Buick35 Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 I decided to clean and rebuild the carburetor on my 35 which is a Stromberg down draft.Any way when removing the old base gasket next to the carb. I noticed that it completely blocked off the fitting going to the distributor for vacuum advance.I don't know how long it's been that way,at least 50 years since I owned it. It didn't seem to run too bad.I just thought that's the way the old gal run. I drilled a hole in my base plate adapter so the line would hopefully get vacuum.Curious to see if that makes any difference.Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 It will make a difference….if your distributor is stock. It’s very possible it is not. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 Check your vacuum advance diaphragm. Use a hand-held vacuum pump and verify (1) that it holds vacuum and (2) that the breaker plate moves freely without binding. While you're at it, make sure that the braided ground jumper is in place between the breaker plate and distributor body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted April 30 Author Share Posted April 30 21 minutes ago, EmTee said: Check your vacuum advance diaphragm. Use a hand-held vacuum pump and verify (1) that it holds vacuum and (2) that the breaker plate moves freely without binding. While you're at it, make sure that the braided ground jumper is in place between the breaker plate and distributor body. Good idea.My distributor looks stock 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted April 30 Author Share Posted April 30 I also have a MGB that was running really bad and it's vacuum advance wasn't working so I installed a new distributor and it made a big difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 I replaced the leaky vacuum advance diaphragm on my '38 Century with a rebuilt one from Bob's Automobilia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted May 1 Author Share Posted May 1 (edited) 2 hours ago, EmTee said: I replaced the leaky vacuum advance diaphragm on my '38 Century with a rebuilt one from Bob's Automobilia. It's strange that the carb.gaskets I see pictured at Bob's doesn't have a hole in them for the vacuum advance,maybe the hole on the carburetor bottom is supposed to be blocked. Edited May 1 by Buick35 Spelling (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 I don't know about the carburetor on your car, but the ones I've seen typically the vacuum port sources vacuum through passages in the carburetor body or throttle body above the manifold gasket. Maybe @carbking can comment about the Stromberg on your '35 Buick. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 This^^ It should go to a port inside the barrel that is just above the throttle plate at idle, and just below it as soon as you crack the throttle. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted May 1 Author Share Posted May 1 Thanks,I'll look again but on mine if I blow air through the fitting for the vacuum line at the base of the carb. air comes out of the hole that was blocked off from the gasket,if that makes sense. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted May 1 Author Share Posted May 1 I shot carburetor cleaner through the fitting and saw where the hole is above the throttle plate.There are two very small holes below the throttle plate,one in each barrel that might be plugged up. Maybe the hole under the gasket was just a machining hole.Thanks. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill White Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 I suggest you consider taking off the distributor plate and checking that your centrifugal weights are clean and free in movement. My son and I took ours apart and found that someone had put grease under them for lubrication, but the grease dried out and they would hardly move at all. One of the balls that kept the plate centered in the distributor also kept sliding out of place, which also kept the advance system from functioning properly. We replaced our plate with one that has several ball bearings integrated into the plate, (thanks to Jolly John), and there is a remarkable improvement in performance. Our vacuum advance unit also leaked and would not hold while vacuum was applied. Had to replace that too. Our car is a 40’ Buick Business Coupe, I would think your distributor would be functionally about the same. I hope this is helpful for you. Bill 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted May 1 Author Share Posted May 1 2 hours ago, Bill White said: I suggest you consider taking off the distributor plate and checking that your centrifugal weights are clean and free in movement. My son and I took ours apart and found that someone had put grease under them for lubrication, but the grease dried out and they would hardly move at all. One of the balls that kept the plate centered in the distributor also kept sliding out of place, which also kept the advance system from functioning properly. We replaced our plate with one that has several ball bearings integrated into the plate, (thanks to Jolly John), and there is a remarkable improvement in performance. Our vacuum advance unit also leaked and would not hold while vacuum was applied. Had to replace that too. Our car is a 40’ Buick Business Coupe, I would think your distributor would be functionally about the same. I hope this is helpful for you. Bill Thanks for the advice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary W Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 I posted a step-by-step distributor rebuild a while ago. It does make a difference when everything in there is functioning properly. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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