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I can't get initial advance or "all in" set even close without tweaking the tach cable.
Pic is off it's current state / at rest / #1 at TDC.
Looks to me I need one more tooth clockwise - yes?
Thanks!
-W (working on it as we speak - long night ahead)
Last edited by Clams Canino; 07-21-2017 at 10:24 PM.
Hi!
I know the HEI's wire up differently than the points units anyway. But this is what I ended up with after re-dropping it. The nut is on #1. Tach cable sits just like yours (hard to see it in pic).
-W
Hi!
I know the HEI's wire up differently than the points units anyway. But this is what I ended up with after re-dropping it. The nut is on #1. Tach cable sits just like yours (hard to see it in pic).
-W
A correctly installed HEI will have the distributor coil "square" in the engine compartment when the timing is correctly set. Your #1 position is correct for an HEI - it's the forward, driver's side plug tower. But the distributor is a tooth off from being set in the engine "square." Drop me an e-mail request for my "How to Install your HEI Distributor" tech paper and I'll send you photos of a correct installation and the process.
Lars
EDIT: In looking at your photo, you do not have the #1 tower correct. The #1 tower is one tower clockwise from where you have it. Since the entire distributor needs to be rotated 1 tower counterclockwise, you can simply rotate the distributor counterclockwise until it's "square," and then shift all your plug wires one tower clockwise. No need to pull or re-stab the distributor.
A correctly installed HEI will have the distributor coil "square" in the engine compartment when the timing is correctly set. Your #1 position is correct for an HEI - it's the forward, driver's side plug tower. But the distributor is a tooth off from being set in the engine "square." Drop me an e-mail request for my "How to Install your HEI Distributor" tech paper and I'll send you photos of a correct installation and the process.
Lars
EDIT: In looking at your photo, you do not have the #1 tower correct. The #1 tower is one tower clockwise from where you have it. Since the entire distributor needs to be rotated 1 tower counterclockwise, you can simply rotate the distributor counterclockwise until it's "square," and then shift all your plug wires one tower clockwise. No need to pull or re-stab the distributor.
Problem is.... were I to rotate that distributor body 1 tower (45 degrees) counterclockwise, my tach cable would be having the same problem I had before I re-stabbed it one tooth over. I could not get enough counterclockwise rotation on the distributor body to time it correctly without doing "unnatural" things to my tach cable, which is sitting "perfectly perfect" in this current config. And because of the cap hold-down bosses on the bottom of the distributor, I can't just machine a new notch in the cap to set it down one tower over and move the wires. Seems the cheap knock off makers didn't think about cable position when they grafted a tach drive onto their non-tach version. So I have to chalk this problem up as "cosmetic".
But while you're here... And because I know who you are....
Interesting issue with my Q-jet. (68 mechanical stove choke - seems to be working 100% as intended.) I can back the idle adjust screw out to the point where it's not hitting any more and I still idle a but too high (8% advance at idle). BUT.. If I use some "good" hand pressure on the throttle arm. I *can* get it down there. Plenty of return spring pressure IMHO (duel concentric springs). Can you tell me what my hand is fighting "against" to get it closed properly?
Thanks!
-W
Last edited by Clams Canino; 07-22-2017 at 01:10 PM.
The sticker is cosmetic. It's an Ebay bargain special.
I put it in as a temporary fix when my old points dizzy bit the dust. It's working fine - so it gets to stay until it dies or I build a 427 SBC.
-W
Last edited by Clams Canino; 07-22-2017 at 01:06 PM.
Problem is.... were I to rotate that distributor body 1 tower (45 degrees) counterclockwise, my tach cable would be having the same problem I had before I re-stabbed it one tooth over. I could not get enough counterclockwise rotation on the distributor body to time it correctly without doing "unnatural" things to my tach cable, which is sitting "perfectly perfect" in this current config. And because of the cap hold-down bosses on the bottom of the distributor, I can't just machine a new notch in the cap to set it down one tower over and move the wires. Seems the cheap knock off makers didn't think about cable position when they grafted a tach drive onto their non-tach version. So I have to chalk this problem up as "cosmetic".
But while you're here... And because I know who you are....
Interesting issue with my Q-jet. (68 mechanical stove choke - seems to be working 100% as intended.) I can back the idle adjust screw out to the point where it's not hitting any more and I still idle a but too high (8% advance at idle). BUT.. If I use some "good" hand pressure on the throttle arm. I *can* get it down there. Plenty of return spring pressure IMHO (duel concentric springs). Can you tell me what my hand is fighting "against" to get it closed properly?
Thanks!
-W
Ah, yes, if you need to keep the tach cable fairly straight, the clocking you have done is as correct as you can get, and it does resolve the kinked cable issue. Good job - leave it as is.
If the idle will not come down with the idle speed screw fully backed out, yet can be lowered by "forcing" the throttle closed, you have one of several issues:
The most obvious, which I assume you have checked and verified, is that the fast idle linkage/cam/screw is hung up and keeping the idle speed high. Make sure the fast idle cam is fully dropped down and that the fast idle speed screw is not engaged.
Next, if someone has fully disassembled the carb at one time, and removed the throttle blades out of the throttle plate, chances are good that the blades did not get installed perfectly centered in the bores, and are preventing full closure of the throttle. Remove the carb from the engine and remove the throttle plate. Loosen the primary throttle blade screws about 1/4 - 1/2 turn and then wiggle and rattle the blades with a small plastic mallet or a screwdriver handle while gently applying some pressure on the throttle lever towards the "closed" position. This will allow the blades to center themselves up in the bores. Once you have tapped, wiggled, and jiggled the blades into a perfectly centered position, snug the 4 screws back down. Do the same for the secondary throttles. Once done, hold the throttle plate up to the sky or up to a light and verify that there is no "light gap" around any of the throttle blades. If there is any gap at all, loosen the screws and repeat. The blades should fully close all gaps when fully closed. I have also seen the blades installed upside-down or backwards, and this will prevent full throttle closure.
Another common problem is that the carb may have been altered to open the secondary throttles over-center by someone reading too many Hot Rod Magazine articles. This is often done by bending the secondary throttle linkage, and this mod can prevent the primary throttles from fully closing. While forcing the primary throttle lever to the fully closed position, grab the fat rod that connects the primary throttle to the secondary side and wiggle it. That rod should feel completely loose, and should "rattle" freely with plenty of slop. If that rod is tight, or if it cannot be freely rattled, the linkage has been bent, and the primary side is being held open by the secondary throttle. Bend the linkage to allow that rod to be completely loose when the primary side is fully closed.
Finally, another common Hot Rod trick is to drill out the idle air bypass hole passages in the throttle plate. This is often done to get a Q-Jet to idle with a big cam. If this has been done, you can fill the holes with JBWeld and drill them back out to the correct size. This will dramatically lower the idle speed by decreasing the amount of bypass air into the engine.
This is the "normal" correct installation of an HEI distributor without tach drive. #1 is the forward, driver's side tower:
(I'm also using this as an excuse to see if I can post photos without using PhotoBucket, which has now banned "3rd party posting" unless you pay them $500)...
I bet that's what they said after doing that fantastic plumbing on those vacuum lines.LOL
That photo is my test run engine, and I have those fittings and caps in there so I have options to hook up all kinds of accessories and measuring equipment in seconds. It's ugly, but very effective and functional for testing...
07-21-2017, 10:23 PM
It appears Dizzy is one tooth off.
