VACUUM ADVANCE

A mechanism on the side of the distributor that automatically varies the instant at which the spark occurs as a function of intake manifold vacuum. Vacuum advance provides the additional advance that is needed when the engine is operating at part throttle. At part throttle less air-fuel mixture gets into the cylinders and the mixture takes longer to burn after it is ignited. Because the mixture burns more slowly, the piston will be past top dead center and moving down before the mixture has a chance to burn and produce high power. As a result much of the power in the fuel will be lost. The vacuum advance mechanism consists of a flexible spring-loaded diaphragm connected by a linkage to the breaker plate on which the points are mounted. The sealed side of the diaphragm is connected by a tube to the carburetor . The throttle valve is below the vacuum passage in the carburetor air horn so there is no vacuum advance when the engine is idling because the throttle is closed. However, when the throttle is partly open, intake manifold vacuum pulls the diaphragm in and this causes the breaker plate to rotate a few degrees and advance the timing . With wide-open throttle there is very little vacuum in the intake manifold so there will be no vacuum advance. In most instances the vacuum advance is disconnected before checking the timing and point gap .