What is my "engine Vacuum tester" telling me ? RESOLVED !

[Lee_Petrie]

Hi Eugene,
I had it narrowed to a "pluged air-filter" or a carb issue ! The easiest was the carb removal , so this afternoon, I had my final battle on this problem, when I removed the carb, I noticed that the carb gasket ( between the top & bottom ) was shrunk and folded in to the float chamber between the carb and the valve cover plate, bottom line , I did not have a good seal between the top & bottom ! The extra air in the float champer was ALL of my loping , along with retiming to the second mark ! Ran it for about an hour , sounded great again , thanks again for all the help and direction, the forum offered !
ONE LAST QUESTION FOR THE DAY, so inpressed with the timing on the second mark (1957 Cub) , I took a look at the 1948 Cub serial no. 15,xxx , to see where it was sitting , it was a mag system at one time, but it too is equipted with a dist. now , BUT the crank shaft pulley appears to have ONLY one notch ( could that be ? ) , would that be a top-dead-center mark ? Thanks to all again, Lee Petrie, Joliet, IL.

[Eugene]

The crankshaft pulley appears to have ONLY one notch, would that be a top-dead-center mark ?

Yes, it's the TDC mark.

[Lee_Petrie]

Thanks for your reply , Eugene ! I had the tractor painted , and I thought he MIGHT have filled the second mark in with paint or filler , in error ! The current timing, is an 1/8 " pased the "one mark" ( so. a little retarded) but it starts and runs great, for the old 1948 tractor ! Thanks again, Lee Petrie, Joliet, IL.

[Matt Kirsch]

Lee, your carburetor body may be slightly warped, so the gasket isn't being "pinched" as tightly as it should in some places, so you get that "Wicked Witch of the East" thing going on where the gasket curls up into the carburetor.

[Lee_Petrie]

Thanks for the reply, Matt
I understand what your saying, the "folded in area" was very small at the corner, next to the float cavity, closest to the valve cover ! The entire void area , less than half the size of a pencil eraser, I'm hoping with a small void area and 15 years of good service out of the carb , just a new gasket will continue to hold in place ! I will keep an eye on it ! Thanks for your input, Lee Petrie, Joliet,IL.