school me on dist
Use a pair of screwdrivers on the inner part of the reluctor, IE don't pry on the tips. Pry GENTLY on each side of the dist. case rim.
Also, "it's not just the springs." At least on V8s. Not all that familiar with slants, but "generally" the length of the slots is too long, causing OVER advance.
What you WANT: Lots of initial advance, but not enough to cause low throttle ping (spark knock) or "kick" on starting,
Enough LENGTH of mechanical advance to get you to the total full throttle point for full power. The springs regulate HOW FAST (what RPM) at which this occurs.
Vacuum is added on "last" and happens at light throttle at cruise, when the carb generates vacuum. As you add more and more throttle for hills and passing, the vacuum goes away, and the advance "drops back" (retards) to the mechanical advance point for max power ---without ping-- for climbing that hill.
WHAT YOU START WITH. All smog distributors, which started in 68 federally, and got worse into the late 70's, have VERY LITTLE initial advance, even AFTER TDC on some engines. THIS MEANS that there is a very very LONG advance curve in the distributor, that is, that the mechanical advance moves a LONG WAYS compared to "what you want." This then, takes the "very little" initial advance and FINALLY (against the strong springs) moves the advance to the "power point" at somewhat high RPM.
To get some idea of what you HAVE and what you WANT, download an earlier shop manual, such as a 66 or 67, and the latest one, the 73. In the rear of the electrical section -8- are distributor specs. THESE ARE IN distributor degrees and therefore you must multiply X2 to get crank degrees.
Back to a V8 for a moment:
http://image.moparmusclemagazine.co...ctronic_ignition_system+advance_plate.jpg</a>
The above is a photo of an advance out of a "smogger" V8. This is THIRTY -15 X 2- crank degrees!!!! "What you want" for performance -in a V8 is probably no more than 20 - at the crank).
Use a pair of screwdrivers on the inner part of the reluctor, IE don't pry on the tips. Pry GENTLY on each side of the dist. case rim.
Also, "it's not just the springs." At least on V8s. Not all that familiar with slants, but "generally" the length of the slots is too long, causing OVER advance.
What you WANT: Lots of initial advance, but not enough to cause low throttle ping (spark knock) or "kick" on starting,
Enough LENGTH of mechanical advance to get you to the total full throttle point for full power. The springs regulate HOW FAST (what RPM) at which this occurs.
Vacuum is added on "last" and happens at light throttle at cruise, when the carb generates vacuum. As you add more and more throttle for hills and passing, the vacuum goes away, and the advance "drops back" (retards) to the mechanical advance point for max power ---without ping-- for climbing that hill.
WHAT YOU START WITH. All smog distributors, which started in 68 federally, and got worse into the late 70's, have VERY LITTLE initial advance, even AFTER TDC on some engines. THIS MEANS that there is a very very LONG advance curve in the distributor, that is, that the mechanical advance moves a LONG WAYS compared to "what you want." This then, takes the "very little" initial advance and FINALLY (against the strong springs) moves the advance to the "power point" at somewhat high RPM.
To get some idea of what you HAVE and what you WANT, download an earlier shop manual, such as a 66 or 67, and the latest one, the 73. In the rear of the electrical section -8- are distributor specs. THESE ARE IN distributor degrees and therefore you must multiply X2 to get crank degrees.
Back to a V8 for a moment:
http://image.moparmusclemagazine.co...ctronic_ignition_system+advance_plate.jpg</a>
The above is a photo of an advance out of a "smogger" V8. This is THIRTY -15 X 2- crank degrees!!!! "What you want" for performance -in a V8 is probably no more than 20 - at the crank).
