Listening to Lars, I have been searching for the solution to my higher rpm misfire (or cutting out) in the area of the ignition system, rather than fuel. This beautiful restored Sun machine showed up at Dave Walters' shop late last year, while I was travelling and my car was in a storage locker.







I had an opportunity today to work with an expert in the diagnosing and re-rebuilding of my original points distributor. Jerry found the lower bushing in the housing to be excessively worn...likely causing erratic points performance. This car has only 62k miles. The shaft was slightly scuffed in that area but was not of concern after some fine emery cloth. The housing was replaced because evidently it is extremely difficult to replace the bushing and have it perfectly aligned for the shaft. Evidently any replacement bushing would have to be line bored and few machine shops have the capability or desire to do that. There are plenty of distributor housings laying around.

The Sun machine also diagnosed a faulty replacement primary wire from Paragon, causing some unwanted resistance. The original ground wire was also brittle and frayed, causing additional resistance. The replacement vacuum canister was not an ideal choice for my improved performance motor and was also replaced, with a new clear plastic bushing instead of a crimped brass bushing. The points and condensor were replaced with a new higher-tensioned Blue Streak set. The original weights and springs were retained. On the machine, timing is all in around 4000...a little high, but I am not drag racing so I really don't care. It is really cool how all these items can be tested and replaced and retested while the distributor is mounted on the Sun machine. Much better than working over a hot engine and dropping screws and parts on top of the bellhousing.

He reconnected the advance to ported vacuum, set the idle mixture screws by digital tach and we went for a ride. The idle is a bit more lopey at 800 rpm, the car goes down the road in 1st gear with the foot off the gas...with less jerking. Now the car pulls strong to 5500 rpm in 1st and 2nd without a single miss or hiccup. Haven't been where I can try 3rd yet. With 3.36 gears, 4th is a little out of the question...especially with 14 year old tires.

I have not personally re-checked the timing yet...believed to be 14 initial and 34 total. Big blocks can take more but I really do not need to push it. All I know is the timing mark is no longer jumping around and the ticking that I heard...which I thought was a lifter...must have been that distributor shaft rattling in the housing. Getting ready to put the car back in storage for 8 months as we head out west. When I get back, I will likely go after the Q-Jet with Lars or Cliff...in an effort to get the AFR right. Looks like I need smaller air bleeds and larger jets and rods.

As Lars said, most all carburetor problems are really ignition problems.