I can't tell you what springs to use. It depends on the weights in your distributor. You have to experiment with different combinations, and use a timing light and tachometer to see when the advance maxes out.
I understand everything I have to do except one thing. With the crane adjustable canister how do I know how much timing it adds? Is it the same as the stock canister? I guess an easier way of putting it is how will I know that I'm limiting it to 8-10*? What does the canister start at?
The canister actually adds more timing than the stock one does. The amount of advance added depends on the size of the window, and the movement of the link in that window. On a points distributor, .086" movement equals about 8*, .104 is about 10* Limit the amount the link moves by mounting the cam ahead of the link. Then turn the cam and tighten it. Each tooth is about 2* difference. Look at the pictures in this thread. It should be apparent to you how it works. You can verify it with a dial back light. Connect up the vacuum advance and see how much the timing increases.
Can I make the hole for the screw with just a drill? I don't have many tools. What size drill bit do I use?
You can use a drill to make the hole, but then you must tap it for 8-32 machine screw. It's been awhile since I did this. I want to say the drill size is 9/64. If you by a single tap at Sears, it should tell you the hole size required pre tap.
OK I've finally got the car up and running again. I'm trying to power time it now, I've already got the vacuum advance taken care of and now I'm trying to get the total advance set properly. You know how I thought that I had the original distributor with 14-18* of advance? Well I must not because I put in the light springs, vacuum advance plugged, and revved it with 12 initial I got about 40-41*. That would mean I have something like 28* mechanical advance! I'm guessing I really need to put that bushing in then. I'm not sure where it goes or how to do it though.
If you are not sure where it goes, better go back to the beginning of this thread. There is a picture there. It's underneath the advance plate, so it may be easier for you to remove the distributor. Use a mirror to check the area and make sure there isn't a bushing there already. BTW, you did disconnect and plug the vacuum advance?
Ok, I didn't know where it was exactly. I really don't want to take the distributor out, is there any way I might be able to put it in without doing that? And yes, I had the vacuum advance plugged at the carb. I don't know how it has so much mechanical advance.
Yes, you can put it in, but you'll have to do it by feel. Put a mirror under there so you can see it. Then put some spray tack on your finger so the bushing sticks to it, and just try to push it onto the pin. It may help to pull the weights out some so the pin is in the middle of the slot. I've done it once. Dropped the bushing a few times. I couldn't find any info on the 1112080 distributor. Someone said it was a replacement for the one in the Chassis manual, but obviously, it has more mechanical advance. Some of the 69 distributors had 30-34* of mechanical advance. They got timed at TDC (0*).
There is a bushing on the pin already but it looks like its made of rubber and really worn out. How do I get it off? EDIT: I left the bushing on there since its impossible to get off, set my initial to 4* which would give me 32* total. It ran terrible, worse than I've ever seen it...I set it back to about 10* initial and hooked the vacuum advance to the manifold and it runs much better. I don't understand it, it should be too advanced if anything but it likes it way more than with a low initial.
If you set the initial timing with very light springs, there will be some mechanical advance in at idle speeds, so you really aren't setting it at what you think. It might read 10*, but really be at 4*. That is why I set the total advance. The initial advance will be what it has to be for that total, and that distributor. If you want to see what your true total is, make sure you use stiffer springs. How to get the bushing off? Pry it off with a small screwdriver.
I set the initial with the stock springs, then switched to the light springs and revved it until the timing stopped going up and it said 32. Then I tried driving it, came back and it was running terrible and surging so I set the initial back to 10 after swapping out the springs again. Now it's idling good so I don't know what's with this car. It doesn't seem to like having 32 or 34*. Now its got something like 38 total EDIT: Ok I'm even more confused, I checked the number on the distributor after scraping off some dirt and it is a 1112080 which should have 14-18* of mechanical advance yet when I checked the total advance with 12 initial it had an extra 28* added on to it. What is wrong here?
I don't know. Unless your timing light is off, your distributor has more. Your car is 41 years old. Maybe someone modified it.
I really don't think anyone has modified this distributor except me. I bought this car from the original owner, an old lady who had the car still completely original. My timing light better not be off, I just bought the thing for this very purpose from summit. I have an ordinary one that shows the same initial as this one so I don't think its inaccurate
Well, we can go back and forth on this, but I'd say you, or someone else will have to modify this distributor, look for another distributor with less mechanical advance, or get an MSD distributor that has an adjustable mechanical advance. Those are your options. To modify your current distributor, it needs to come apart. Then the slot needs to be welded up, and custom filed for the amount of advance you want.
Ok, I was hoping it wouldn't have to come down to this. One last thing, I have some kind of metal bushing on the pin under the weights and you said before that I could remove it with a screwdriver? If I managed that and put the mr. gasket one on instead maybe it would limit the advance more than whatever is on there
No. Remember the bushing is round, and it has to fit in that slot. Make it bigger and it would bind in the slot It's probably the same bushing.
Remove the rotor and flip over the center plate that sits between the mechanical weights. The center plate flipped over will add or subtract total advance by quite a bit. If yours is reading more than you thought it should than flipping the plate should bring it back down.
