Distributor Advance on 914-6

[Karnak]

I have a 914-6 that i have recently acquired and am looking for information on setting up the distributor advance.
the Distributor has a vacuum diaphram, but no hose.

there are twin 3 barrel webbers on the motor and no source or connection point to connect the distributor to.

the motor runs rough until it is over 2200 rpm, then it takes off.

any information will be helpful.

:-)

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

You have a non-stock distributor on your Six. Or rather, a distributor that is not original to a 914-6.

Is yours an original car? Do you know what year 911 your engine is out of (if indeed it is a 911 engine)? Can you check the part number on the distributor?

Since there is no appropriate fitting to get vacuum for the vacuum dashpot on the distributor, I would leave it open to the air.

--DD

[Karnak]

hi Dave,

i looked over the distributor and cant see can't markings. the ignition is Bosch. the coil has a label that doesn't have any ink left on it.
if I do not hook up vacuum to the distributor, will there be enough advance? should i consider some kind of electronic (aftermarket) module to deal with advance issues (programmable)

the car started as a 914 and was converted...or rather is still a work in process. i will do some more poking around and gather some more info.

the emerging theory is that the carbs are not set properly and are running too rich - causing the spark plug(s) to mis fire.

i have so much to learn.

any thoughts would be helpful. attached is a picture of the engine.

thanks :-)

[BURN-BROS]

Looks like a three liter... is it? I would like to see a better pic of your dizzy. What is your advance at idle, 6000 rpm, and at what rpm does the advance finish it's transition from idle to full advance? I would agree that it sounds like a carb adjustment based on your description.

[rfuerst911sc]

IF it is a 3.0 and IF it is a 3.0 OEM distributor it really should be recurved to work correctly with carbs. At least that's what I was told when I converted my 3.0 from CIS to PMO's.

[Karnak]

thanks for the info guys.

yes it is a 3 liter. here are some pictures of the distributor and coil.

i cant get at the dizzy without more time to remove the distributor.
this engine was a FI before and the distributor is unaltered which goes a long way to explaining things.

i put a timing light on it at idle and at about 4000 rpm. there were two marks visible. at idle, it was about a 1/4" from the mark on the left and at 4000 RPM it was close to the mark on the right (think that is about the 30 degree mark).

i also pulled a couple of plugs. they were black.

the timing light i used was new and has a inductive pickup and the light at idle did not flash consistently. is that an indication of a coil issue?

also, is there a kit, or retrofit part i can buy that will re-curve the distributor for the carbs?



thanks a bunch!

[BURN-BROS]

Thanks for getting those pics. Typically the 3.0 has about 20 deg of mechanical advance. The vac pot can range depending on what year. The problem with setting your advance to get the right amount of total timing put too much initial and transitional advance. The dizzy appears to be in good condition but there are no real parts available to do what you need. Try to find a vac source that comes from above the butterflies and that will help.

If you do want it recurved, give Henry at supertec a call. I currently rebuild/recurve dizzies at his shop. Get those carbs looked at as that is more your immediate problem.

[A914Guy]

I had good results getting my distributor recurved by Jerry Woods. They know the detail necessary to do the setup well and were reasonably priced. That's another option for you.

Rich
a914guy@aol.com
'71 914-6 3.0L Conversion

[RoninLB]

2.7 Carrera dizzy full mechanical works for me w/carbs, 8.5:1, & E-cams, set to 10 initial advance.

the 0 231 184 004 dizzy is cheap brand new w/cap & rotor

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Originally Posted by RoninLB

2.7 Carrera dizzy full mechanical works for me w/carbs, 8.5:1, & E-cams, set to 10 initial advance.

I take it you don't have a 3.0 engine, do you? The distributor in the 3.0 spins the other way from the earlier engines, so you can't really swap.

--DD

[RoninLB]

Originally Posted by Dave at Pelican Parts

I take it you don't have a 3.0 engine, do you?

i was just throwing it around as a wild reference.

also, afaik, PMO used to recommend it.

And at PCA 1989 War Bonnet Tech the 1968 911E dizzy curve was mentioned as another curve for my engine configuration.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

True for yours--both are probably good choices, and I was not aware that the Carrera distributor was still available so reasonably. But I was referencing the original post, which is talking about a 3.0 (911SC) motor with the "wrong way" distributor.

--DD

[RoninLB]

Originally Posted by Karnak

looking for information on setting up the distributor advance.

any information will be helpful.:-)

you know, i came cruising over here on this thread because there's not enough curve info on this tossed around on the 911bbs.

any guy that drove a street racer in the 60s talked dizzy curves and what shops were tweaking them. And what dizzy curve kit to pick up and play with.

Fine that it's not 911bbs chatter, but maybe there's action on the 914bbs because if i was ever going to have a street racer And a trick track car it'll be a 914. Street racer to me is partly a fast jungle cruiser to run thru metro NY for food or a party. Something high and strong enough to gobble up ball joint breaking potholes without issue a few times a night. A 911 will never be able to do that without spending a fortune imo.

anyway.. it seems to me that carbs like high initial and a steep curve down at lower rpm. My low compression likes 10deg advance and is sloppy at 5deg.

If there was Bosch dizzy kit w/various springs and weights for $50 it would be fun..

[BURN-BROS]

As long as you have lower compression a high initial is o.k. But broken rings are what usually result with aggressive curves. The large surface areas of the 911 combustion chamber does not tollerate such things too well. Consider the combustion chamber of a 911 like an open chamber 351 cleveland head.