Help with timing
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 470
Likes: 31
From: Melbourne Victoria
Which spring/weight kit did you buy? I've been looking at spring/weight kits and there are so many to choose from from I'm not sure which one to buy?
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
I got the new weights/springs kit installed. I was completely wrong about what was happening before, instead of having weak springs, the weights were stuck and not giving me much mechanical advance at all. So I retimed to total 36, and now my initial came down to 15. My idle wasn't too happy about that, so I switched the vacuum advance over to manifold vacuum from ported as Lars suggest and it that smoothed everything out at idle.
Incredible the difference in how the car is running. It used to backfire like crazy, now that is gone. Everything is smoothed out, power everywhere.
My question is what issue are people having that makes them complain about their springs not being strong enough? I see plenty of people saying that none of the kit springs were strong enough so they went back to factory springs. Are they having too much advance too early in their power band? If so, what issue is that causing for them? Would that cause the car to run lean? and possibly hot?
Incredible the difference in how the car is running. It used to backfire like crazy, now that is gone. Everything is smoothed out, power everywhere.
My question is what issue are people having that makes them complain about their springs not being strong enough? I see plenty of people saying that none of the kit springs were strong enough so they went back to factory springs. Are they having too much advance too early in their power band? If so, what issue is that causing for them? Would that cause the car to run lean? and possibly hot?
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 470
Likes: 31
From: Melbourne Victoria
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 470
Likes: 31
From: Melbourne Victoria
I got the new weights/springs kit installed. I was completely wrong about what was happening before, instead of having weak springs, the weights were stuck and not giving me much mechanical advance at all. So I retimed to total 36, and now my initial came down to 15. My idle wasn't too happy about that, so I switched the vacuum advance over to manifold vacuum from ported as Lars suggest and it that smoothed everything out at idle.
Incredible the difference in how the car is running. It used to backfire like crazy, now that is gone. Everything is smoothed out, power everywhere.
My question is what issue are people having that makes them complain about their springs not being strong enough? I see plenty of people saying that none of the kit springs were strong enough so they went back to factory springs. Are they having too much advance too early in their power band? If so, what issue is that causing for them? Would that cause the car to run lean? and possibly hot?
Incredible the difference in how the car is running. It used to backfire like crazy, now that is gone. Everything is smoothed out, power everywhere.
My question is what issue are people having that makes them complain about their springs not being strong enough? I see plenty of people saying that none of the kit springs were strong enough so they went back to factory springs. Are they having too much advance too early in their power band? If so, what issue is that causing for them? Would that cause the car to run lean? and possibly hot?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 470
Likes: 31
From: Melbourne Victoria
Well I tackled the breakerless conversion today. Would like to say it went well but now the car won't start.
Here's a video I took of the advance today. Definitely doesn't operate like it should, why though I have no idea?
Here's a video I took of the advance today. Definitely doesn't operate like it should, why though I have no idea?
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,734
Likes: 2,582
you have to provide more details, exactly what did you install and how did you wire it.
In your video there is some sort of devise in the lower left with wires and a capacitor, is it related to what you installed, it is not a factory part.
In your video there is some sort of devise in the lower left with wires and a capacitor, is it related to what you installed, it is not a factory part.
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Advanced
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
My question is what issue are people having that makes them complain about their springs not being strong enough? I see plenty of people saying that none of the kit springs were strong enough so they went back to factory springs. Are they having too much advance too early in their power band? If so, what issue is that causing for them? Would that cause the car to run lean? and possibly hot?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 470
Likes: 31
From: Melbourne Victoria
Engine seems to be only firing on a couple of cylinders when trying to start it up. Been unable to start it since the install. I suspect it may be the rotor even though it ran with that rotor before the install.
My question is what issue are people having that makes them complain about their springs not being strong enough? I see plenty of people saying that none of the kit springs were strong enough so they went back to factory springs. Are they having too much advance too early in their power band? If so, what issue is that causing for them? Would that cause the car to run lean? and possibly hot?
Last edited by Corvetteoz; Mar 9, 2017 at 06:47 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 470
Likes: 31
From: Melbourne Victoria
That is the points and condensor. I removed that last just in case I had some sort of problem installing the breakerless kit. The install went well and was pretty straight forward. I just followed the instructions and took my time.
