I have been trying to decide what to do concerning my way high mechanical advance in my current mopar electronic distributer with vaccume advance. I have a mechanical advance of 27 degrees so everytime i dial in my total timing i end up with a very low initial timing. I have been told the current mopar electronic distributers with vaccume advance come with an adjustable mechanical advance in them, is this true? and if it is true are they easy to adjust? I found out that with the distributer i currently have in my 360 in order to shorten the mechanical advance i would have to get the slots shortend inside my distributer, i have a spare more electronic distributer with vaccume advance and i tore it down last night and ws looking at the slots that need to be shorter and i was thinking i could get the slots shortend on my spare and trade shafts with the distributer in my engine, or i could just run this spare distributer after getting the slots shorter but i have been told that its not an easy job for the average mechanic and that i should send it to a proffesional. Problem is sending it to a proffesional would probly cost just as much if not more then it tould cost for me to buy a new mopar distributer that has an adjustable mechanical advance in it. What would you guys do? because i am running 32 degrees total timing in my 360 magnum and that gives me 5 degrees initial wich means my mechanical advance is at 27 degrees and i would like to get my mechanical advance setat around 15 to 20 degrees that way i can run a higher initial like 15 degrees. I can get a brand new mopar distributer for 175 bucks and i am told they have an adjustable mechanical advance, is that what i should do? because i still want a distributer that has a vaccume advance and one that i can adjust the mechanical advance on without having to tear it down nd weld slots.
quick mopar distributer question
- Thread starter pjc360
- Start date
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doug 371
Well-Known Member
you will like you say, shorten the slots...this is done by welding them shut some...
magnumdust
Well-Known Member
try this:
http://www.4secondsflat.com/Ignition.html
Call these guys and order a limiter plate.
I did this just recently on my mopar distributor. Paid 40 bucks for the plate plus a set of recurve springs. The distributors are simple to dissassemble/reassemble and it saves you the trouble of guestimating by welding slots.
magnumdust, talk about strange timing, i was just on the phon with don at fbo and was asking him questions on that kit. How did the kit work for you? does it work good? was it easy to install? is it worth the trouble of taking the distributer apart? i would like to order one but i have heard a few guys say they are not that good? i just dont know i dont wanna buy it and then end up wishing i just got a different distributer. How hard was it to install? what all is involved when installing this kit?
Johnny Dart
Well-Known Member
Better yet...Send Don your distributor and have him set it up for you.
He will ask you all the pertinent (sp?) questions necessary about your car.
If I remember right it was something like $75.00. Now you will have a custom built dist with the correct curve built in. Done
Burntorange70
Well-Known Member
IIRC some Mopar dist are Mallory knock offs and can be adjusted with a kit you can get from Mallory. Think it is P/N 29014.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Ya, the "Mopar look alike" Accel I have uses the Mallory "Y" series advance adjustment.
So what should i do guys? should i bu the limiter kit and install it? should i send my distributer to don? or should i just buy a new distributer that has an adjustable mechanical advance built into it? i can get the new mopar distributer that has the mallory guts inside it for 185 or i could buy a distributer from don at fbo for around 180 as well and i'm sure the distributers he has have the adjustable mechanical advance as well.
Hey magnumdust, how well did the limiter plate from fbo work out for you? i am considering doing this because its alot cheaper then dropping the coin for a new mopar distributer that has an adjustable mechanical advance. Another thought i had is, i see that don at fbo sells distributers as well and i was wondering, do you think i could call him and order a distributer and have him set the mechanical advance at like 18 t0 20 degrees and have him put springs in it that will make my advance all come in by 2800 to 3000 rpm? I dont see why he wouldnt set my distributer up the way i want it set up specially if im buying one brand new from him. But i am going to give the limiter plate more thought tonight. I'll be calling don at fbo tommarrow and i'll ask him if he would set a brand new distributer up the way i want it if i bought one from him, that way i could just drop it in and go because i know what i need to have. I need 15 to 18 degrees initial timing 32 degrees total timing all in by 2800 to 3000 rpm. If he would set me up with a brand new distributer ready to run out of the box with 14 degrees of mechanical advance so i could run up to 18 degrees initial if need be all in by 2800 to 3000 rpm i would buy it from him right then and there if he would do that. But i want to learn more about these limiter plates, how are they installed does anyone have some pictures as to how these limiter plates go in?
magnumdust
Well-Known Member
Hey, sorry for the late reply. Hectic work week since i posted that.
