Not So Pro 3

[Loony661]

I've never checked it with a light above an idle. A Duraspark distributor has a preset amount of advance that you can set into it as you assemble the distributor. Mine advances mechanically 18° at the rotor, which is 36° at the crank. Add 6 or 8 initial timing and that's your total. The cam is small, and the compression is high, so I'm seeing too little total, if initial is low enough for it to start without dragging.

That seems real high to me. Most engines I timed liked 34-36 max. I’m talking without vacuum hooked up. When I time street engines, I unhook the vacuum advance and cap/plug both side of that. Bring the engine up to 3,500 minimum - that should be past the mechanical advance, and set the timing. Initial usually lands somewhere between 8-12 BTDC. Mechanical of course advances for acceleration, and vacuum only kicks in for light throttle cruising.

 

[Loony661]

Oh, and good morning fellas. On the way home yesterday I saw 2 things worth noting and both were near each other: a motorhome pulling a pickup on a dolly and the pickup was on fire in the engine bay. That was exciting - smoke across all lanes of traffic and the people were of course frantic. It had just materialized and no fire dept around yet… Also saw the world famous Reynolds Crane compound, but I couldn’t see @Woodrow waving from the interstate, on a Sunday. What a slacker.

 

[Mastermind]

That seems real high to me. Most engines I timed liked 34-36 max. I’m talking without vacuum hooked up. When I time street engines, I unhook the vacuum advance and cap/plug both side of that. Bring the engine up to 3,500 minimum - that should be past the mechanical advance, and set the timing. Initial usually lands somewhere between 8-12 BTDC. Mechanical of course advances for acceleration, and vacuum only kicks in for light throttle cruising.

Seems too high to me too, but even at 11:1 no detonation, and a bit lethargic. I'll put a light on it and see what total actually is.

 

[Loony661]

Seems too high to me too, but even at 11:1 no detonation, and a bit lethargic. I'll put a light on it and see what total actually is.

Do you possibly have a vacuum leak somewhere?

 

[Mastermind]

Do you possibly have a vacuum leak somewhere?

Negative. Once I set the timing up a small amount, the truck runs wonderfully. Just finding that place where it runs great at all RPM, and starts well when hot, has been pretty much impossible. I'm picky about the way my stuff runs, and most people wouldn't notice the difference.....

 

[Mastermind]

Some older Duraspark systems have the ability to retard the timing during cranking via the module by 5°. That's something I'm looking into too.

 

[3browns]

Morning men, 54 and cloudy with 35% chance of rain at some point

Saw lightning yesterday off to the east over the Knik glacier, and that is very rare in this part of Alaska

Coffee now, yardwork later

 

[John Wargo]

Time to get to class. This time zone change always has me fugged up

 

[p61 western]

Good morning fellas

 

[nbbt]

Good day folks. Some outside fresh airs has been happening and a bit more for later.

 

[Mastermind]

That seems real high to me. Most engines I timed liked 34-36 max. I’m talking without vacuum hooked up. When I time street engines, I unhook the vacuum advance and cap/plug both side of that. Bring the engine up to 3,500 minimum - that should be past the mechanical advance, and set the timing. Initial usually lands somewhere between 8-12 BTDC. Mechanical of course advances for acceleration, and vacuum only kicks in for light throttle cruising.

I checked timing like you suggested. Found the problem too. Mechanical advance is practically nonexistent until 4500 rpm....so to make it run even close to how it should going down the road, initial timing ends up about 21°. When I get home from vacation (which starts Wednesday morning), I'll recurve this distributor.

 

[farminkarman]

I checked timing like you suggested. Found the problem too. Mechanical advance is practically nonexistent until 4500 rpm....so to make it run even close to how it should going down the road, initial timing ends up about 21°. When I get home from vacation (which starts Wednesday morning), I'll recurve this distributor.

That will make it behave much better. Good find!

 

[redline4]

I checked timing like you suggested. Found the problem too. Mechanical advance is practically nonexistent until 4500 rpm....so to make it run even close to how it should going down the road, initial timing ends up about 21°. When I get home from vacation (which starts Wednesday morning), I'll recurve this distributor.

I'd LS swap it.

 

[Mastermind]

I'd LS swap it.

Meh.

 

[p61 western]

Meh.

Make sure the harmonic balancer hasn’t slipped. That’s good for making you chase your tail.

 

[Mastermind]

Make sure the harmonic balancer hasn’t slipped. That’s good for making you chase your tail.

I put a new one on it when I built the engine. Someone had installed a 302 balancer on it.

 

[timg]

@3browns I owe you a word of thanks on the paint advice several months ago. Finally got around to some Vaca time on this Ole Gal. It's 75% better for sure. Think I'm gonna let her go like this and give a new buyer barter fodder. Hood paint is $750, nose wrap would be close to $350. Anyhow I used one of these new synthetic clay tools from Griots garage, it seemed to work well. Here is what I used left to right. I'm sure you remember the adhesive mess I had on my hands for sure. Anyhow thanks again sir! Timg

 

[Czed]

 

[Firewood Hoarder]

I put a new one on it when I built the engine. Someone had installed a 302 balancer on it.

I forget now, is the 302 balancer neutral and the other one weighted?

 

[Czed]

I put a new one on it when I built the engine. Someone had installed a 302 balancer on it.

If you want to work on something all the time
Just put a 318 in it with a original 60s/70s electrical system.