[morenbd]

I have a Unlite Mallory Distributer without a Vacuum Advance. It was suggested to me that I buy a new distributer with a Vacuum Advance for street use by Jegs. I don't really understand how the advance works. My distributer has weights inside that I assune are giving me advance as I pick up speed but I don't know how this works by itself and also in conjunstion with a vacuum advance. Can anyone explain this to me. I have the timing set at factory 4 Degrees before TDC. Do I need to change my setting if I keep this distributer in place to make up for not having the vacuum advance.

Thanks Bob Moren

[hotwheels55]

Look at the banner at the top of this page and click on "knowledge base".
Then type in "vacuum advance" in the search window and it'll take you to several discussions on the subject.
That'll provide you with just about everything you need to know.

[morenbd]

Many Thanks for all your help. As you can tell I am an old guy but new working on Hot Rods!!!!!

Thanks Again Bob

[poncho62]

Hey Bob....from another "Old Fart"...Welcome. And don't be afraid to ask anything.

[rock]

Bob if you really want a vac. advance unilite my son lives in
N. Richland Hills and he has several that I am sure he would trade with you. PM me and I will give you his phone # if you
are interested.
rock

[lluciano77]

You will lose a very slight amount of gas mileage with the mechanical advance distributor. I never use vacuum advance.

Your intial timing (what you see with the timing light), should be at 10o. Mallory Unilites with part numbers ending in "01" are shipped with 24o of distibutor advance form the factory. That would give you a total of 34o.

Get the advance curve kit for it. I would need to know more about what kind of car you have and what you what kind of performance you want, but I think overall you would benifit by reducing your distibutor advance and having the curve come in sooner.

[bullheimer]

i have one too on my truck's 350 and i have asked this before as well and never got an answer any better than what's here. i like mine just fine. i have a broken timing light and it doesnt matter much because i can never figure out what's built in to the cam or the distributor as far as factory settings so i always tune it by ear as has been posted probbly a million times. advance it till it pings under heavy load and back it up till it doesnt. i have had my unilite for going on ten years. i had to replace the module once then got the regulator and as you should know it requires a ballast resistor as well. i have no idea what my total advance is but i can tell you my milage is absolute crap. you would think i had a big block. crap. my truck is almost 6000 pounds and i have the aerodynamics of a parachute too, with a holley 600 vac. i doubt changing any timing will help much but i can also tell you when i step on the gas i have no problems with ignition even when i had a 270 duration cam it spun up to 6300 w/o missing a beat. i like my uni-lite very much. but about 3 years ago i thought i had a bad module and bought and installed a new one. nothing happened and i was stumped until i discovered my coil wire was burnt in two in the center of the wire. the outside looked good but it wouldnt pass a spark. when i pulled it apart there was like a one inch gap inside. really weird. now i have a spare module tho. that is the main drawback with them, the cost of the module is just a little less than a whole new distributor. and they are pretty inexpensive. their regulator is a good investment to keep from blowing a module, i would not run one without. late