[FWDLK] Distributors
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

[FWDLK] Distributors



There is a huge spread in the stock distributor characteristics in our cars, even among the same make and year. Initial timing at idle varies from 2 to 10 degrees. Mechanical advance limits vary from 16 to 32 degrees. Vacuum advance varies from 8 to 30 degrees. Centrifugal advance springs vary from very slow to fast. These characteristics are all controlled with a few interchangeable parts that fit all of these distributors. Just because a distributor fits an engine doesn't mean it will work properly or create optimum power. Many vendors will say a part fits a make and year, implying all engines, but that part may be specific to only one engine. This is especially true for vacuum advance replacement diaphragms. If a car needs an 8 degree and you use a 30, it will knock like crazy and burn holes in the pistons asap. If it needs a 30 and you use an 8, you will loose significant power, gas mileage, and probably run hotter.


Dave Homstad
56 Dodge D500 


On Fri, Aug 19, 2011 at 7:34 PM, Adam Lindenbaum wrote:

 It sounds like a timing or advance issue, did you check both? Are you using  the same distributor that the car came with? I once bought an aftermarket  electronic distributor for a B-Motor that when installed and timed at idle  was fine but it advanced so far at higher RPMs that the engine was firing  into the next cylinder. I ended up dissecting another distributor for the  springs and disconnecting the vacuum advance so it would work.
Adam Lindenbaum
 
In a message dated 8/19/2011 8:06:28 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  ron@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
Has    anyone had an issue after installing a Pertronix    electronic ignition conversion with the engine running hotter?
 
Have    a Great Day!
 
Ron    Hilbert
57    Plymouth
 
 
From: Forward Look    Mopar Discussion List [mailto:L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Adam Lindenbaum
Sent: Friday, August 19, 2011 4:21    PM
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [FWDLK]    WHO CAN DO SOLDERING
 
I    learned my lesson with my '58 Fury, it has an MSD ignition and one night    in Jersey the box went bad, fun ride in a flatbed home. I've also had the    Mopar "Orange" box in the '57 fail me but I learned many years ago with    the Mopar electronics to carry spare boxes and ballast resistors. When I redo    my '57 I'm putting points back in it, not really possible with the Hemi in the    Fury, it needs all of the spark it can get.
Adam
 
In a    message dated 8/19/2011 5:39:56 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,    esierraadj@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
I      carry a SPARE points-distributor in the car!,
Neil      Vedder



AdamL57@xxxxxxx wrote:
> I personally do not      trust pertronix ignitions, I left points in my 318, no 
> matter      how bad they get they WILL get you home unlike the aftermarket
>      electronic  conversions. If you use a pertronixs ignition carry a      complete points
> set up  with you for when it fails.
>      Adam Lindenbaum
> In a message dated      8/19/2011 2:20:02 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, 
>      esierraadj@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
> On that  Pertronix      electronic ignition conversion, Dave forgot
> to mention (for       shame, Dave) that you will need to acquire a
> dual-point distributor,      and/or  a dualie's upper cam-and-plate
> assembly (to install      into a single-point  dissie, if that's what you
> have, now, or,      the dualie can be used to replace  the entire
> single-point      dissie).
>
> The C&P is needed  to       accommodate  the Pertronix  "under-
> cap" (hidden-)      electronic  ignition system.
>
> At this point, there is a      myriad of 'new' issues about  the
> performance of your existing      dissie and/or a  replacement
> dualie-dissie, but, any      replacement drop-in  dualie-dissie
> must have a shaft length      equal to your existing  dissie.
>
> There are two different      shaft lengths on  the  FWDLK
> dissies, depending on the      year/model of your car.
>
> A dualie  FWDLK-era C&P      will retrofit into any other
> FWDLK dissie, however, for a       Pertronix installation.
>
> And, this is the (very-) SHORT      answer about  installing
> a Pertronix system, (and, possibly,      hot-rodding your
> car's  distributor's performance; but, that's      a completely
> different, additional  very-long      story!).
>
> Altho a ballast resistor is not needed w/a       Pertronix
> system, you can keep your car's B.-A. still      installed,
> but,  merely not connected to the      distributor.
>
> The Pertronix, all by itself,  will NOT      improve your
> car's performance (that's what the hot-rodded       dissie
> does); it will only make the car's 'spark'      consistent,
> hot, and  reliable.
>
> Now I know why      Dave forgot to mention how/why
> a Pertronix  might be installed      in a dissie!!!
>
>
> Neil       Vedder
>
>
>
>
> Dave Homstad      wrote:
>  
>> Ed,
>>
>>      Some  things to consider:
>> 1. You need a 1 ohm resistor that      can handle  several amps of current.
>> It also should be a      "wire wound" style.  These are intended to allow
>> maximum      current flow when cold, and  increase resistance as they warm
>> up to reduce current flow to the  ignition      coil.
>> 2. These resistors run HOT. You should use a high       temperature solder.
>> 3.  I see on eBay a modern ballast      resistor  for sale all the time.
>> Looks nearly identical to      the old style except  the terminals are
>>      different.
>> 4. For my car, I bought a  ballast resistor RU13      (looks like the
>> original except for the  terminals, from      Car Quest, 1.6 ohms).
>> 5. If you convert to a  PerTronix,      you don't even need a ballast
>> resistor if you use their       coil or one with an internal resistance.
>>
>>
>>      Dave  Homstad
>> 56 Dodge D500
>>
>> On Thu,      Aug 18, 2011 at 4:02 PM,  eddee@xxxxxxxxxxxxx      wrote:
>>
>>    
>>>      Hello  Members
>>>
>>> I have an orig 1957/58      ballast resister   (very rare as we all
>>>      know),,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but the resister wire on  the back side is      shot.
>>>
>>> I have been looking locally for       a shop to solder in a new in line 1
>>> ohm resister between      the two  terminals
>>>
>>> Job is too      small--they are not  interested.
>>> but it is somewhat      intricate since you almost have to  solder it      blind.
>>>
>>> ANY SUGGESTIONS --Can any of you      do  this type of soldering??
>>>
>>> ED      ECKERSON
>>>  LI       NY
>>>
>>>       *************************************************************
>>>
>>>       To unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go      to
>>>       http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1
>>>           
>>       *************************************************************
>>
>>       To unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go      to
>>       http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1
>>
>>         
>
>      *************************************************************
>
>      To  unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go       to
>      http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1
>
>
>  
*************************************************************
To    unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go to
http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1





=======
Email    scanned by PC Tools - No viruses or spyware found.
(Email Guard: 7.0.0.26,    Virus/Spyware Database: 6.18150)
http://www.pctools.com
=======

*************************************************************
To unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go to
http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1

*************************************************************

To unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go to
http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1




Home Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network


Copyright © The Forward Look Network. All rights reserved.

Opinions expressed in posts reflect the views of their respective authors.
This site contains affiliate links for which we may be compensated.