling =)

[@gordonvincent8856]

@Genesis Davis yup, I have been watching on flixzone for since april myself =)

[@timklein3962]

Really great video; solves a lot of rookie guesswork; thanks !!!!!!!!

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

Thank you! ITS OLD SCHOOL THOUGH, Just like today we have parts changers, we always had them, vac gauge, and or a leak-down test = fool proof! Id say some people are lucky, and its true, but most people are going by the common issue and charging the customer anyway if its not it lmao

[@jaimemendiola5512]

Awesome video!! Super helpful! After your done with all the back and forth between timing and carb how do you or what do you set a good idle at from park to drive. I hate having high park rpm and almost dies or actually does going into drive or reverse. Thanks

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

man, well, if you have an auto transmissions its gonna rev higher. If you put a larger cam you will have lost low end power and will need a higher stall converter.... if you put a big exhaust or intake you will have to re jet the carb, yet very rarely is the idle circuit ever touched, unless you cammed it or really raised compression.... you may have other low end power loss, vac leaks, the distributor could be on the wrong port.... if your sure its all good, try setting the timing like a race car, have a butty brake torque the shit out of it so the tires are barely chirping, turn the distributor till they spin... ok exaggeration or dont try that at home, well just dont sue me i didnt tell you to do that lol, heve your buddy hold the pedal and turn it till they chirp....... park it against a wall if you dont trust your buddy to let off the gas in time lmao

[@sondabrown7373]

Excellent video, friend! Thank you!

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

Lot more to upload, just finished building the new shop! So I been aloof

[@sondabrown7373]

@@TEN-TIMES-HARDER Hope you load soon :)

[@AhhHeyWoah]

I love it awesome! I need a tune up.

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

Yes you do

[@CC-gu7jr]

Hey Eric great channel. Quick question, am I plugging the vacuum advance when doing this like I would if using a timing light?

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

No do not plug the vac advance.

[@BL2197]

Hi Eric- nice channel. Question for you- what does it mean when a mechanic tells you the dizzy is in backwards? I’ve had this happen 3 times now- twice on a running car.

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

I really dont get how distributor became dizzy, my guess is someone on a forum back in the day couldnt get that spellcheck line to go away no matter how hard they tried to spell it lmao.... now its pretty mych impossible to stick it in backwards, at least on cars i worked on lmao, , very common is sticking it in one tooth off, my video on engine rebuild part 2 will show you this... see if its a tooth off, you some times cant even turn the distributor enough to get it in time, because the vac can will bump the intake and what have you.... so if it was stuck in a tooth off, your spark will be off. but backwards? I mean it wouldd need be a non vac advance distributor, and their rare and expensive for drag racing. dual points.... (the trick for street is to set a switch for only one set of points, their staggard spark, so you have the more advance and regular, to pick. then a switch for the mid grade gas in the tank, or the fuel cell of race gas that cost at least twice.)

[@WesternReloader]

Subbed, thx for sharing

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

im finally back onnit

[@optimusthurman]

Great tips on the video! Would the ignition timing be set this way with all engines? I'm in the UK and have a cvh engine. Due to a few changes in the engine bay it's not easy to see my timing marks. My engine was rebuilt a few months back and although it's running well I just get the feeling that it's holding back somewhere.

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

Yes, absolutely!

[@boomsaucexx1866]

This is one helpful video for myself. Bought a 93 yj with a 350 swap. Keeps dying 15 seconds after I give it a little gas in neutral. Pretty sure what you're talking about can give me some light on the issue. Guy who did the swap isn't dumb, however he did cut corners.

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

Also check your float levels on carb and and your fuel pump has a tiny weep hole that it will drip out of if bad.... it’s hard to say with little info, I don’t know if it’s injected, if it has a computer, does it have adjustable valves.... what year...

[@boomsaucexx1866]

@@TEN-TIMES-HARDER It's a 93 YJ. Actually found out it was a 90 350 with 240k on the motor. Pulled the floats and the seals were broken. Pretty sure I was just flooding the engine while pissing with it. I have it running good now since changing floats. After finding out it had that many miles, I bought a full rebuild kit. Gonna get the heads resurfaced and I'm at a stand point on a cam right now. I have 35's with an AX-15 tranny, running 4:33 gears (8.8 rear end and pretty sure front is stock with 4:33's aka, it doesn't bind in 4x4) Not entirely sure on a cam. It doesn't really need torque or top end. It runs 85mph top speed and I'm okay with that. In reality, it's my daily driver/toy. Doesn't need to be big and bad when it's all said and done. Just need it to be reliable in the long run. The weak 350 as of now pushes the little pos around like it's nothing. I am on a strict military pay budget. I don't make enough for mistakes to be made. Some info on a cam would be much appreciated.

[@colebh9299]

Oh and on the school bus did they stamp on the pulley inside? I found four marks on the inside but can't really tell. The front is very tight unless I pull the radiator. The frame is underneath so no ground visual. Is that wrench custom?

[@stevenrochelle2238]

You are one wacky dude, I like that.

