Anyone ever set up a MSD probillet distributor..I need advice?

[69vettester]

At this point, Im going to set the MSD probillet centrifical up with 1silver(light) and 1blue(light) springs( this is next to the fastest that the centrifical will advance) and the silver bushing(stops at 25degrees). when I get the distributor in, Ill set the initial to 11degree's and it should time to 36 right at or a little below 3000rpm..according to the MSD chart Im looking at anyway?
Does this sound like a optimal plan..Am I missing anything with this plan??

TomC

 

[69vettester]

Thanks Keith,
Im not racing my car now so Ill be setting up for 36degrees total to be fully in by 3000rpm. Ill also be connecting the vacuum advance after I get it timed. (better on the road driveability ..aka gas mileage). I may have to tweak the vacuum some because it may cause too much overall advance (53+?). Ive heard the car will want to surge and buck along out there cruising at 60-70+ mph. If so Ill put a stop in the slot so it cant pull the plate to its fullest potential..
Tom

 

[69vettester]

Keith,
Yep My car is a cruiser, I want that vacuum advance connected, but optimal. that adds a little complexity into the loop, but Im getting it figured out how to get everything out of this MSD system. I found a port on my holley , its on the passenger side
There is a "spark" port on the primary metering block passenger's side. That is the port I will use to hook to the MSD's vacuum can.
Otherwise I'd be running into problems with my vacuum advance messing with my idle, if I ported to a "manifold" port on my holley. This is the way Ive been advised to do it, and sounds right to me, Ill post results later after everything is working again , that may be a few more days, I havent even pulled my mallory dual point yet :TALK
Tom

 

[69vettester]

Keith,
OK Ill post some pics of the distributor and what MSD gives you to make an advance curve come in for any particular application..Its real cool and after looking at the charts, pretty simple too..:cool
I may post a link tomorrow if I get time, its the least I can do from all the info Ive gotten off the forum..
TomC

 

[69vettester]

Keith..
OK yes I just notised the other reply you made to my vacuum ??post.
Thats the port, and good to know, thanks..
TomC

 

[69vettester]

Heh..heh..yep, If it aint red , it aint a corvette..
Seriously, Theyre all the best in the world, especially the c3's
TomC

 

[69MyWay]

Tom,

That distributor is a NICE piece. Don't you hate it though when they give you too many options? Wouldn't it be nice to pull a carb out of a box, distributor, etc. etc. bolt it down and go and know that is is aleady set for peak performance? Then again, what would be the fun in that?

Nothing like getting dressed up nice and heading out for a night of cruising only to end up pulling over at the gas station several times to bump the timing or tweak the carb.

The great thing here, is you are working with high quality new parts. It would be great if you could get some chassis dyno time to put it right on.

 

[1979toy]

I've spent so much time fooling with my mechanical advance that my distributor cap jumps off automaticly when I open the hood. After all of this I got the advance to let me get 8 derees of initial timing and 36 degrees of mechanical advance timing (want to buy some custom ground weights?). That was the good part. When this all happens is a much bigger issue. I tried to get advance as fast as possible and discovered that for a street motor that isn't always a good thing. Since my inital work I'm now putting heavier springs on the weights. My full mechanical advance is currently about 3200 RPM and I may try to streach it out a bit more. 3500 RPM my work better. Part throttle drivability is still good, best was about 2500 full advance, but the 3200 light load is still real doggy at 3200 full advance. For me that is 70 MPH and the car has to really be booted to accelarate at all. Through all of this I have kept the vacuum advance disconnected.
I hope that some of this helps with your decision making.

 

[69vettester]

I've spent so much time fooling with my mechanical advance that my distributor cap jumps off automaticly when I open the hood.

:L :L

 

[69vettester]

I tried to get advance as fast as possible and discovered that for a street motor that isn't always a good thing. Since my inital work I'm now putting heavier springs on the weights.

1979toy,
Oh yeah that is definitly food for thought. Bottom line is, Im going to start somewhere ..looks like 14-16 initial..21 using the right diameter MSD stop bushing and a combo of springs that will bring total in right before 3000rpm. then hook the vacuum up take it out and see what happens..:s
TomC