I got an inexpensive electronic distributor off of E bay a while back and I recently installed it. I got the motor started but once I hooked the vacuum advance hose up the motor ran terrible. I watched the timing mark with a strobe and saw that as I reved to motor up it would advance way up and the motor ran bad, back firing etc. If the vacuum advance is disconnected the motor runs OK at higher rpms but runs rough at idle. I can't see that the distributor has any vac advance adjustment so I am asking any one for advice. Thanks for any help you guys might provide.
5 posters
Electronic Distributor in 250 L6
Kakster- Number of posts : 236
Location : Torrance, CA
Registration date : 2008-05-18
- Post n°1
Electronic Distributor in 250 L6
DanTheVanMan- Commissioner
- Number of posts : 7899
Location : Escanaba, Michigan
Age : 62
Registration date : 2008-10-08
- Post n°2
Re: Electronic Distributor in 250 L6
Kakster,
Hate to ask but where did you set your initial timing at? Kinda sounds like you idle timing is set a few degrees BTC.. But I've had a few L6 engines that just wouldn't take a HEI for some reason.
Hate to ask but where did you set your initial timing at? Kinda sounds like you idle timing is set a few degrees BTC.. But I've had a few L6 engines that just wouldn't take a HEI for some reason.
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DanTheVanMan
1965 Chevy G10 Sportvan Custom
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donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12218
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
- Post n°3
Re: Electronic Distributor in 250 L6
Normally you start off at a base timing of 6 degrees,,,,,,the centrifugal weights add another 12 and finally the vacuum adds another 12,,,,,,,,But has the timing mark moved on the balancer? The engine has to idle good then you worry about the other 2 advances doing their thing,,,,,,,and are you running ported vacuum to the distributor so it gets none at idle,,,,,,does that distributor have weights in it and if so, are they free and the springs good? What happens if you turn the distributor until it runs the best it can,,,,,do you still get advance problems??? AND,,,,,,,,did the engine run good BEFORE you fixed it?
jrinaman- Number of posts : 890
Location : zelienople,pa.
Age : 59
Registration date : 2011-03-10
- Post n°4
Re: Electronic Distributor in 250 L6
had similar problems with mine, and found that the vacume would advance it slightly at idle. evan though just correcting the vacume would of fixed it, i got an adjustable vacume, different springs and set it up for 4 d at idle and 38 d at 2500. no vacume at idle. made a huge difference. summit has it for around 30 bucks. also check that you have full voltage at distributor. points distributor had a voltage reduction in the line.
panelmanrd- Number of posts : 801
Location : kcmo
Age : 62
Registration date : 2009-10-04
- Post n°5
Re: Electronic Distributor in 250 L6
I put one of those on a friends van with the same problem,
found that the vacum advance was going to far, it was adjustable
with an allen wrench inside the vacum unit where you put the vacum
hose on. Backed it way off, works nice now.
found that the vacum advance was going to far, it was adjustable
with an allen wrench inside the vacum unit where you put the vacum
hose on. Backed it way off, works nice now.
Kakster- Number of posts : 236
Location : Torrance, CA
Registration date : 2008-05-18
- Post n°6
Re: Electronic Distributor in 250 L6
All you guys thanks for the tips and advice. I will reexamine the install and see if I can get my beast to run right.