I am deliberately going to limit myself to the facts and ignore the rest.
Yes I have driven a car that I fitted with a vacuum gauge. It tells you
nothing about the functioning of the centrifugal and vacuum advances,
however it
did result in better performance and economy when setting up the timing and
the mixture to the gauge rather than manufacturers specs on that car. I
still have the gauge and have tuned to that on the B but it made no
appreciable difference so I just stick to the specs. My cars, like many
others, have the timing marks on top and so are easily viewed when
controlling the existing throttle cable by hand, others can make their own
arrangements if they so choose. I don't have a MityVac and I haven't
checked the vacuum capsule operation against the vacuum gauge, but I know a
man who has and others may like to do so. I just check the maximum advance
it gives and that it can hold a vacuum. I check dwell and timing at each
service interval, using the dial to get it flashing at TDC then read the
actual advance off the dial. While I am enjoying myself it is no hardship
to check the advance at one or two of the several rpm points listed for my
distributors at least. I *enjoy* working on my cars as well as driving
them, and I enjoy the performance and economy that a well-setup car
delivers. Oh, and you forgot the RPM meter.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles & Peggy Robinson" <ccrobins@ktc.com>
To: "Telewest (PH)" <paul.hunt1@blueyonder.co.uk>
Cc: "Mike Lewellen" <Mike.Lewellen@insightbb.com>; <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2002 2:49 PM
Subject: Re: email sent to Bob Shaw
>
> Hmmm, I wonder if you've ever driven a car equipped with a vacuum
> guage. You get a lot better idea of how manifold vacuum varies as a
> function of the engine load that way. Just opening the throttle on an
> unloaded engine doesn't tell you much.
>
> Oh, I suppose you could do all those things you said, but I strongly
> suspect that you'd be BS'ing if you claimed that you did them
> routinely. I can just see you laying on your back under my '69 B
> (that's where the timing marks are, you know) with your adjustable light
> and your vacuum source controls & gauges (getting crowded under there?),
> not to mention a remote throttle cable to vary the engine RPM. Quick
> men, bring the video camera! Paul's entertaining the troops! ;^)
>
> Cheers,
>
> CR
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