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

Judge me by the quality of my work lmao

[@claudeladow2334]

Can you determine total advance by revving to where all centrifugal advance is all in and adjusting for highest vacuum? Or would that vary with throttle opening? Thanks, just subbed

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

yeah thats what were doing. I need to make a video soon on setting the "curve"... vsee the vac advance is realy because at idle, the air fuel mix is weakly atomized, so it really opens right off idle, gives it about 10, sort of emissions, but also smooths it out, the idea is it dont need the power untill you touch the gas, race cars dont have this.... now the weights dont kick in untill about 1500 and are balls to the walls at 2600, giving it another about 25 deg. so no matter how you set your timing, if you are having issues only 1500-2600 then its smooth again, your weights need adjustment. Or it’s too fat at cruise for the amount of advance.... you can get trickey with the slots, change springs, and or get special bushings to change how the weights fly out.. what I can say is old worn springs work better performance than stock, and you would rather have too much than too little, if the weights arent advancing enough, you can be running retarded at about your cruising rpm, that means running hot! so at about 2222 if your pedal feels flat.... if your gonna tinker, get the kit, it comes with weights and springs and bushings and instructions.... its sort of how everybody knows how to jet and set a holley but most people have no idea about the shooter sizes, the shooter cam sizes, the secondary vac springs, and all that jazz... the old school trick , you should be able to braketorque it at about 2222 then advance the distributor until it pings, then back it off. now if the vac trick shows that it needs more advance past cruising speed, the weights are advancing too soon......

[@claudeladow2334]

Ok good info.

[@jballs1118]

Where can I put the vacuum gauge on a 65 mercury comet straight six my car starts and dies immediately can figure it out what’s the problem. Good video sir

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

if its power brakes you can use that line, or there should be an extra vacuum port on your carb or manifold...

[@goonkieeyeracing1138]

So is that mainfold pressure not ported I'm gonna go back thru my 440 tommrow just added tunnel ram two Holley 450 double pumpers

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

yes not ported!!! too bad you cant post pics in comments! sounds fun project, whats it in? oh BTW this is off road / regular car settings, if its a pure track only build, Your going to want to have your friend break torque the hell out of it just enought o not run you over, turn it till it pings, back it off a hair... old school....

[@goonkieeyeracing1138]

@@TEN-TIMES-HARDER kzbin.infoLrapXOPZfws?feature=share

[@BREDSCorolla]

May i ask why do you need to back off by 2 if you reach the highest vaccuum reading?

[@harvestblades]

backing it off or technically retarding the timing 2" of mercury is to prevent detonation.

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

yes, it will ping under load at max vac.

[@williamcrazylacyfurmage9953]

Cool Video Eric, On my 2.0 Pinto I can get Vac to 13, then I turn dist to put in on 11. I put the connection right in the middle of the intake Manifold where I have a port plug there. On my 72 2.0 My timing belt is on right I think " Compared it with my 73 - but my timing light shows it's off by like an inch on the 72, Car won't run if I put at 6 before TDC. Could the Distributor be why it's not lining up right with the light strobe. The 73 strobes the light spot on 6 before TDC Update Yesterday I moved the timing belt different ways and nothing works. Everything line up on marks. I brought the piston to TDC with the #1 plug out. it's dead on. Feeling helpless... It seems to run ok with the timing tab 6 Degrees mark set at like 1 inch before the timing mark it suppose to be on. I'm stumped.

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

Sounds like you could have the distributor a tooth off, also your balancer may have spun in the rubber or be the wrong one, it is 50years old...

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

Possibly stuck weights on n distributor, bad points, the vaccine advance may be hooked to the wrong spot....

[@williamcrazylacyfurmage9953]

@@TEN-TIMES-HARDER distributor a tooth off, I didn't know that could happen on a Pinto distributor ? I've tried 3 different distributors i have. On a 2.0 Pinto you line up a mark on the distributor with a mark on the rotor. then adjust timing from there.

[@colebh9299]

Hey man good video. Where to buy old IH distributor parts v345?

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

super scout specialists, IHPA, or coonroods ih parts, otherwise somebody on my facebook group facebook.com/groups/erikthewrench/ somebody on the group will have one

[@colebh9299]

Thanks. Hey are there any IH show in N. Texas? Or a website to look for?

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

hey just came up l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Freel%2FC6PU0uVyIz0%2F%3Figsh%3DMzRlODBiNWFlZA%253D%253D%26fbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0CynfBTwUrqjxjLRAIwFXlVn-M7WMBqZWYaFXiEYLgamMqumQeQqr7ww8_aem_ASaCNIfBqwIrzt2IouaDD5UIcaNrcUrma7XvdYImI-mP05jYWiG4gUf6yM_v-jhk6AKYusxTJugNUTevHrn6pPsc&h=AT1Q_g1d8TEu45XGVySU4kImOioXBMGAGe5SxxiAzPI5cABOU7U4wwE6lzBgzbIZh7YO0FnUgq5jNHCoOEsbnguD2PKozc5m92o81eacb6du-pLwZgke7mw-lP8JlOKjOH5CEZMxsG80bD5iU8P_fLkv_A&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT3cmQORoj6UuuYk3UT92kGjeqgUa8fsdqMPapAzrzPEq2UGy3Vh7nUMATuEiIHkwajWRZ-pgwq0auuY-Eg-WremeZIc-WpH5A5dlgPa7TSGNlRMsXXOCcemYkFMPozM9KJAs_Efjemu-F0RPfGN0RvTgvAxUvfm3QfWX-bM_FAkb6Q3datvajvP95ScTCQpmTIfwC3xdMGJBePYmK4dDOiswUKJ2wUl6pXb94IjJKTtGd6X-FJDsHXogjPTk5w3b7lHLbkJ0xpV they make distributors for IH! They say 20$ off with this link, dont forget to mention Erik The Wrench so maybe i can get a discount too lol

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

I would just join the face book group I linked, I know you got one in Arkansas and New Mexico....

[@Darren...son4634]

Bad sound there on video

[@possumdan1]

good info but ditch the theatrics please

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

well than you wouldnt like to hang out at my house because thats just who I am! I guess I could try to act normal lmao!