old-tank 3,922 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Discovered a leaking diaphragm in the vacuum advance unit on my 55. I ran fine at idle, but surged on the highway. Anyhow I replaced the diaphragm and installed a lighter spring. The lighter spring is an experiment that can be changed without removing the distributor. This will keep the ignition advanced longer when vacuum level drops. It runs fine now, but may end up with part throttle detonation in hot weather. Either way it should improve the gas mileage which had been dropping off lately. While I had the distributor out I changed the points and condenser. I use old stock Standard Blue Streak products which will last 30,000 miles while maintaining consistent gap/dwell. The products in the picture were $11 with free shipping...I will look for more in the next 4-5 years. I also installed a new rotor that fit tightly unlike the currently available sloppy fit units. Another reason for the long life is the electric fuel pump used to prime the carburetor, reducing cranking with full voltage going to the distributor. The one thing I did not do was replace or modify the distributor cap. The currently available caps require 'gorilla hands' to latch. I finally got it latched in my shop, but don't think I could latch it if I looked inside while traveling. I may just put on a crusty old cap that will latch with one finger. And yes, I did lubricate the distributor inside and out Bernie. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites
TexasJohn55 113 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) And yes, I did lubricate the distributor inside and out Bernie. Oh, that reminds me...........Time to do mine. Let us know how that new spring works out this summer. John Edited January 19 by TexasJohn55 (see edit history) Link to post Share on other sites
avgwarhawk 4,457 Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 You are not kidding about gorilla hands for those darn clips for the cap. It is bad enough the distributor is buried at the firewall. But those clips....sheesh. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
TexasJohn55 113 Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 You know you can bend those clips to increase or decrease clamped tension. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
avgwarhawk 4,457 Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 1 hour ago, TexasJohn55 said: You know you can bend those clips to increase or decrease clamped tension. I generally use a large flat head driver to push in the middle arch of the clip. It does the trick. Never the less, thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
Marty Roth 2,787 Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 On 1/20/2021 at 2:14 PM, avgwarhawk said: I generally use a large flat head driver to push in the middle arch of the clip. It does the trick. Never the less, thanks! Me too, and I do the rear one first since the first on seems to clip more easily, and then I have aneasier time both reaching, as well as finding a leverage point, to use the screwdriver to clip the one I can actually see - same procedure for 331 ci Cadillac engine's distributor 1 Link to post Share on other sites
60FlatTop 6,381 Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 (edited) Well, I like those lubricated breaker plates, for sure. Modern ignition parts have failed me badly. I try to use old stock, Echlin, or just adjust my olds stuff. I do have a nice old Sun tester. I It has a KV scale for the secondary side of the ignition. And an inductive pick up I can use on each plug wire to compare my sparking voltage. Before and after checks and other good diagnostics. In some instances it is handier than an oscilloscope. I think I bought it 35 years ago, but they are still $30 swap meet items, worth having. You could compare your old and new caps. Edited January 21 by 60FlatTop (see edit history) 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
NTX5467 1,193 Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Do those point sets have the little vial of point grease with them? Hopefully not dried-up from age? Any particular place you generally find these NORS items? NTX5467 1 Link to post Share on other sites
old-tank 3,922 Posted January 22 Author Share Posted January 22 3 hours ago, NTX5467 said: Do those point sets have the little vial of point grease with them? Hopefully not dried-up from age? Any particular place you generally find these NORS items? NTX5467 Ebay...look up by part number. No supplied grease. I use Silglyd on the cam. These points have a wick that supposedly supplies lube. Link to post Share on other sites
Bhigdog 3,115 Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Yeah, those clips are a bitch every time I have to replace the Chinese condenser or adjust and lube my Pertronix unit............Oh..... Wait..............Never mind....... Bob 1 Link to post Share on other sites
old-tank 3,922 Posted January 22 Author Share Posted January 22 55 minutes ago, Bhigdog said: Yeah, those clips are a bitch every time I have to replace the Chinese condenser or adjust and lube my Pertronix unit............Oh..... Wait..............Never mind....... Bob yeah, right Bob....those parts are old stock USA pieces and i only have to do it every 30,000 miles (my pertronix lasted less than 5,000 miles) 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Bhigdog 3,115 Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 39 minutes ago, old-tank said: yeah, right Bob....those parts are old stock USA pieces and i only have to do it every 30,000 miles (my pertronix lasted less than 5,000 miles) There's is no right or wrong, good or bad, Willy. I have pertronix units in all five of my collector cars. The oldest at least 20+ years. Zero failures. Biggest thing for me is no dicking around trying to reach the distributor buried WAY in back. Or fumble fingering little bits that fall and go......somewhere? Dwell meter? We don need no stinkin dwell meter. Timing light? Yeah, I think I remember using it once. Removing the distributor to work on it? Oy Vey! Either way. They both do what they were meant to do and what was made by the hand of man will, at some point, fail. In the mean time I'll opt for easy peasy............ Peace and happy motoring, Bro............Bob 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites
