IF YA LOOK IN THE CHEAP SECTION OF A A-ZONE STORE WHERE THEY KEEP CHEAPO CHROME PARTS AND JUNK, YOULL FIND THE WHOLE ADVANCE KIT WITH SEVERAL SPRINGS. UNDER 5$ IF MEMORY IS RIGHT. ALSO WHEN I PURCHASED NEW MALLORY DIST. IT CAME WITH THE " EXACT " SAME KIT, SO ITS NOT THAT BAD I WILL GUESS.

 

Since Lars probably won't be coming this way anytime soon is the last kit here the one to use.
http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...32&prmenbr=361

 

I do not understand what you all are talking about. If the timing is advanced wouldn't that make the car idle higher?

 

It might, then you just turn down the idle speed. Joe

 

Advancing the timing causes the spark plug to fire at ___ number of degrees before the piston is at top dead center on the compression stroke. You have to take flame travel into account, this is why it takes less advance on a later model engine with a more efficient combustion chamber. They have a better flame travel, so less advance is needed!

This page explains it better than I can... Scroll down to the orange picture for a visual!
http://www.leeric.lsu.edu/bgbb/7/ecep/auto/h/h.htm

 

Good link 75Blue............so as I understand this (I think) the initial timing can stay at the called for specs (say 8 degrees BTDC) and with the addition of lighter springs and/or weights as shown in the link in the above reply......the engine will make RPMs faster? Am I on the right track? Also......is it just lighter springs? .....or springs and weights? The Jegs kit above shows weights (lighter?) and a selection of different weight springs.
Thanks for the help

 

Did someone say "Tweeks"? Here are some of my own design.

1) "Nose cone" for the carb. A threaded cone that screws over the air cleaner stud reducing turbulance at the stud pad.

2) A fabricated "O-ring" to take up the gap between the air cleaner base and the carb. This fills in the "dead" space where the air following the bottom radius of the air cleaner base "slams" into the carb perimeter. (Both as indicated in the photo.)



3) Corvette transverse suspension "soft" suspension limiter/traction device. These are small coil springs (a little larger than valve springs) welded to base plates that screw into the trailing arm bump stop mount points. The other end of the spring has a heavy fender washer welded to it and a replacement rubber bumper is attached through the washer. The total length is longer than the original rubber snubber limiting suspension travel (and hopefully broken parts), but as the trailing arm pushes on the snubber, spring rate is added (as opposed to the trailing arm slamming into the snubber causing instant rebound, and loss of traction.

4) Alternator "kick-out." When I kept "popping" cheap alternators running over 6,000 rpm, I devised a mini-switch that sits under the secondary linkage. The switch is tied into the alternator "field." When the secondaries open, the switch opens disconnecting the alternator's field windings and removing all "electomagnetic friction." Because it is wired to the secondaries, it has no effect on cruise or during prestaging activities. After installation, I never killed another alternator, and it DID improve quarter mile speed and et. A kick-out by-pass switch is mounted under the dash to disable the function (alternator always functional). This will not work with a "one-wire" alternator unless done with a HIGH AMPERAGE relay in the circuit.

5) A preset-able idle solenoid. When I used to drag race, the starter always seems to drop the tree just when I was finding the right staging RPM. A 12 volt solenoid with a ball-link chain (key chain), is looked up to the line-lock activation switch. The chain is attached to the solenoid and the throttle rod. The "*****" allow me to position the chain so as to adjust the amount of pull, and thus, the rpm. While the solenoid does not have the strength to pull in the throttle, if you push the gas, the solenoid will hold the throttle in the desired position. Releasing the line-lock also releases the solenoid, and everything functions normally as you take another victory.

6) Hone out all brass fuel fittings. Where fittings are used to adapt one size line to another, hone the "step" onto a smooth angle. These (especially 90 degree angles) can be a source of restriction to the fuel system.

7) When installing an intake manifold, there is some slop at the bolt holes that results in a less than perfect gasket interface. To alleviate this, gasket match the intake and the heads. Before installing the manifold, use a couple spots of gasket adhesive to ensure that the gasket is perfetly aligned with the heads. Set the manifold on and reach in through the plenum with a wire to "feel" the walls at the interface of the manifold/head. Shift the manifold around until you get this interface as smooth and perfect as possible. Mark the manifold's position with respect to the heads. Apply RTV as normal (front/back) and allow to become tacky. Drop the manifold one aligning it with the marks you made. Don't go wiggling it around once its in the RTV.

8) Make sure that gaskets do not protrude into the holes for the pieces they mate (e.g., manifold to spacer). Excess can be cut away using an x-acto knife.

9) Fabricate a lifter valley splash shield out of galvanized vent pipe available at any home improvement store. This keeps hot oil off the bottom of the manifold increase intake charge density. Be sure to install a coulpe small drain-back holes at the ends or low point.

10) Install "trash screens" in the heads and lifter valley drainback holes. Adds no power but provides cheap insurance incase of breakage.

11) Not of my design, but, airflow quality (and power) can be improved by milling the carb choke horn (assuming you live where you you don't NEED a choke). (See photo.)


The secret to power is in the attention to details.

 

The lighter the springs (Mechanical advance) the faster it goes to full advance. This means that at a lower RPM it will be making more advance than the stock spring.

This is what an HEI dizzy looks like under the cap:



The cam turns a gear on the bottom of the dizzy, a shaft turns the rotor on the other end, the rotor swings out and hits the contacts on the underside of the cap. Either with points (Old style) or the HEI type plastic doo-hickey.

Thats about all I know about them... Hopefully lars will pass by and correct whatever explanation I botched!

http://www.circletrack.com/techarticles/139_0308_hei/
http://www.circletrack.com/techartic...ei/index1.html

 

I like the alternator kickout! Pretty cool idea...

 

Well.....this has been an interesting thread. I'm thinking now that a recurve kit may be good way to pep things up a little. I still have the original 74 dist. (points style) but have a Crane XR700 ignition which replaces the points with an optical eye. I've heard of these recurve kits, but have never quite understood the application.
Good discussion.....and thanks 75Blue

 

Excellent information! Got answers to many questions I was going to post, thanks to all for the knowledge!

 

Yup, That is the one for HEI.

-Mark.