Installed a Pertronix-stuffed reman distributor tonight in my 350 - in setting my timing, I had to advance the distributor just about all the way up to get her running evenly - according to my dial-back light, she's reading 30 degrees timing with the tdc mark on the balancer hitting the 4-degree notch on the scale. Idle was about 750-800 rpm. She idles fine, haven't driven her yet though and the start-up is just a touch on the tight side (suggesting to me the advance is set too steep). If I back it down even a touch though, she starts to run rough. With the points distributor that I took out, my dial back read 5 degrees with the TDC mark hitting the same point on the balancer scale. The points distributor body was only set about 1/2 way up the advance curve. Carb is a fresh reman and seems fine - no rich or lean conditions noted. Any thoughts?
Timing off Is the engine a high milage engine? o No: When you get about 75000 mi. on any engine the timing chain and gears are pretty well worn out. I t is better to replace them at your convenience rather than on the side of the road some where. :Smarty: this is especially true if the t/c chain and gears are the originals because they probably coated with plastic and the plastic ages and peels off. Then it jumps time. :Smarty: But before you start tearing in to the timing gear case, take a real hard look at the harmonic balancer to see if the outer ring has come unvulcanized and slipped throwing the timing marks off. :Brow: This happens on occasion also on high milage engines. If this is the case dont throw the old one away, they can be sent and rebuilt. Sometimes this is the only option. p
yeah, she's up to about 112k - the balancer looks ok but I suspect the t/chain's original and about due for replacement. Just on a hunch, I bumped all the plug wires up 1 terminal and that brought the timing down a good bit - only thing now is the timing mark doesn't line up to the scale. It's not 180 out though, which tells me the chain's probably stretched.
well, bumping the plug wires up didn't pan out - now she idles great but pings up a storm on the slightest throttle.. Guess I'll put 'em back where they were and time her back to the first setting - then see if she runs any better. Maybe adding a spark box would even it out o No: ...
Wait a minute, You installed another distributor, and now you have a problem. I'd go back and install you old distributor, and see if the problem disappears. I'm not a fan of Pertronix, unless you are on a budget, and even then, I'd prefer points. When you use a dial back light, you turn the dial on the light, until the damper mark lines up with the 0 on the timing tab. Then look at the dial, and that is your advance. I not sure why you would do it any other way.
I think the timing was a little skittish after I first installed the Pertronix distributor because at 30 degrees the body was rotated just about all the way up (advanced) just to keep the motor running. I finally reindexed the motor to TDC and restored the cap wiring. Now I'm adjusted down to 10 degrees advance by the light but the motor still pings with throttle. If I back the distributor down some the motor just about dies. I'm thinking I might put another set of plugs in gapped at .030 per book specs - Current plugs are .040 per the Pep Boys computer (I usually know better than to trust their info)...
