Ignition vacuum advance connection ?
I was thinking about my vacuum advance hose connection to my 68 big block.
The HOLLEY 4150 , 650 CFM double pumper mechanical 2nd has one vacuum port on the back at the lower plate, this port connects to the ignition distributor vacuum advance and is also teed off to the left hand ( drivers side ) cylinder head cover vent.
Is this so OK ? Doesn't the blocks vent interfere with the distributor vacuum ?
The carburator also has a smaller vacuum port at it's front lower plate. Should I connect the distributor to this port ?
Thanks. Gunther :seeya
[Modified by WESCH, 2:11 PM 1/19/2003]


Normally the vacuum advance line is connected to a ported vacuum source. This is a source that doesn't have vacuum on it until the throttle blades are open, like at cruise. As a rule at normal idle you don't want a lot of advance on your distributor. The exception to this rule is with cars that have a very big cam, and don't idle very smooth and have a very small manifold vacuum at idle (7-8 inhg) then hooking to straight manifold vacuum will put in a little advance at idle and smooth out the idle a little.
I'm not sure which port on your Holley is a ported source, on my Holley there are two ports, one right over the other. The bottom one appears to be a full vacuum source, the one on top appears to originate above the butterfly, so it is possibly a ported source.
The only way to tell for sure is to use a vacuum gauge on each of the ports, while the car is at idle. The one that is not pulling a vacuum or has lower than manifold vacuum is probably a ported source.
I hope this helps you out.
Good Luck!
Thanks, but I'm still confused.
See the second pic, this is the carb port at the back ( driving direction view ).
Both, the distributor vacuum and the engine block vent from the left hand ( drivers side ) valve cover are connected to this port.
My engione is a 427 CI block with L71 heads and original L71 solid lifter cam.
I will install a gauge to this port to see what it is.
If this is the port , the power barkes would connect to, it should be full vacuum ( not ported ).
The first pic shows the plugged front carb port, which is much smaller in diameter.
What do you think ?
Thanks Gunther
[Modified by WESCH, 12:13 PM 1/20/2003]


The only way you can really tell if a vacuum port is ported or unported, unless you have the carb off the car and can trace the route, is to put a vacuum gauge on it while the car is running. A ported source will not show much vacuum on it while the car is idling, while an unported source (vacuum brake booster) will have close to manifold vacuum on it.
I know there are plenty of guys here on the forum who are running the same Holley carb you are, so they should be able to tell you which port is a ported vacuum source.
I wish I could have provided better information for you, perhaps if you re-ask the question, with the following title "Ported vacuum port on a Holley 4XXX carb?" Maybe someone with the same carb will tell you where they have their vacuum advance hooked up.
Good Luck!
Only one ea port on each side of this carb.
So both ports should be full vacuum ( non ported ).
Shouldn't I connect the distributor vacuum advance hose to the caped front port in order to keep it away from the block vent and oil fumes and also to assure non disturbed vacuum going to the advance ?
Sorry, I keep on asking the same question.
Again, thanks a lot so far.
Gunther :seeya
Are you sure about your first statement, that the vacuum advance should be connected to a ported source ?
This would mean that the vacuum advance would work with the flyway advance in conjunction adding up.
I'm a bit lost now on understanding how both this advance ignitions are suppost to work.
At what RPM does which advance move how much ?
Ups, I just confused myself.
Gunther :crazy:
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I was thinking about my vacuum advance hose connection to my 68 big block.
The HOLLEY 4150 , 650 CFM double pumper mechanical 2nd has one vacuum port on the back at the lower plate, this port connects to the ignition distributor vacuum advance and is also teed off to the left hand ( drivers side ) cylinder head cover vent.
Is this so OK ? Doesn't the blocks vent interfere with the distributor vacuum ?
The carburator also has a smaller vacuum port at it's front lower plate. Should I connect the distributor to this port ?
Thanks. Gunther :seeya
[Modified by WESCH, 2:11 PM 1/19/2003]
Only one ea port on each side of this carb.
So both ports should be full vacuum ( non ported ).
Shouldn't I connect the distributor vacuum advance hose to the caped front port in order to keep it away from the block vent and oil fumes and also to assure non disturbed vacuum going to the advance ?
Sorry, I keep on asking the same question.
Again, thanks a lot so far.
Gunther :seeya
I will check both ports with a gauge as soon as my engine is running again.
If the front port is the same as the aft, I will move the distributor advance hose to the front.
I already had to replace the vacuum advance due to blown membran and oil was evident in there.
Thanks for the help.
Gunther :cheers:
















