just rebuilt runs bad
...... surprised that with the all stock ignition the motor ran half decent at 18 BTDC. Vacuum ports plugged....... .
Do you mean 18 as set at idle speed? Not very surprising
I replaced the stock coil with the MSD coil and the engine would not start. Switched them around a couple more times verifying the MSD wouldn't work with the stock set up..
Which specific MSD coil are you using? I would think it should at least run, although some of the "big" coils will be hard on points. Did you check for spark out at the coil? Did this coil fire and run with the MSD box? Weird.
It also runs at 35 BTDC. If there was any pinging it was hard to tell.
- at 18 BTDC we could turn the dizzy CCW, the RPM increased, turn down idle. this could be done until over 35 DBTC.
- Seems there is still advance being induced without the vacuum connected..
You need to specify exactly what you mean. Are you saying that you set the timing to these figures AT IDLE speed? You should be able to do so, then rev the engine to higher RPM, and SEE with the light where the timing is advancing
Turning the dist from 18 CCW and having the RPM go up TO A CERTAIN POINT would be "normal." You should be able to take a tach and vacuum gauge, and see where the timing CCW/ CW "peaks" the vacuum. Highest RPM is not necessarily where you "want" it. Some racers with a big cam run "locked" timing, IE no advance at all. The engine starts, runs, and is always at a fixed time. Not the best for starters, nor, usually, street use.
What you may be "saying" is that as you advance the timing (CCW) the RPM starts to go up, and AS the RPM goes up, this starts to cause the mechanical advance to kick in, which would raise the RPM still further to a point.
I said this before, and again---I'd "power time" the engine at high RPM to about 35, try a little more if no ping UP TO about 40, until you get a feel for how it will run.
After you set this high RPM timing point, CHECK the timing at idle "to see where it went." This is because, with an unknown distributor, you don't really know what the advance curve is. Because you now have a breaker points distributor, it PROBABLY has a "better" curve than some of the later breakerless "smog" stockers. Yanking out the obviously heavier spring on the advance weight may help.
