Good video. I wouldn't recommend any more travel on the vacuum advance. Also, even on smog motors, they don't need timing much quicker than all in at 2500, unless a light car or racing. 32-36 degrees total normally on open chamber "smog motors". Some are set at 40 but that is usually with egr. Spark knock is a killer, careful. But good video, helps to make known the magic that happens in the distributor.
I'll be damn that looks just like my dad's last car he ever bought before passing away. The other thing is I've put 2 new carbs on my 83 351W and it has a flat spot very early in the throttle, convincing me the carb is still the problem. I put an HEI distributor on it at the same time I replaced the 1st carburetor. And now having seen this I believe I'll take Crack at adjusting the vacuum advance. I'm going to bet it does the trick!!! Thanks so much for this video, it brings back good memories and possibly a brand new one 😁
you did a great job on this video, explaining and demonstrating, especially working the camera with one hand, very good job, and it's interesting how you have the sticker for the vacuum hoses still there yet it don't match the car, ha ha, so many times that sticker is gone, yet you have one but you still can't fully use it, and as far as using manifold vacuum, it does make the idle RPM go up once you hook it up, but "experts" have told me to simply just adjust your idle speed back down with the screw on the carburetor to bring it down to where you want it, like 850 RPM etc
+gReGsKi GmAiL Hi, thanks for the positive comment! It's possible to connect the distributor advance line to manifold vacuum and then turn the idle back down. The problem can be that the engine idles a little rougher because the advance it slightly too much for idle operation.
Soft springs advancing early may make the engine ping, gotta listen. Also, if you have a cam with low vacuum, you can get different Echlin (NAPA) vacuum advance units for different vacuums. I think its a VR-1850 thats the lightest diaphragm for fully open @10psi. Your vacuum advance is supposed to be fully open advanced 2hg below the idle vacuum. So if you are only making 7hg of vacuum like my cam, you cant use a vacuum advance because they dont make one low enough.
Your method is a little differemt than mine. I limit the vacuum advance, let the centrifical come on a little slow and give the engine as much initial timing as the starter will freely turn over with a hot engine.
funny how nobody shows how to install the springs, because its a pain. I noticed that every video you find clips past the actual assembly process. . any trips or tricks on that would nice.
Check out atomic efi. It helps with drivability and economy. I get 23 mpg on my 71 nova. Efi 7004r and Volvo cooling fan and relays. Serpentine belt from a 93 chevy .
Basically long story short do I need the advance curve kit for my car to start because my distributor does not have one nor did the new one come with one
+Ron S Ron, the weights and springs change the rate of spark advance and the maximum spark advance. The engine needs a certain advance curve to make the best power without detonation problems. Too much advance along with high compression and a high performance engine can definitely hurt the engine. With the 70's and 80's "smogger" engines, they were so low compression and low-flowing engines that they often run the best with the most advance available in the advance spring / weights set. If you have time, search my videos for "HEI advance curve kit" and I explain it the best I can, on an old low-performance 1980 Olds.
+davida1hiwaaynet Thanks for responding.... My engine is a lower performance (mostly stock) 350 with about 230 HP (no smog) how do you actually choose the advance curve.... I find it to be confusing, thanks!
Do all Distributors need advance curve kits or can it run without one? Because the distributor I bought for my Oldsmobile did not come with one only the clip to put the rotor on.. is that ok?
Hi, no, not all distributors have a mechanical or vacuum advance system. Some of them are controlled by the engine ECM. For these, the advance curve; and any tuning changes necessary, will be made in the ECM's chip program. :)
@@davida1hiwaaynet thanks man you're a lifesaver been working on my 84 Oldsmobile 307 5.0L it's been sitting in the garage for the past 5 years bought a new battery new distributor new spark plugs new coil but I am getting a crank but no spark situation just trying to figure it out thanks for the advice..
Hi Anthony. That damage happens when the cap is not placed "straight down" onto the distributor base. If the cap is installed at an angle, then forced into the correct position; the contact in the center of the cap will bend the rotor tab.
Thanks for clearly explaining and demonstrating how it works. One of the best tutorials on You Tube.
+Theodore Robison
Thanks Theodore. I appreciate the feedback!
Think this is the problem with my 7.4 merc loss of power after 2 k rpm so I think my weights aren't opening and advancing 👍🏼
Very good explaining on how the distributor timing works. great job
+Spencer Knight
Thank you. Glad you found it useful!
spot on keep that mighty Buick running good lol a curve kit does make a big difference
great thorough explanation how an HEI advance works, thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@davida1hiwaaynet absolutely thank you
Good video. I wouldn't recommend any more travel on the vacuum advance. Also, even on smog motors, they don't need timing much quicker than all in at 2500, unless a light car or racing. 32-36 degrees total normally on open chamber "smog motors". Some are set at 40 but that is usually with egr. Spark knock is a killer, careful. But good video, helps to make known the magic that happens in the distributor.
You've covered allot of good points in your video. Thanks for the help.
Glad it was helpful!