My opinion is that the plate/spring kits make the distributors unnecessary if you're willing to take apart your distributor. For me its just too easy to spend money on it.
The kit your order comes with easy to follow instructions. Because i had never taken a distributor apart i took pictures of the basic process.
Picture 1: This is the distributor out of the car, cap off, rotor off. You use some gentle pressure w/ a screwdriver(or two) to take off this hexagon piece. Since my distributor was a parts store replacement with like 20 miles on it. It came right off.
After that is the metal plate/vacuum advance cannister. 4 exterior screws and it comes right out.
Picture 2: below the metal plate. You see the what i'll just call the "rotor post"(for lack of the correct name), that comes off by removing a clip and again light pressure via screwdrivers.
Below you can see the advance weights/springs. The instructions have a small chart on how to choose your springs. The springs and weights are very simple to change out.
Picture 3: limiter plate in place during reassembly. You can see how it limits the weights from moving too far when they advance.
Put it back together the weight it came apart and you're done.
Its cheap, easy, and now you can tune your distributor.
So the instructions are good and detailed? will i need to set the pick up gap again once tearing it down? i believe it's 0.008 and your spos to use a brass feeler guage? I mtook apart a spare mopar distributer that i had and it was easy but i did not take the rotor post off? couldnt figure out to do that. But i will order the limiter plate tommarrow along with instructions and i will put together and take aprt my spare mopar distributer so that when i get the limiter plate i'll be good and ready to install it. Thanks for the pics magnumdust. By the way are you running a 360 magnum? thats what i'm running if you are what did you end up setting your timing too? i been told magnums like 32 to 34 degrees total with 14 to 18 degrees initial timing.
And when i take my distributer out of my engine to put the mlimiter plate off whats the best way to mark everything so i can make sure to put it back in exactly the way it was?should i mark where the rotor is pointing and drop it back in that way?
magnumdust
Well-Known Member
I'd say the instructions are good and detailed. This was the very first distributor i've ever taken apart and really there were only two hiccups:
1. The clip for that rotor post is a pain to put back on.(longest part of the whole process for me)
2. I had trouble re-attaching the vacuum advance module. But that was my mistake as i had just put the tab in the wrong place.
You shouldnt need to set the pickup gap. I didnt have to and there is no mention of it in the instructions. I think that would be if you had to remove any of the electrics from that mounting plate. And luckily it all comes off together
What i did for removal was to take a picture of which way the rotor is pointing. The mopar dist. can only fit into place one of two ways and the rotor only goes on 1 way, so whats the likelyhood of goofing that up with a picture? IMO take pictures at every major step. Its why i have those pics above and it can save you a headache of wondering how things go together.
Someone else might have tips for preserving your set timing, but i had my timing off so the car was limpable to where i work on it. So i set the timing after all was said and done.
As for my timing i have it set at about 16-18 degrees(blanking on which at the moment) with the limiter plate on the 18 degree limiter. giving it a 34-36 total. It runs good at this, but i may back it down to that 14 degree slot after i get the car on the dyno to see how its making power.
Mine sure doesnt like anything below 14 degrees. 16-18 initial was the sweet spot for me.
. Yes the new Mopar distributor is adjustable with torx screws through the top. Also if you want to shorten yours weld one slot up to 3/8's . This will give you 20 degrees mechanical advance. Welding the inside give greater spring tension then welding the outside. I can send you a welded plate for 10.00 This is shipped. But you would need to tell me what springs you will be using. The large spring which is actually your 3/8's stop will not be used. It will never reach that spring anyway.
The spring clip can be easily installed with a large split straw.
Doesn't look as though its on all the way and the slot is hiding part of the pin.
I'm thinking i will just purchase the limiter plate and run the current distributer i have. If i set mine at the 18 mechanical advance degree i could run an initial of 15 to 18 degrees while maintaing 32 degrees total.
After looking again I think you are correct. Thanks
magnumdust
Well-Known Member
yeah its not fully seated in that pic. I was about to yank it off and noticed the markings. So i took a pic for reference on the location.
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