The reason for this post was to ask, if my total initial + centrifugal advance is 38* while I cruise at 2800 RPM with 20" of Vacuum causing the vacuum advance to providing an additional 10* of timing (bringing the total advance to 48* at cruise) is this going to be a problem?

And if it is, should I start to back out total centrifugal advance? initial advance? or an equal amount of both?

Even if I I was running with the total timing (initial + centrifugal) to 32* at 2800 RPM, the vac advance is going to put it at 42* total. Now the vacuum advance is going to start backing out as I tip into the throttle or drop out completely at WOT, is that what keeps you from detonation.

Is this how the vacuum advance works and are those realistic total advance numbers you see with a vacuum advance distributor? ww

What happens if you remove the connection at the sending unit while the engine is running? If the gauge stays pegged wouldn't that indicate your problem was up the line somewhere? ww

The instructions say there will be 10 deg of advance with 15" of vacuum so it will come in fairly quick. But that will fall off as you get into the throttle. With a vacuum advance, what typical total advance is there at cruise RPM of say 2800 with a lite load?

And if there is too much advance and I can't adjust the Vacuum Advance, should the reduction in timing come from less initial or by reducing the total centrificial advance curve of the distributor? ww

I just took delivery of a new tower PC with Windows 8.1 64, my old PC has Windows XP. What is the best way to transfer/copy my data? Besides the usual stuff, I want to copy all the music I have in Windows Media Player, dates and such in Outlook and my Web Favorites. I figure I'm not the only one dealing with this. Microsoft support is ending in April and Explorer is out of date so I needed to make the move. Any help is greatly appreciated. ww

Mechanical Music

I have been a big fan of international sports car racing ever since my Dad took me to the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona. I already knew and loved the sounds of the big American V8’s thundering around the tri-oval at full song in the stock cars.

But I had never experienced those engines (and many other types) going up and down the gears as they went thru the infield section and up onto the tri-oval for 24 hours!

Man I Was Hooked.

Back then there was minimal lighting just along the start/finish line and pit lane at Daytona and damn near pitch black at Sebring. So at night as you walked around the course you couldn’t see the cars except for their headlight arrays or the tail lights and exhaust configurations lit up with flames as they down shifted into the turns.

But you sure could hear them.

427 GT40’s, the 327 in the Chaparrel, V12 Ferrari’s, BRM 1.9L  V8’s, Porsche flat 6’s and stout 4 bangers all had a distinct sound.  After a while you could tell what just flew by their engine note.

It was fantastic.

Living in Ft. Lauderdale allowed me to attend the 24 hour, the 12 Hours of Sebring and later the races held at the Miami Grand Prix every year thru the 90’s.

Big boxer 12 cylinders from Porsche and Ferrari, screaming 3.5L BMW 6’s and V12 Jags, along with an array of other exotic 4, 6, 8 and 12 cylinder power plants were members of the band over the years.

The only annoyance was the shrill of the Mazda Rotary engines but they sure kicked ass in their class.

With all of the days spent at the races and the hundreds of pictures taken, I really regret not taking a cassette recorder with a good mic and recording the sounds.

I had a 1979 BMW 633CSi coupe with a heavily modified 3.0L SOHC slant 6. Allot of head work with a big cam and all of the emissions equipment removed made it damn sporty. A twin 3 into 2 header system with twin pipes out the back with a small resonator and twin tulip shapes tips gave it a sound all it’s own.

It started off as a growl that turned into a beautiful wail around 3500 when it came up on the cam all the way to 7 grand. That engine was built to rev so I drove around allot in 2nd gear on & off throttle listening to it talk.

Besides Auto Crossing it, the best was going up the gears thru the New River Tunnel in Ft. Lauderdale. It was too much fun. I wish I had movies of that car with good audio as well.

Thanks for the video clip, that was fun.

This is me long ago making some noise at a Auto Cross event in Boca. ww

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd31/65cobrajet428/My%20Bimmers/scan0010_zpsec800ca8.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd31/65cobrajet428/My%20Bimmers/scan0003_zpsf0c201ce.jpg

I should have thought a little more before I posted this, I should have went to Dave Kee's sight 1st thing. Thanks. ww

I miss all you guys over there.  I check in here every day (this is THE sight for FE tech) but have not had much to contribute lately. I kinda got into a slump with the P-Code, I've got most of the parts, just need to get busy. Anyway I appreciate all your contributions with this poll, I think the results will be interesting. ww

I hope you don't take exception Jay, if this is inappropriate then lock or delete this thread.

I have a post going on over at the FE Forum about FE Powered Vehicles, it's called:

"List Your FE Powered Vehicles"

If your still a member over there and you would like, login and list your stuff.

This is limited to vehicles you currently own and are running or serious projects that will see completion.

Please list the Year, Make, Model, Engine, Transmission and your age.

I am compiling the information into an Excel Spreadsheet and will post the results with some interesting data.

I have 420 entries so far and I know there are some real fine FE's not on there. Please contribute and help me get a real good read on the Ford FE's in use out there.

Thanks. ww