A lot *
I'll be damn that looks just like my dad's last car he ever bought before passing away. The other thing is I've put 2 new carbs on my 83 351W and it has a flat spot very early in the throttle, convincing me the carb is still the problem. I put an HEI distributor on it at the same time I replaced the 1st carburetor. And now having seen this I believe I'll take Crack at adjusting the vacuum advance. I'm going to bet it does the trick!!!
Thanks so much for this video, it brings back good memories and possibly a brand new one 😁
you did a great job on this video, explaining and demonstrating, especially working the camera with one hand, very good job, and it's interesting how you have the sticker for the vacuum hoses still there yet it don't match the car, ha ha, so many times that sticker is gone, yet you have one but you still can't fully use it, and as far as using manifold vacuum, it does make the idle RPM go up once you hook it up, but "experts" have told me to simply just adjust your idle speed back down with the screw on the carburetor to bring it down to where you want it, like 850 RPM etc
+gReGsKi GmAiL
Hi, thanks for the positive comment! It's possible to connect the distributor advance line to manifold vacuum and then turn the idle back down. The problem can be that the engine idles a little rougher because the advance it slightly too much for idle operation.
Awesome video man, lots of good info!! Thank you so much!!
You're welcome. Happy this helped you! I appreciate the comments.
11:10 is really cool! I never saw it like that!
Great video. Thank you for the info.
Great very informative video
Soft springs advancing early may make the engine ping, gotta listen. Also, if you have a cam with low vacuum, you can get different Echlin (NAPA) vacuum advance units for different vacuums. I think its a VR-1850 thats the lightest diaphragm for fully open @10psi. Your vacuum advance is supposed to be fully open advanced 2hg below the idle vacuum. So if you are only making 7hg of vacuum like my cam, you cant use a vacuum advance because they dont make one low enough.
Your method is a little differemt than mine. I limit the vacuum advance, let the centrifical come on a little slow and give the engine as much initial timing as the starter will freely turn over with a hot engine.
funny how nobody shows how to install the springs, because its a pain. I noticed that every video you find clips past the actual assembly process. . any trips or tricks on that would nice.
use tiny players it will take 3 seconds,
Long nose pliers and flat blade screwdriver worked for me
Very simple. Needle nose pliers or small hooks, picks.
Check out atomic efi. It helps with drivability and economy. I get 23 mpg on my 71 nova. Efi 7004r and Volvo cooling fan and relays. Serpentine belt from a 93 chevy .
Could the springs being too weak make it rattle?
Hey when you put penetrating oil and lubricant to the mechanical advance and vacuum did you pull it off? Also what kind of lubricant did you used?
Now install a 3.73:1 ring and pinion gear set in the differential.
Basically long story short do I need the advance curve kit for my car to start because my distributor does not have one nor did the new one come with one
Is there a video of you disassembling the distributor?
Hi Phillip. I'm sorry but I didn't make a video of the distributor disassembly.
Hi, I just picked up a new MSD distributor, my question is would it harm anything if I experimented with the different weights it came with?
+Ron S
Ron, the weights and springs change the rate of spark advance and the maximum spark advance. The engine needs a certain advance curve to make the best power without detonation problems. Too much advance along with high compression and a high performance engine can definitely hurt the engine.
With the 70's and 80's "smogger" engines, they were so low compression and low-flowing engines that they often run the best with the most advance available in the advance spring / weights set.
If you have time, search my videos for "HEI advance curve kit" and I explain it the best I can, on an old low-performance 1980 Olds.
+davida1hiwaaynet Thanks for responding.... My engine is a lower performance (mostly stock) 350 with about 230 HP (no smog) how do you actually choose the advance curve.... I find it to be confusing, thanks!
Vacuum advance no more than 52 degrees if your grinding out
My distributor does not have Springs or weights can that be the cause for it not to start my vehicle.. i have a 84 olds delta88
Is that a 3.8
Yes, it's an old carbureted 3.8!
Do all Distributors need advance curve kits or can it run without one? Because the distributor I bought for my Oldsmobile did not come with one only the clip to put the rotor on.. is that ok?
Hi, no, not all distributors have a mechanical or vacuum advance system. Some of them are controlled by the engine ECM. For these, the advance curve; and any tuning changes necessary, will be made in the ECM's chip program. :)
@@davida1hiwaaynet so only Distributors that have vacuum advance need the advance curve kit?
@@bz710 Yep. That's correct! The ones without the vacuum advance are controlled by the chip program in the ECM.
@@davida1hiwaaynet thanks man you're a lifesaver been working on my 84 Oldsmobile 307 5.0L it's been sitting in the garage for the past 5 years bought a new battery new distributor new spark plugs new coil but I am getting a crank but no spark situation just trying to figure it out thanks for the advice..
I was wrong it's a Chevy v6 isn't it my bad I was looking at the placement of the distributor
Power Steering works
And my distributor does not have a vacuum advance
231cu in. Buick 3.8
Any ideas on what causes the rotor's metal contact strip to get as mangled as yours is/was? Looks like an arc fest waiting to happen. =)
Hi Anthony. That damage happens when the cap is not placed "straight down" onto the distributor base. If the cap is installed at an angle, then forced into the correct position; the contact in the center of the cap will bend the rotor tab.
=)