I've had some strange timing behaviour recently so I checked my stock distributor and found that the mechanical advance was really stuck. I can barely move the advance plate at all by hand.

I noticed my total timing changes from time to time...I can have 28 degrees on one reading and barely 20 degrees the next.

Lighter springs doesn't seem to advance anything, so I've decided I want a new distributor. (not rebuilt stock HEI)

I looked att different cheaper HEI replacements like ACCEL, Mallory and Summits own.
I´m leaning toward the Mallory HEI unit, any suggestions on which one to choose?

I've seen both good and bad review on all of these, makes it kinda hard to decide..

BTW, its for my mostly stock 350 daily driver.

/Nick



[This message has been edited by BigBlock 71 (edited January 08, 2005).]

if your only problem is stuck advance weights, why replace the distributor? Just pull the weights and springs out, clean them off well with steel woll or something, lightly grease it and put it back together.
I'd bet your total advance is inconsistent because the weights are sticking and not always moving out to the same position.
After you've got the weights freed up, then you can really see what your total advance is. If your total still isn't enough, I believe there are little bushings in there that limit the total advance and you can change them.

------------------
-'77 Camaro - 357, home-ported heads and intake, Q-jet, headers, hyper flattops, ~8.5:1, 3.42 gears, 214/224 cam, 112LSA, rear discs coming soon
-'92 LeBaron LX sedan - all family owned, great daily driver and highway cruiser. 52mm TB, rear discs swapped. 5-sp swap in the works.
-'70 Camaro - 350, 4-sp, needs work, lotsa fun
-'65 Nova - 230 I6, 3 on the tree, nothing power. HEI swap. 5sp and 4 wheel discs in the works.

Hi BluEyes

The weights themselves wasn't the problem. I took the center plate off and the shaft itself was totally stuck, so I guess it's the shaft that's gummed up. I tried to work some WD40 in there but the advance is still very stiff.

Seem like I would need to disassemble the complete dist, if even that would help.

/Nick


[This message has been edited by BigBlock 71 (edited January 08, 2005).]

You will have to remove the gear and pull the shaft completly out. Some good molylube will work fine. Make sure the shims near the gear go back on also. I have seen this happen a few times before. RH

theres some billet (small cap external coil) HEI's brand new on ebay.. i think they are made by the same company who makes those australian aluminum heads... i think the distributors are $90 if you just need the one with magnetic pickup(for an MSD box) i think its $140 for one with all the HEI stuff in it(still external coil)...

Rogerh hit it on the head. It gets gummed up where the advance plate rotates around the top of the main distributor shaft. You don't have to pull the shaft all the way out, though. Just pop the gear and pull it up a few inches (trust me, it won't want to come up more than a few inches because there will be more goo on the main shaft and it won't want to pull all the way out). Then slide the advance plate down a few inches and you'll see it all gummed up where the 2 rotate around eachother. Usually it's brown goo (rust and old oil spooge). Clean it all out with carb cleaner and a toothbrush, put a smear of grease on it and put it back together. TA DA! Advance works again.

Before you go to all this trouble, hosever, look at the advance weights and pins. Make sure they haven't "eaten" into eachother where they pivot. If the weight holes are worn oval and (more importantly) the pins have a notch worn in them you're probably indeed better off getting a new distributor.



[This message has been edited by Damon (edited January 08, 2005).]

Thanks guys,

Both the pins and the weights are really worn, so I might still look at a new dist.

But I'll clean this one up like you guys described and hopefully get it working for now.

If I am going for a stock replacement HEI like the ones I mentioned, any recommendations?

Ah, I'm familiar with worn advance pins the advance weight pins were so worn on my stock one that they broke off when I took it apart!
I got a Proform unit and am happy with that. It came with a nice advance curve. I have around 12-15* base, and the total is in the mid 30's by around 3Krpm. Just don't use the vac can that comes with the dist unless your car is really mild. The can it came with gives something over 20* of advance. I replaced it with a NAPA #VC1853 and am very pleased.