Recurving the Distributor, what's involved?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,529
Likes: 1
From: Sherwood Park Alberta
Recurving the Distributor, what's involved?
I'm heading out on a cross country trip in about two weeks and want to make sure that everything is in top shape. The carb has been rebuilt, the rear suspension, new headers, new dual exhaust (no cats), spark plugs, spark plug wires, coil, new tires... I'm thinking of getting the distributor recurved so I can get more power and so that I know that it's ok. Then a good tune up. What's involved in recurving a distibutor? Does it help power? Thanks,
Ken
Ken
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
From: Troy MO
As far as I know, to recurve involves the changing of the centrifugal mechanical advance springs in the distributer, and is not that hard to do (located under rotor in distributer cap). Whether or not it will help with your power or not depends on your set-up. The springs are more or less tension and allow for lower RPM timing advance (weaker less tension springs), or higher RPM mechanical advance (heavier stronger tension springs). Too weak of springs will allow mechanical timing advance too soon and cause pinging and loss of power, where too strong of springs will cause too late of mechanical timing advance and miss your engine's power curve. Generally a small block engine would have heavier springs than a big block. I think there are kits out there that have a variety of tension springs, that you can change out and experiment with. I am not a distributer expert, but this is what I know.
Good Luck With It,
Loren
Good Luck With It,
Loren
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...896&forum_id=3
lots of good info here.... post 40 is actually an article, i think Lars also as an article on the corvettefaq webpage
lots of good info here.... post 40 is actually an article, i think Lars also as an article on the corvettefaq webpage
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
this is the summary of at least two- three weeks of playing with it.....take accurate notes on everything you do....get a dial back advance timing light.... you need to have a tach in the engine compartment if you are doing 1 person timing.....when you swap the springs take notes of every 2* of advance note degree/rpm, all the way up to max advance....use the same methodology for notes each time.......play with the springs and intermix them....don't worry about idle speed.....this will take time to do this, its not hard, just takes a couple of times playing around with stuff..... figure out the timing and make the setting what you want and then adjust idle.... i realized from reviewing my notes that i had previously found the curve and missed it, it was actually fun doing this...when you get it right you will know it. good luck keep us posted...
