Distributor Rebuid
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 558
Likes: 22
From: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Distributor Rebuid
My distributor has been rebuilt (new shaft, etc...) but we don't have access to a distributor machine to set it up. Seems to be a lost art around my neck of the woods. Is it necessary to use one?? I'm out of my league here.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,164
Likes: 7
From: Beringen
With the advent of EFI, the old dizzy's are out and the setup of the curve is usually a lost art as you indicated. I assume you want to recurve your distributor. First thing you need to do is establish how much initial timing your engine needs. Substract that amount from total timing and if I'm not mistaking you need to bend the stops of the weight to shorten the curve accordingly. The rpm at which total mech. comes in depends on the springs.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
You won't be able to 'optimize' your distributor's [mechanical] advance curve without a Sun machine....but, you can still adjust it for good performance using Lar's distributor set-up method. In general, you are choosing advace springs that allow the max mechanical advance to be achieved around 2800 rpm (give or take a couple hundred RPM) and timing max value adjusted to 36 degrees; this is with distributor vacuum hose removed and plugged (to prevent a vacuum leak).
The vacuum can, when reconnected will provide vacuum advance at light throttle conditions. That can should be selected according to the vacuum level of your engine at idle. (again, well explained in Lar's paper)
Once this setup is achieved, and as long as the engine experiences no "pinging" at WOT, you should be good to go. {No Sun machine required)
The vacuum can, when reconnected will provide vacuum advance at light throttle conditions. That can should be selected according to the vacuum level of your engine at idle. (again, well explained in Lar's paper)
Once this setup is achieved, and as long as the engine experiences no "pinging" at WOT, you should be good to go. {No Sun machine required)
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,380
Likes: 6,390
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
I can set it up for you on my Sun machine, or you can do it yourself in the car using your engine as a "distributor machine" if you have a dial-back timing light with a tach option. Set the curve up and modify the distributor as outlined in my papers - e-mail me if you need a copy or if you need my Services Info sheet.
Lars
V8FastCars@msn.com
Lars
V8FastCars@msn.com
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 558
Likes: 22
From: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
To all you others, thanks for the responses.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
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
Racer
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 312
Likes: 64
From: Henry county ohio
Plasticman.
You may want to drop a PM to Lars, as opposed to replying to an 8 year old thread.
He was saying awhile back, that his machine was on the fritz, so...
They tend to get grumpy around here when people resurrect an old thread.
And I'm IBTL..
Jeff
You may want to drop a PM to Lars, as opposed to replying to an 8 year old thread.
He was saying awhile back, that his machine was on the fritz, so...
They tend to get grumpy around here when people resurrect an old thread.
And I'm IBTL..
Jeff
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 10,342
Likes: 667
From: Beverly Hills (Pine Ridge) Florida
Jeff,
I frankly don't know how my response to a current C1-C2 thread got tacked on to this old thread, but I will delete it.
Thanks,
Plasticman
I frankly don't know how my response to a current C1-C2 thread got tacked on to this old thread, but I will delete it.
Thanks,
Plasticman
Last edited by Plasticman; Feb 13, 2021 at 12:48 AM.
