Quick Ignition Timing Question

[A Quiet Boom]

I concur with Doug on this. A stuck dizzy is a bad thing. There are only two times when a locked dizzy is OK.

1) In a race only car that never sees a load below 3000+ rpm, like a drag car

2) On a car like mine with a timing computer or some other device providing the timing curve.

Mine's locked at about 34 degrees (welded advance) and my MSD timing computer retards the timing below my full advance setpoint of 3000 rpm. There's a felt plug on top of the dizzy shaft under the rotor that needs oiled from time to time and if I remember correctly the bushings that the advance mechanism rotate on need lightly greased. Take the cap and rotor off and physically get the advance moving then oil the moving parts lightly. The problem is you don't know whether it's stuck at no advance or full advance and if it's stuck at no advance and loosens on it's own you could wind up with something like 50 degrees total timing. Lug down below 3000 in any gear and with 30 degrees total you're risking detonation! Think what a rebuild of the motor costs versus getting the dizzy fixed.

[Gavin English]

Thanks Fellas,

I did notice that the engine temp was higher than usual. In the process of tuning the car, I had pulled the felt plug and oiled the shaft. (guess it didn't help)

I'll start working on fixing this distributor and hope I can get this straightened out.

Thanks for your help,
Gavin