Ignition advance limiter
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Ignition advance limiter
The slot for my stock dist advance was worn and allowing to much advance. It was brazed up some to bring it back to less of an advance. It has now worn the braze down a little and allowing more advance than I need, see some of my other posts. Brazing this is really a pain and not very satisfactory. I was thinking more along the lines of a JB Weld or something like this. I can then tailer it to whatever I need as far as advance and change it. I don't know how it will hold up in the long run though. Will it wear just like the brazing?
I know I can go to a new MSD dist but this one is working very well with the Crane HI6 ignition. I'd like to keep this one and set up the curve to what I need. Any suggestions?
I know I can go to a new MSD dist but this one is working very well with the Crane HI6 ignition. I'd like to keep this one and set up the curve to what I need. Any suggestions?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,206
Likes: 17
From: Sewell NJ
Gordon, I haven't done this yet but it's on my list. What I want to do is make up some bushings for the advance stop pin and see how much it limits the advance. I've used the bushing that comes with the Mr. Gasket kit but it limits the advance too much and I end up with way too high an idle advance. I'm going to go to a hobby shop and see if I can pick up some bronze or aluminum tubing that will fit snugly over the advance pin and see how much it limits the advance. Since the tubing is telescoping I can probably get away with adding a second tube over the first and get a little more advance limit. Like I said, I haven't tried this but I think it will work.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 660
Likes: 4
From: Fredericksburg VA
I brazed mine on this car and have used it before that way on another with no bad issues. The only thing I see with the tube over the post is that it also minimizes the side clearance and could lead to binding if not watched carefully. Another concern is that over time with wear the tube could become dislodged and create problems you don’t want to think about. As for JB Weld not a bad idea. It’s non-conducting so if it does dislodge it will lot short anything out and it will be much easer to dial in what you want. BUT it will be softer than a good weld and require more visits as it will wear quicker. My recommendation is to find a welding supply shop and get a better rod to weld with. It sounds like has a high soft metal content. My other thought is how much force are you putting on the advance pins to wear them out. Are you keeping them lubed? How long have you been running with the current setup before you noticed it needed attention? If it was not that long ago your springs are letting the weights slam out with little resistance. IMHO. As you already know I am working some timing issues of my own. So take what I say how ever you want.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
That was a thought of mine also. I don't know how the aluminum would hold up in the long run. That might work just perfect for mine as I need a short advance curve. What did you use to make them stay on the dist shaft?
Waterplay, the dist has about 6K miles on it. It was setup to provide about 20 degrees of mech advance. It now has about 24 so it gained 4 degrees. Don't know how much force but it has soft springs so it comes in pretty fast. Might be slamming in but I don't know how to soften the blow.
Waterplay, the dist has about 6K miles on it. It was setup to provide about 20 degrees of mech advance. It now has about 24 so it gained 4 degrees. Don't know how much force but it has soft springs so it comes in pretty fast. Might be slamming in but I don't know how to soften the blow.
Last edited by Gordonm; Jul 10, 2006 at 06:01 PM.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 660
Likes: 4
From: Fredericksburg VA
I just kept the studs stock and welded the slot that the stud slides in closed a little at a time until I got it close to where I needed it. It still needs more attention though. My old car ran this way for thousands of miles and I never had any unusual wear issues requiring re-welding. Well we could do a Bubba and soften the impact with some recoil buffers from a semi auto handgun. Just glue them in place. It will be just like a little shock absorber.
Nows I be guna goes out and gets mees sum road kill stew!
Thanks for all your help and info on my timing post BTW. I am glad to hear that I am not alone in my quest.
Dave
Nows I be guna goes out and gets mees sum road kill stew! Thanks for all your help and info on my timing post BTW. I am glad to hear that I am not alone in my quest.
Dave
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by waterplay
I just kept the studs stock and welded the slot that the stud slides in closed a little at a time until I got it close to where I needed it. Dave
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 477
Likes: 43
From: Millbrae California
the cam plate on a corvette is the same basic piece from a normal v-8chevy distributor so you should be able to find a used one with little or no wear. if you can not find one i could most likley match one up from my barrel of dist cores. if you want to send the dist out to me. if you are interested send me a e-mail
henry @ oles
henry @ oles
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
you mentioned brazing...if this is a steel piece mig weld it ....i can tell you from the grinding i'm doing on the hot rod project that those mig welds are very tough....
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
you mentioned brazing...if this is a steel piece mig weld it ....i can tell you from the grinding i'm doing on the hot rod project that those mig welds are very tough....
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Originally Posted by Gordonm
Yes it is steel. A Mig would work very well also.
mail me one with blue tape marking the area yuu want it welded up and and i'll take care of it for you ....or bring it over...i have done so much welding on the sheet metal on the hot rod project in the past 2 months i could think i could do this in my sleep....and the mig welds are way stronger then the brazing
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
mail me one with blue tape marking the area yuu want it welded up and and i'll take care of it for you ....or bring it over...i have done so much welding on the sheet metal on the hot rod project in the past 2 months i could think i could do this in my sleep....and the mig welds are way stronger then the brazing
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by 1972warship
I would like to have this done to my distributor b/c it has about 29 degrees of advance(it is an HEI with tach drive). I have no clue to who could weld/braze this thing...machine shop..etc.?
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 535
Likes: 0
From: Southaven MS
Originally Posted by Gordonm
Anybody with some welding equipment can do this. The key is then to grind it properly so you get the right advance out of it. I have a fully degreed balancer so I am going to have it welded up to wha t I think then I will probably have to grind a little out of it to get it to the advance I want.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 660
Likes: 4
From: Fredericksburg VA
Originally Posted by 1972warship
Thanks. Do you have to take the distributor apart when grinding the metal away?(so that it does not harm the distributor).
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by 1972warship
Thanks. Do you have to take the distributor apart when grinding the metal away?(so that it does not harm the distributor).
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,222
Likes: 643
From: Orange County Ca
I bought a Crane adjustable va unit, and it included a sheet metal adjustable stop. You could make one very easily. It just bolts on to the dist. housing using a existing machine screw and you adjust it to limit your advance. Perhaps you can see it on their web site or Jegs or Summit.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by glenkov48
I bought a Crane adjustable va unit, and it included a sheet metal adjustable stop. You could make one very easily. It just bolts on to the dist. housing using a existing machine screw and you adjust it to limit your advance. Perhaps you can see it on their web site or Jegs or Summit.
