So I'm doing some simple stuff to the stock engine and I'm thinking of taking a rebuilt one from OReilly's and throwing in a points elim kit from accel. Any input would be appreciated
What year engine. Some work off manifold vacuum (69 and earlier) with various amounts of mechanical advance depending on engine. You may want to hold on to your core until you varified your replacement will work correctly and not change driveablity
Oh I'm definitely holding onto the original. I work at O'Reilly's so I can get them for pretty cheap and was just wondering if anyone else has tried it. My previous experience with distributors is not good and not just from Auto parts stores, I have had 2 new faulty distributors from O'Reilly's and one new faulty distributor from Davis unified ignition (D.U.I. aka performance distributors) but I think I might try it out. Since I'll be doing a points elim kit I'm mostly doing it for the good bearings without having to tear mine down, well that's the plan anyways.
The problem is that distributors vary in the amount of mechanical advance built into them. Distributor rebuilders couldn't care less about that fact, so the rebuild you get can differ significantly from what you have installed in your engine. Couple that with the fact that plenty of car owners only know how to set initial advance, and think that is where it ends, and you could significantly hamstring your engine, or detonate it to death. I'll give you an example. Most 69 distributors for the 350 and 455 have between 30 and 34* of mechanical advance. Those engines were initially timed at 0* (TDC). The 72 350 and standard 455 engines got a distributor with 12-18* of mechanical advance. They were initially timed at 4* BTDC. Can't imagine why Buick did that except maybe for emissions reasons, but the 350 and 455 were seriously under powered because they only had 16-22* of total advance at wide open throttle. If you set the total timing on those engines to 32*, you would think you were driving a different car the first time you floored it, maybe even before. My point is you should look at what you are getting first. If you get a distributor with a lot of mechanical advance and want to run higher initial timing, you may end up in detonation because you never checked the total advance. Or, you get a distributor with a small amount of mechanical advance and then set the initial low, because that is what the book says, and then wonder why the car can't get out of it's own way. Read my Power Timing thread, http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/power-timing-your-buick-v8.63475/
Everyday Performance LLC now offers complete distributor services, rebuilt distributors, and parts. We have a Sun 504 machine that allows us to set up your advance curve any way you like. http://everyday-performance.com/distributors.htm
Thanks, that's a lot of great info! I never would have thought about the difference in timing curves from the factory and your very likely right about the companies rebuild them not really caring.
Ken, I want to buy one of your distributors for my 68 GS400. How should I contact you, I don't know how to PM on this new-fangled V8 Buick site?
http://everyday-performance.com/distributors.htm Just click on the link above, then "contact us " on the top right.
There's a machine totally forgotten about in today's world. We had a Sun machine in college, I played with it for a week after classes for a couple of hrs a day tring thing and getting it the way I wanted....made a big differacne in our race car then. Now it's just locked so much easier and with our big cams the idle is down at street car in the 750 to 800 on my 308s. I think I could even go lower but there's no point. It's nice to hear a motor pulling 4 inches of vaccum at idle that low,
Hey Mike. I got your email and tried to respond but your provider rejected my email, saying your box was full or storage capacity exceeded. You can text or call 860 218 5780 and I'll be glad to get you a curved distributor.
