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As with my other post about the really weird engine vibe, I want to eliminate possible single or multiple ignition miss or weak spark by testing with a known good distributor. Yep, I can get an HEI cheaply but don’t really want to mess with electrical. And, nobody around here tests this old junk anymore.
350 non-TI
obviously will pay shipping both ways. Anybody have one that is willing?
If you want to eliminate all your worries about distributor problems install a Crane fireball or Pertronix ignitor. Yes you will have to upgrade your ignition coin. You can bowwow my OEM 1969 dist, but It has the Crane ign in it if you so desire. T
P.S. If you want I could take your dist to my favorite shop 'C&S Preformance and have them check out your dist. They can rebush it change the curve if you like.
Last edited by terrys6t8roadster; Dec 1, 2020 at 09:23 AM.
It would be cheaper to buy a HEI off ebay then to pay freight. I have bought two they are cheap billet have a tach drive and work great. One wire hook up a monkey could do it. well a trained Monkey
If you want to eliminate all your worries about distributor problems install a Crane fireball or Pertronix ignitor. Yes you will have to upgrade your ignition coin. You can bowwow my OEM 1969 dist, but It has the Crane ign in it if you so desire. T
P.S. If you want I could take your dist to my favorite shop 'C&S Preformance and have them check out your dist. They can rebush it change the curve if you like.
I may contact them as there are no race shops in this area. Also, throwing in a Petronix in my current distributor may be a less expensive way to go.
I would do this in your situation. You'd even have spare for future troubleshooting.
Originally Posted by reno stallion
It would be cheaper to buy a HEI off ebay then to pay freight. I have bought two they are cheap billet have a tach drive and work great. One wire hook up a monkey could do it. well a trained Monkey
Sammy, If you haven't already taken Rescue up on his kind offer, I have an almost new distributor that you can have. At least it will save you the cost of return ship. This is a standard GM distributor from the era, no tach drive but a good test mule. If you've already made the deal, no worries.
Cheers, Greg
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Originally Posted by Big2Bird
It amazes me that people always look for the cheapest route on distributors, when it is the very brain that determines how it performs.
Pretty sure he wants to use it as a tool to test and verify the original distributor to eliminate it as an issue....Actually a reasonable and intelligent way of verifying a problem. Theres many ways a distributor can fail
Pretty sure he wants to use it as a tool to test and verify the original distributor to eliminate it as an issue....Actually a reasonable and intelligent way of verifying a problem. Theres many ways a distributor can fail
It amazes me that people always look for the cheapest route on distributors, when it is the very brain that determines how it performs.
totally agree with not using cheap distributors...I just want a test mule to eliminate my current distributor as an issue. If it is the problem...first I will break out the bourbon and celebrate because I will have found the problem I am dealing with...then have it rebuilt.
Sammy, If you haven't already taken Rescue up on his kind offer, I have an almost new distributor that you can have. At least it will save you the cost of return ship. This is a standard GM distributor from the era, no tach drive but a good test mule. If you've already made the deal, no worries.
Cheers, Greg
thanks Greg - and very kind offer. I already made the deal with Rescue by the time I read this. Nice car too!
I may contact them as there are no race shops in this area. Also, throwing in a Petronix in my current distributor may be a less expensive way to go.
Let me know if you are going that way, a friend purchased a kit then someone gave him a dist with the kit already in it and you know the story on returning electric parts. T
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
The one Im sending you is an HEI. But it will just need a tremporary 12 volts to get it running. You wont need any difficult wiring changes, if that works still
Thought for you, and maybe not totally resolve the problem (assume you are running a points distributor). I had intermittent spark and sometimes no spark when starting my 68 327 rebuild (should have rebuilt the distributor before cranking up) so I hooked up the timing light so I could see the flash while I ran at different rpm's. I found out (of course, Ha!) when I had a nice steady flash, it ran great. When the coil got hot (think it was weak), and unsteady flash, of course, it was missing. I also hooked my volt meter between + on the coil and ground to see what my voltage was doing during starting and running.
Hope this might help. Rebuilding the distributor and new coil resolved my problem.
Last edited by 20mercury; Dec 2, 2020 at 12:26 PM.
Thought for you, and maybe not totally resolve the problem. I had intermittent spark and sometimes no spark when starting my 68 327 rebuild (should have rebuilt the distributor before cranking up) so I hooked up the timing light so I could see the flash while I ran at different rpm's. I found out (of course, Ha!) when I had a nice steady flash, it ran great. When the coil got hot (think it was weak), and unsteady flash, of course, it was missing. I also hooked my volt meter between + on the coil and ground to see what my voltage was doing during starting and running.
Hope this might help. Rebuilding the distributor and new coil resolved my problem.
I do see intermitting loss of flash when I tested each wire a while back. Ohm'd each wire after that to ensure they were patent. Tested the coil and it was out of spec. Got a new coil. No change. Also, the timing mark seems to jump plus or minus 2 degrees or so when idling. Thus, I am thinking that the distributor, which is basically the only thing on the ignition system that I haven't rebuilt, MAY be an issue. That written, I am having a hard time making the intellectual leap that a miss at 3500 RPM and higher could cause the vibration that I am experiencing. But, worth eliminating.
<snip> . Also, the timing mark seems to jump plus or minus 2 degrees or so when idling.<snip>
.
Not sure what your original problem is, but the timing should be rock steady at idle. Certainly not a 2 degree bounce.....
Perhaps too light on the centrifugal weight springs?
Got a distributor I can borrow?
