Do the weights look backwards to anyone besides me?

[fujimook]

Appears to me to be an incorrect distributor for 1st gen sbc. Flipping over the weights will block access to the round and square holes used to position the rotor.

 

[COPO]

Those weights are upside down.

 

[kdsracing]

This is a quicky repair distributor I got from an auto parts store I installed to get my ride going. I set the initial timing w/o the vacuum connect and went to test the centrifugal advance, only to have it retard the timing way down into retard range

Every pic I have seen the weights are the other direction as show in the diagram, vs the photo.

Am I just imagining things? Entirely possible. Been working with points since the mid 70's and I've never comes across this.

I tried reversing them but the weights will not fit.

Yes, these are backward. The distributor turns clockwise, so the centrifugal force would not open the weights allowing the timing to advance. You should be able to flip them over and reinstall them the correct way. Are you going to use this distributor permanently? if so, I would recommend a Pertronix conversion and an MSD recurve kit using light springs. With the garage door springs that in there now, you won't attain full advance until well above the RPM you will commonly operate the engine at. The included instruction sheet will tell you which springs to use to achieve the curve you want. I set them up so that the timing starts to advance at about 1000-1200 and is all in by 2000-2200. Timing equals fuel economy and power. Small blocks want lots of timing and as quickly as your combination can handle it. Use PORTED vacuum for the advance, not manifold. A total advance of 34 degrees is good. This set up assumes cam shaft, torque converter and rear end gear all play well together. If you put in a big cam so it would sound impressive but left the stock converter and 2.78 or 3.08 rear end gears, then all bets are off and you have more problems than just a distributor if you want this thing to run well.

 

[kdsracing]

Yes, these are backward. The distributor turns clockwise, so the centrifugal force would not open the weights allowing the timing to advance. You should be able to flip them over and reinstall them the correct way. Are you going to use this distributor permanently? if so, I would recommend a Pertronix conversion and an MSD recurve kit using light springs. With the garage door springs that in there now, you won't attain full advance until well above the RPM you will commonly operate the engine at. The included instruction sheet will tell you which springs to use to achieve the curve you want. I set them up so that the timing starts to advance at about 1000-1200 and is all in by 2000-2200. Timing equals fuel economy and power. Small blocks want lots of timing and as quickly as your combination can handle it. Use PORTED vacuum for the advance, not manifold. A total advance of 34 degrees is good. This set up assumes cam shaft, torque converter and rear end gear all play well together. If you put in a big cam so it would sound impressive but left the stock converter and 2.78 or 3.08 rear end gears, then all bets are off and you have more problems than just a distributor if you want this thing to run well.

After looking at this picture some more, it does appear that this distributor is designed to run counter clockwise. Can you just take it back and point this out to the parts store and exchange it for one that for sure is for your engine? I've never seen one like this in a chevy V-8. Once you get the correct distributor, I'd set it up like I recommended before. It's easy and you will like the way the car performs.

 

[kdsracing]

Appears to me to be an incorrect distributor for 1st gen sbc. Flipping over the weights will block access to the round and square holes used to position the rotor.

Yes, you are right. Good observation.

 

[frank5s]

Yes, these are backward. The distributor turns clockwise, so the centrifugal force would not open the weights allowing the timing to advance. You should be able to flip them over and reinstall them the correct way. Are you going to use this distributor permanently? if so, I would recommend a Pertronix conversion and an MSD recurve kit using light springs. With the garage door springs that in there now, you won't attain full advance until well above the RPM you will commonly operate the engine at. The included instruction sheet will tell you which springs to use to achieve the curve you want. I set them up so that the timing starts to advance at about 1000-1200 and is all in by 2000-2200. Timing equals fuel economy and power. Small blocks want lots of timing and as quickly as your combination can handle it. Use PORTED vacuum for the advance, not manifold. A total advance of 34 degrees is good. This set up assumes cam shaft, torque converter and rear end gear all play well together. If you put in a big cam so it would sound impressive but left the stock converter and 2.78 or 3.08 rear end gears, then all bets are off and you have more problems than just a distributor if you want this thing to run well.

I agree with most of this But l would uses manifold vacuum. Your motor and fuel bill will thank you, less throttle opening to idle and will run cooler.

 

[kdsracing]

I agree with most of this But l would uses manifold vacuum. Your motor and fuel bill will thank you, less throttle opening to idle and will run cooler.

But you shouldn’t use timing to set the idle.

 

[frank5s]

I didnt say to use timing to set the idle but a by product of correct timing and manifold vacuum advance will allow you to close down the idle opening and keep the correct orientation of the transfer slot. Ported vacuum is an emission crutch.

 

[mccauley444]

Looks like I was, and it does happen occasionally, correct. Got a different one from the parts house and the weights were different. Popped it in and it works properly.

Thanks for all of the input

 

[relonatt3]

Try flipping the center plate.