60FlatTop 6,381 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 15 hours ago, Bhigdog said: Biggest thing for me is no dicking around trying to reach the distributor buried WAY in back. That would give me time to line up the slots on the rest of my Phillips head screws. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
TexasJohn55 113 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 15 hours ago, Bhigdog said: Biggest thing for me is no messing around trying to reach the distributor buried WAY in back. Bob, I fixed that for you. When I selected it for a quote, my computer kicked one word out with a red squiggly red underline, so I naturally had to correct the spelling. John Link to post Share on other sites
old-tank 3,922 Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 1 minute ago, TexasJohn55 said: Bob, I fixed that for you. When I selected it for a quote, my computer kicked one word out with a red squiggly red underline, so I naturally had to correct the spelling. John I thought that 'PC' meant "personal computer"....not "politically correct". 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Bhigdog 3,115 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 43 minutes ago, TexasJohn55 said: Bob, I fixed that for you. When I selected it for a quote, my computer kicked one word out with a red squiggly red underline, so I naturally had to correct the spelling. John When I use a word it means exactly what I choose it to mean. Neither more nor less. Please unfix it for me.........Bob Dick around in American English ..........Collins American dictionary Slang 1. to spend time wastefully or unprofitably 2. to be busy in a desultory way 2 Link to post Share on other sites
60FlatTop 6,381 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 56 minutes ago, Bhigdog said: Dick around in American English ..........Collins American dictionary Means fussing around putting things in alphabetical order as in dictionary. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
TexasJohn55 113 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 I don't work under the hood with my pants down. Link to post Share on other sites
TexasJohn55 113 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 5 hours ago, Bhigdog said: Please unfix it for me.........Bob Not a chance. Link to post Share on other sites
Bhigdog 3,115 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 Whatever.............Bob 1 Link to post Share on other sites
NTX5467 1,193 Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 "No stinking dwell meter"?? In an old service manual I saw years ago, it mentioned that the way to adjust the points on a GM "window" distributor was to raise the metal cover, insert an appropriately-sized Allen wrench, turn the wrench one way (with the engine running!) until it mis-fired. Then turn it the other direction until it mis-fired again . . noting the number ot turns of the wrench between the mis-fire points, then turn the wrench BACK from the second mis-fire point, but only 1/2 the number of total turns. THAT would be the correct point adjustment, they claimed. With the dwell meter reading, for those times, being "30 degrees". THEN set the ignition timing. Enjoy! NTX5467 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Grimy 1,668 Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 2 hours ago, NTX5467 said: "No stinking dwell meter"?? In an old service manual I saw years ago, it mentioned that the way to adjust the points on a GM "window" distributor was to raise the metal cover, insert an appropriately-sized Allen wrench, turn the wrench one way (with the engine running!) until it mis-fired. Then turn it the other direction until it mis-fired again . . noting the number ot turns of the wrench between the mis-fire points, then turn the wrench BACK from the second mis-fire point, but only 1/2 the number of total turns. THAT would be the correct point adjustment, they claimed. With the dwell meter reading, for those times, being "30 degrees". THEN set the ignition timing. I've done it both ways. I'd add that one service manual recommended turning your Allen wrench clockwise to achieve the final setting. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
old-tank 3,922 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 Condensers. As noted I use old-old stock USA condensers with good service and performance. A friend recently had his car towed due to a defective condenser. Now I have a question: Is there any reason the condenser cannot be mounted outside the distributor? This would make it easy to change or just test a different one. Link to post Share on other sites
Bloo 1,742 Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Many other makes and models put the condenser on the outside of the distributor. There is no reason I can think of for it not to work. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Roadmaster75 83 Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 FYI The iffy condenser issue has recently been solved over on the “Stovebolt Forum”. After much research a guy there has sourced USA made condensers for GM ignitions. $12 as I recall. Getting good reviews. go there and do a search for the threads....... I’ll do same and post if I find it. Link to post Share on other sites
Bhigdog 3,115 Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 On 2/5/2021 at 11:13 AM, old-tank said: Condensers. As noted I use old-old stock USA condensers with good service and performance. A friend recently had his car towed due to a defective condenser. Now I have a question: Is there any reason the condenser cannot be mounted outside the distributor? This would make it easy to change or just test a different one. Well, could be a problem, willy. With an extra 4 inches of wire that would delay the timing by 1 483,600,000th of a second. I'll leave it up to someone smarter than me to figure the fraction of a degree one would need to advance the timing to compensate........Bob 😋 4 Link to post Share on other sites
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