Engine seems to be only firing on a couple of cylinders when trying to start it up. Been unable to start it since the install. I suspect it may be the rotor even though it ran with that rotor before the install.
I'm keen for some comments on my advance set up in the video above. The weights and springs should open up and snap back as in KinpenM3's video above but mine don't do that. Do I have worn bushes or something preventing them from working like they should?
Engine seems to be only firing on a couple of cylinders when trying to start it up. Been unable to start it since the install. I suspect it may be the rotor even though it ran with that rotor before the install.
I'm keen for some comments on my advance set up in the video above. The weights and springs should open up and snap back as in KinpenM3's video above but mine don't do that. Do I have worn bushes or something preventing them from working like they should?
I'm still keen on some help with the advance in the above video please? Bold area above has more detail.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,156
Likes: 273
From: Dunedin NZ.
Pull the weights outward instead of twisting the shaft, then let them go, everything should snap back to the original position.
As far as springs go, I believe a lot of the kits out there are for electronic ignition distributors not points type so the spring rates are wrong and don't work well with the extra drag imposed on the shaft by the points. I tried a Mr Gasket kit I believe it was as it was the only one available here. The springs were too light and the timing would advance too quickly, the engine would back fire through the carb when it was not fully warmed up. I gave up with those springs and fitted some original ones I found on e bay, eventually to get a better adjustment I fitted an electronic advance black box that is adjustable using a laptop and software, I can have any curve I want now. The above is my personal experience with spring kits others may have had more luck!
If you do some research on google it will throw up info regarding spring kits and the conclusion I got from that research was a lot of the kits are not suitable for points distributors.
As far as springs go, I believe a lot of the kits out there are for electronic ignition distributors not points type so the spring rates are wrong and don't work well with the extra drag imposed on the shaft by the points. I tried a Mr Gasket kit I believe it was as it was the only one available here. The springs were too light and the timing would advance too quickly, the engine would back fire through the carb when it was not fully warmed up. I gave up with those springs and fitted some original ones I found on e bay, eventually to get a better adjustment I fitted an electronic advance black box that is adjustable using a laptop and software, I can have any curve I want now. The above is my personal experience with spring kits others may have had more luck!
If you do some research on google it will throw up info regarding spring kits and the conclusion I got from that research was a lot of the kits are not suitable for points distributors.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 470
Likes: 31
From: Melbourne Victoria
Pull the weights outward instead of twisting the shaft, then let them go, everything should snap back to the original position.
As far as springs go, I believe a lot of the kits out there are for electronic ignition distributors not points type so the spring rates are wrong and don't work well with the extra drag imposed on the shaft by the points. I tried a Mr Gasket kit I believe it was as it was the only one available here. The springs were too light and the timing would advance too quickly, the engine would back fire through the carb when it was not fully warmed up. I gave up with those springs and fitted some original ones I found on e bay, eventually to get a better adjustment I fitted an electronic advance black box that is adjustable using a laptop and software, I can have any curve I want now. The above is my personal experience with spring kits others may have had more luck!
If you do some research on google it will throw up info regarding spring kits and the conclusion I got from that research was a lot of the kits are not suitable for points distributors.
As far as springs go, I believe a lot of the kits out there are for electronic ignition distributors not points type so the spring rates are wrong and don't work well with the extra drag imposed on the shaft by the points. I tried a Mr Gasket kit I believe it was as it was the only one available here. The springs were too light and the timing would advance too quickly, the engine would back fire through the carb when it was not fully warmed up. I gave up with those springs and fitted some original ones I found on e bay, eventually to get a better adjustment I fitted an electronic advance black box that is adjustable using a laptop and software, I can have any curve I want now. The above is my personal experience with spring kits others may have had more luck!
If you do some research on google it will throw up info regarding spring kits and the conclusion I got from that research was a lot of the kits are not suitable for points distributors.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
I have pulled the weights out by hand and yes they do come out correctly and snap back into place as they should. I just thought they should move more freely when you turn the shaft as in KingpenM3's video above? I wouldn't think the advance would work any differently between the 72 distributor versus a later model HEI distributor.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 470
Likes: 31
From: Melbourne Victoria
Finally finished everything up today and took the car for a test drive. Wow what a difference the breakerless install makes. The car drives so much smoother and more responsive also. Definitely a mod well worth doing.