[gawdzilla]

I got this distributor from my neighbor who said he'd had it tuned by a shop a long time ago (he's in his 70s now and no longer has the rod).
I've been going nuts trying to figure out why I only have 12* mechanical, so I was looking at some hei pics and noticed something different-
There's some metal stops in the first hole next to the weight mechanism (see pic)
is this what's preventing full advance?
Can those things be knocked out, or do I have to drill them out?

Thanks!

[MI2600]

I don't see how that could affect the advance since the fat part swings out not the slim one
I just checked two of my HEIs and neither has anything in those holes. Someone must have added that, but I can't understand why.

[gawdzilla]

I haven't looked, but maybe they go all the way thru and stop it from the bottom? it doesn't seem to rotate as far as it does in that HEI writeup on rustpuppy.com
my weights don't swing out nearly as far.

[k-star]

The advance slot on the underside of the weights was probably shortened limiting the amount of advance....

My question is why are you looking for more then 12 degrees of mechanical????

Keith

[Rhansen]

Check to see if the mechanism is sticking on the shaft (underneath), sometimes a bit of emery cloth will free it up. Most HEI I've worked with have ~20 deg. of mech. advance. With only 12 mech. the initial timing would have to be nearly 24 deg.
One other thing, take that Wells ignition module and throw it in the trash, their ignition products are junk.

[gawdzilla]

right- what Rhansen said. I don't want to start my initial at 24 degrees. this is a more or less stock motor w/performance intake bored over 30. There's nothing else done to it.
I'll take your advice on the wells.
I'm positive those pins are preventing full advance - does anybody know the best way to get them out?

[johnsongrass1]

Drill, grind, rip or tear' em out.

I always use screws to lockout my timing. That way, it can be reused when/if needed.

[gawdzilla]

whatever works eh? cool, thanks!

[97Z28]

it looks to me like that center plate is too wide causing the weights to stop too soon. look at the second picture compared to the first, and it looks much wider then the second.

i dunno... just my opinion....

[gawdzilla]

I think it's the angle the plates are at, respectively.

[Triaged]

Flip the center part of the advance plate upside down. I don't know how much advance it will gain you but it does look thinner on that side.

[66GMC]

Originally Posted by gawdzilla

I only have 12* mechanical

Hi folks,
Ever wonder how to make the correct "°" symbol?
I spent a LOT of time looking all over the keyboard for that

Try holding down [Alt], and then type "0176"
result: 12° mechanical.

Just one of those trivial "had to know" things

Don

[gawdzilla]

did that, and cut the posts off that were keeping it from rotating. then I put back the weights that were on it before I got the timing kit- much better feel to them and they look more like the ones in that rebuild pic.
Hopefully I didn't leave it off balance... might have a new distributor on the shopping list after all

[gawdzilla]

did that, and cut the posts off that were keeping it from rotating. then I put back the weights that were on it before I got the timing kit- much better feel to them and they look more like the ones in that rebuild pic.
Hopefully I didn't leave it off balance... might have a new distributor on the shopping list after all


Don... thanks buddy but * is hellof easier to do than ... hey, it won't even work on my pc. Oh well...

[gawdzilla]

two things were happening- 1) the pins were preventing full rotation. Put the stock weights on, and still only had 12*. So I was playing with the advance and noticed 2)the weights were jamming in the oval hole the advance rides in. SO I put the spectre kit in, which uses a wider center weight, and voila- now I have my 20* mechanical. Wish me luck that it will solve somehow my warm start one time stumble.