I have always found #1 and set the balancer at 0 when installing the distributor, as per all my old manuals . Would setting it at 8 degrees advanced on the balancer as I have read recently be ok and of any advantage?. I have just never heard of that before now. Thanks.

 

I see no advantage unless there is some physical installation/geometry adjustment problem at the distributor itself.

Getting 34-36° max advance (without vacuum) before 3000rpm is THE goal.

Joe

 

Why not? Just comfirm with your timing light after you get it started.

You can turn the dist. CW and then CCW until you get spark at #1 at the desired timing mark. Snug down the clamp and then start the engine. Eliminates any action of the centrifugal advance.

 

I'm at least one of the people who posted that method. I like to go that route because it gets my initial timing closer upon startup and when I'm installing the distributor and making sure the tach cable enters it at an acceptable angle, it's nice to know the distributor is already in the ball-park for where it was going to end up.

But there's no harm in shooting for 0 as per all the books.

 

Race engines are predominately set that way as the known advance in the distributor/magneto is added to the initial. No need for monkeying around with timing lights...you know exactly where the engine lead is set every time...

 

Excellent, so there does seem to be an advantage to this method. Thanks to all that have posted it.

 

What I normally do is set the timing mark to the exact initial advance I want. Then I use a small 12 volt test light connected across the distributor points. Turn the ignition on so that you have power/voltage to the points. Rotate the distributor rotor/housing to #1 firing position so that the points just open...as determined by the test light illuminating. Then button down the distributor hold down clamp/bolt. The correct initial timing is "locked in". No guessing.

The only thing trickey about this procedure is to make certain that when the points open and the test light comes on that are on the correct leading side of the distributor cam for #1 cylinder....not on the trailing side. You just need to know which way the distributor rotor normally rotates for your particular engine. For the small block chevy, the rotor rotates clockwise.

Larry

 

That's essentially the same method we used back in the 60's to static time the OH-13 helicopters (the bubble canopy Bell jobs you see on MASH TV series . . . . .), except as I remember we started with the points closed and the test light on, bumped the distributor until the points were just breaking as evidenced by the light just going off.

'Course that's been a few years back, I could have the light part reversed, but the principle is the same . . . . .

 

All depends on how you hook-up the test light.....in series or in parallel with the points. I use parallel connection across the points......just easier for me.

This same method is used to install points and set the timing on 1960-70's Honda motorcycles. That is one of the places I learned the technique. The other was from Popular Hot Rodding back during this same time period.

Still works today.

Larry

 

Same here.

Just pretend it's an 8 cylinder motorcycle.

 

"The only thing trickey about this procedure is to make certain that when the points open and the test light comes on that are on the correct leading side of the distributor cam for #1 cylinder....not on the trailing side. You just need to know which way the distributor rotor normally rotates for your particular engine. For the small block chevy, the rotor rotates clockwise."

Larry I am thick,could you elaborate on this statement please

 

The V8 distributor cam has eight lobes that open/close the points. When the points rubbing block hits the leading edge, the points begin to open. This triggers the coil to discharge to the spark plug. The points stay open for a few degrees of rotation (about 15 degrees) and then close off. This tells the coil to begin building an electrical charge for the next cylinder.

Therefore for every one of the eight distributor cam lobes, there are two positions where the points change position/operation. The leading edge of the cam lobe they go from closed to open. On the trailing edge of the cam lobe they go from open to closed. If you get confused when rotating the distributor housing and are on the wrong side of the cam lobe, the test light may go on, but you will not have the correct engine timing. You will be off by those 15 distributor degrees (or 30 crank/engine degrees).

Hard to explain any better. But if you go out in the garage and pull the distributor cap and rotor and hook-up the test light across the points, you will see what I mean. For each cam lobe, there is two positions that can cause the test light to light up. You just need to know which one to pick. If you know how the rotor moves (clockwise or counter-clockwise) you can pick the right one. Once you try it, it will become very easy and apparent.

If you choose incorrectly, the engine will tell you that you made the wrong choice.

Larry

 

Thanks Larry for the explanation, I'll try this tomorrow. I need this engine to start on the first try.

 

I cover this process in detail in my "How to Install your Chevy Distrtibutor" tech paper. You can e-mail me for a copy - it is complete with photos, sketches, and the procedure the guys are talking about above.

We set timing on aircraft magnetos the same way, too - it assures the engine fires up immediately and that the timing is correct without needing a timing light except for final adjustment.

Lars
V8FastCars@msn.com