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[quote=”hotshot” post=164765]Did you take out the ballast resistor when the points distributor was replaced?
When it won’t start, check for 12v at the distributor power feed wire while someone cranks it.
If it has the correct 12 volts, then the electronic module in the distributor needs replaced. I don’t think that high heat affects the pickup inside the distributor as much as the chip.[/quote]
Would the ballast resistor be on the firewall? If so I don’t think it has one
[quote=”MBDiagMan” post=164543]I am not familiar with the MSD distributor, but I think it is safe to assume that the centrifugal and vacuum advance systems are the same as a Chevy distributor.
I worked my way through college in the early Seventis with the GI Bill and a SUN distributor machine. I probably recurved a couple of hundred GM distributors. The only difference between then and now in that regard is the fuel availability and common compression ratio’s. That said, since the fuel AND compression ratio’s are lower today, the optimum curve for a street 350 of that day, is probably similar or identical to the one for today.
Assuming you are doing a hot street motor, the centrifugal should be about 22 degrees centrifugal advance in the distributor with about 10 degrees initial. In the kit is a bushing to put over the post that limits maximum advance. The centrifugal advance should be maxed at about 2500 engine RPM. This will limit the maximum range of the centrifugal advance, allowing you to dial in more initial advance. Vacuum advance would best be set by curving the centrifugal first, then using an adjustable vacuum advance like the one we used to get from Crane and dial in as much centrifugal as it will tolerate. It’s been 40 years so I might not remember the numbers exactly.
The centrifugal is easily curved on a GM distributor using one of the available kits. There are instructions on the package telling you which set of springs will give a particular curve using the included weights. It might very well be that the MSD distributor already has a similar advance curve. In fact, unless it is an all electronic curve distributor, I would expect that it does. I am not up on the latest MSD stuff, but I would not be at all surprised if they have an electronic advance system rather than centrifugal and vacuum.
All this said, if this is a street car that must pass emmissions testing, you will have to take a much different approach to distributor curving.
Hope this helps.[/quote]No, it’s not a smog car…. it’s a 69 el camino (mostly stock) 350 How would do you check ignition curve?
It was actually the spark plugs, they were bad. Thanks anyways. wokko.
Anyways…. I find It’s hard to get answers here anymore, too many Lookie-loo’s now
I got it guys, I put the number one piston to tdc on the compression stroke and put the #1 spark plug wire were the rotor was pointing and put the rest of the wires where they needed to be. It was something stupid…. not putting the wires where they were supposed to go…
Sorry, the distributor is a breakerless no dwell and never moved the distributor, also the firing order is right, I tripple checked
[quote=”wysetech” post=137599]First of all you need to make sure that the coil wire terminal is making good contact with the wire core inside the wire. A bad plug or plug wire will also cause high resistance and can cause the problem you’re having as well as too much gap between the rotor contact and the carbon tip in the cap. I believe that the coil wire is not making good contact in the coil tower and is arcing in there.[/quote]
It’s a fairly new coil wire, also, would dialectic grease help the problem?
I think you’re right, upon some more digging around I found out that you’re supposed to bend the tab slightly to make a firm contact with the button to tab….
Thanks, I’l try it with the new cap…
Did a little digging around and the Distributor and coil I’m using do not require a ballast resistor, here is what I found….
“Note- Some older vehicles are equipped with a ballast
resistor or a resistance wire. These cannot be used with
this distributor. Bypass or eliminate the ballast resistor if
your vehicle is equipped with one. To check for a resistance
wire, use a voltmeter to verify that when the engine is
running that the COIL POSITIVE TERMINAL reads within 1 volt
of the battery voltage. If the voltage difference is more than
1 volt, the wire needs to be replaced. When bypassing a
ballast resistor or eliminating a resistance wire, use at least
a 14 gauge automotive grade copper wire from the COIL
POSITIVE ( + ) to the starter solenoid or a switch terminal in
the fuse box”It’s kinda intermittent… like 10 minutes sometimes then sometimes 30 minutes… I have an aftermarket distributor and coil (Accel brand)