My Distributor Timing Is Horrible

[71Nissan240Z]

I had to pull my oil pump. Anyways my distributor is set at about 35 degrees total advance at about 7 to 8 initial. I have a gen 2 zx distributor in my garage.Not sure if I want to use that over my original since I have a pertronix hooked up to it and msd. My car runs fine I just wish I could pull more initial timing for more power.

I can't afford a mallory. I heard u can do something with the weights inside but I'm not old school enough to know how to do that with a distributor. What would you guys suggest? ?

Edited March 22, 2015 by 71Nissan240Z

[Mark Maras]

 Way back in the late sixties we used to remove one of the two springs on the weights for weekend drag racing. You can also source lighter springs or stretch the springs slightly. Pretty crude by todays' standards but you asked for old school.

 Mark

[madkaw]

So your dizzy gives you 28 degrees of mechanical advance?

I didn't any dizzy that gave that much. How have you verified total advance numbers?

[71Nissan240Z]

Total advance is just a guess but if I set my dizzy at 15 degrees at idle total advance is way past 35 degrees. My balancer only has notches up to 20degrees. I should probably make more. Right now I have it set at 10 degrees initial. Running 93 Octane it pings like crazy if I do the 4th gear test

[71Nissan240Z]

My plugs are gapped at .080. Msd ignition blaster coil pertromix. Otherwise runs great I just know I can get a few more ponies up high with less curve

[madkaw]

.080 ?

Shouldn't it be half that?

Advance timing lights are pretty cheap anymore and it takes out the guess .

[madkaw]

What exact dizzy model do you have?

[Zed Head]

"Pulling" timing usually means retarding.  But you said that you're pinging in the "4th gear test".  I remember timing a 400 Pontiac engine by the punch-it-at-low RPM-in-a-higher-gear-test.  But that was a big torquey low-mid RPM usage engine in a big heavy car.  Even back then I thought it was not a good way to do things but I was just a dummy back then (no offense).  I don't think that you can tune for power with that kind of method on these smaller engines, designed for high RPM power.

 

One way to verify mechanical advance is tune turn the initial timing back to zero with the engine running, disconnect the vacuum advance, then rev the engine up until the timing stops advancing.  The mark should stay on the indicator or be within a couple of degrees.  I've only see up to 11 on advance weights (maybe it was a Spinal Tap car).

 

On the .080".  The ignition system can probably do it, but the problem with big gaps is that the spark takes the easiest path.  .080"
is hard to jump so you can get sparks grounding in places they shouldn't, through your wires or dirt in the cap, and other lower resistance paths.  Plus .080 with a dense charge in the cylinder will be where it's most likely to miss.  You don't really need more .040 or .045".

 

You haven't mentioned anything else about the engine either.  Higher CR will make it more likely to ping.  

[madkaw]

Yes you should update your signature so we know the engine stuff.

I would fix the gap first and then go from there.

Retarding the timing to keep it on the scale is a great idea.

[71Nissan240Z]

I'll do the timing base check. So the plug gap I got from the z home website. And actually it runs better this way than it did with the standard gap. I have the msd 6al, blaster coil ,pertronix and taylor wires.

I do understand the concept of spark and compression. But my car runs better this way so I might leave it for now.

My engine...not sure what was done because it was built before me.but I know I'm putting out 195psi on each cylinder and it is lumpy at idle. P79 head and f54 block. I tried to look for marks on the cam but I couldn't see any. My vacuum guage reads 15 and the needle shakes a little with the cam. Which is further evidence for me of an aftermarket cam spec. Valves are adjusted to spec and no air leaks.

Given this information I know engine that are cammed like to run a little more initial timing that's why I'm frustrated with my current dizzy. I'll get the number of the distributor when I get home. I'm at work right now.

Edited March 23, 2015 by 71Nissan240Z

[Stanley]

If you have the US emission spec. distributor, you can get the "Euro spec" non-emissionsdistributor for advance that comes on sooner. See FSM for the numbers. MSA used to sell them, I've seen them advertised recently in Japanese car mags, so available with difficulty. You could pertronix it. Cheaper than Mallory, dunno.

It made a huge difference on my car, but I'm comparing it to the crappy emissions dual point that was stock on my '73. Still, I can't even get close to non-emission FSM initial timing. Well, I tried, and it picked up a lot of power (easily burning rubber even with the AT and sticky tires) but it pinged horrible. Just need way better gas.

Also, IIRC, there's a thread somewhere on this site about where to send a dizzy for mods.

[71Nissan240Z]

D612-53. And then there's a number below that:810