New guy introduction with 860 centrifugal advance ?

goatman860 · Dec 3, 2014

Hello, I have drug home a poor 860 that was lets say "serviced" very poorly. I have had a month crash course in the ford service manual, and lots of hands on learning. The tractor is running, and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully I will have a useful tractor soon, instead of something that is solely for busting knuckles on and cursing human beings that shouldn't be playing with tools.

Down to business

Ive set the initial timing at 4 degrees btdc at 500rpm. When run up to 1200rpm the timing has not advanced properly to 13 degrees(mabey like 9), and at 2200 the hash mark is not even close to visible for 24 degrees advance timing on the flywheel.

I had already cleaned out the chunks of grime in the distributor, degreased, and reinstalled the weights(which now move seemingly freely compared to before where they wouldn't hardly move).

How do I, or can I adjust the centrifugal advance to open up properly, to give me the proper advance curve, and total timing.

The tractor runs "OK" at any rpm when sitting, but when I drive it, it has no power, and starts to overheat which I believe is due to the retarded timing.

Thank you, and I hope some of you can impart some wisdom on a GM guy that's kind of fallen for this old ford.

Soundguy · Dec 6, 2014

I'm thinking more like 8 at idle and 30 at throttle. The weights move completly free, don't rub the housing and have good springs?

goatman860 · Dec 8, 2014

Soundguy said:
I'm thinking more like 8 at idle and 30 at throttle. The weights move completly free, don't rub the housing and have good springs?

They seem to move freely now. and do not rub anything. The springs are on there, and dont look damaged, but I dont know what a working unit is supposed to feel like in the hand. When you manually spread the weights, you can see the shaft advance.

For the degree specs, I was off a little, the manual gives those #'s in the distributer advance section, but in the back of the chapter spec sheet it has an 860 listed at 4 at idle, 16 at 1200rpm, and I believe 26 or 28(from memory) at 2200rpm.

Either way, Im not getting half the advance at any particular rpm above idle.

It doesn't appear it was really made to adjust at all, like swapping springs, etc.

Im figureing a new distributer is in order.

Thanks