Register now to get rid of these ads!

Technical Stock distributor performance?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Boden, Sep 23, 2019.

  1. Boden
    Joined: Oct 10, 2018
    Posts: 747

    Boden

    This may be a dumb question. I have a dual point 8ba distributor and I was wondering if there is a certain points gap that would make faster throttle response and all round better performance. Or any tips and and tricks for performance while my distributor is all apart and being rebuilt.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  2. noboD
    Joined: Jan 29, 2004
    Posts: 8,461

    noboD
    Member

  3. missysdad1
    Joined: Dec 9, 2008
    Posts: 3,305

    missysdad1
    Member

    Just set it up according to stock specs and you'll be fine. It's a really good unit and will serve you well as it is, you'll gain no significant improvements by tinkering with it.
     
  4. tubman
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 6,917

    tubman
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I agree; the engineers who, back in the days, designed these things really did know what they were doing.
     
    dana barlow, Boden and Truck64 like this.

  5. Boden
    Joined: Oct 10, 2018
    Posts: 747

    Boden

    Ok. So there are no performance condensers or anything ?



    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  6. Mimilan
    Joined: Jun 13, 2019
    Posts: 1,230

    Mimilan
    Member

    It's called a Ford TFI module.
    It can be points triggered and eliminates the condenser
     
    Rusty O'Toole likes this.
  7. F-ONE
    Joined: Mar 27, 2008
    Posts: 3,271

    F-ONE
    Member
    from Alabama

    Stock 8BA / 8Rt distributors were single point Loadamatic Distributors. Anything is possible I guess, but I have never heard of a Dual Point LOM Ford distributor.
    Likely you have an aftermarket “ performance “ distributor, like a Mallory Mechanical advance.

    About all the home mechanic can do is clean a distributor up and replace worn parts.
    To really tune one requires specialized equipment to.... curve or recurve one and that is above my pay grade.
     
  8. Boden
    Joined: Oct 10, 2018
    Posts: 747

    Boden

    Ya. I put a merc dual point breaker plate in. Or am about to put it in when I get it in the mail.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  9. s55mercury66
    Joined: Jul 6, 2009
    Posts: 4,335

    s55mercury66
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

    You might try concentrating on dwell, more than the point gap. You want 28-32 degrees of dwell, and you will need a dwell meter to check it and get it set. You may find that the point gap will be a little small, or a little large, when you have the proper dwell.
     
    loudbang, ClayMart and Truck64 like this.
  10. JeffB2
    Joined: Dec 18, 2006
    Posts: 9,484

    JeffB2
    Member
    from Phoenix,AZ

    A bit of education about Load-O-Matics :http://m571.com/yblock/loadomatic.htm Common complaints are usually when guys try to use a later style Carb that is not compatible with the early distributor.
     
    Truckdoctor Andy likes this.
  11. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    Setting points with a matchbook or feeler gauge is fine when they are new but after some miles on them deposits start to build on the point faces. For best results set the dwell with a meter without regard to the resulting point gap.
     

  12. That's a good excuse to look for wear on the shaft and bushings or the breaker plate.
    :p
     
  13. tubman
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 6,917

    tubman
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    A dwell/tach meter is really a good thing to have, especially if you have a dual point distributor.. You block of one set of points with a piece of thin cardboard and set the dwell on the first set, and then block the first set and set the dwell on the second set. Then check total dwell. It will usually be right on. If not, recheck the individual sets. I bought a used meter from eBay for around $20 and it's one of the best purchases so far this year.

    Also, "ClayMart" is right about checking your distributor for wear. Most of this stuff is around 70 years old and has been through the war.
     
  14. sunbeam
    Joined: Oct 22, 2010
    Posts: 6,214

    sunbeam
    Member

    Dual points will increase dwell (time for the coil to build up) I doubt that your flathead will see the RPM where that becomes a problem.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2019
    Elcohaulic likes this.
  15. tubman
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 6,917

    tubman
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I have never heard of that era Mercury's having dual points, but Mallory did make a dual point conversion for a Load-a-matic". I had one in my high school '51 Ford. I think it was $9.95 or $17.95
    or something like that, and it was the only piece of real name brand speed equipment I could afford at the time. Because the second set of points took up the space where the stock condenser lived inside the distributor, the conversion came with one of Mallory's brass "Trash Can" condensers that mounted on the outside of the distributor. So, when you opened your hood, there it was to show your friends that you indeed, did have a "racing ignition". Granted, it wasn't as impressive a a set of finned heads or dual carbs, it made some points with the Chevy 6/Rambler crowd.

    If you need one of those condensers, I know where you can get it.:rolleyes:
     
    s55mercury66 likes this.
  16. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,264

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    The advance diaphragm will wear out and fail over the years. Good idea to check its proper function.
    These normally wont work on dual 94 carb setups. The venture vacuum advance doesn't like to be split between two carburetors.
     
    sidevalve8ba likes this.
  17. Boden
    Joined: Oct 10, 2018
    Posts: 747

    Boden

    Now. What do I do about the advance. I will be running 2 or 3 deuces. And a high performance cam. Is there a way to lock the advance or convert it to mechanical advance. What do you guys have to say abt that?or if there is another thing I should do please tell me.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  18. G-son
    Joined: Dec 19, 2012
    Posts: 1,277

    G-son
    Member
    from Sweden

    Points gap/dwell is all about letting the current flow through the coil long enough to build up the magnetic field, and let it collapse when the points open. Not much performance to gain there, if you've adjusted it as it should be.
    Ignition advance at all conditions and rpm's is what you need to pay attention to, meaning you want the correct vacuum advance, the correct centrifugal advance as rpm increases, and the correct static advance to begin with (assuming you have a distributor with these functions, not quite familiar with these old machines). The original distributors were no doubt fine on stock engines when the engines and distributors were fresh, with generations of wear and often various modifications there may be quite a bit of changes needed to bring the best out of the engine. The hard part is knowing how to adjust it, basically needs to be done on the dyno.
     
  19. 53 hemi
    Joined: Jan 8, 2009
    Posts: 501

    53 hemi
    Member

    Some basic tech. My brother helped me recurve my distributor a little more professionally, but this is the basic idea -



    Sent from my SM-G950U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  20. I used to have my flathead dist. set up on a dist. machine . This always improved my low end torque and got me off the line faster .
     
  21. lostone
    Joined: Oct 13, 2013
    Posts: 2,820

    lostone
    Member
    from kansas

    I'd love to have a distributor machine ! Back in the early 80`s we had one in high school, I used to set distributors up for my buddies.

    I wonder if it would all come back to me like riding a bike :)

    But yeah if I were you I'd check around locally and see if any hot rodders around you have a machine, I'm sure they'd be willing to help out another hot rodder.
     
  22. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,594

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    If you are running 12 volts and a coil that requires a ballast resistor, wire a micro switch to bypass the resistor when you go to full throttle. ;)
     
    Boden likes this.
  23. Boden
    Joined: Oct 10, 2018
    Posts: 747

    Boden

    Thanks for all the replies. Very good information. It turns out my boss at the machine shop I work at and a distributor machine. Haha. Great luck huh


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  24. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,264

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    If you plan to use a stock distributor with dual carbs from past experiences plan on a lesson of frustration.
    First of all, the advance is ONLY designed to hook up to a Venturi port and Holley 94’s are your only option.
    Secondly, a repeat, splitting the vacuum between two carbs will be really a hard thiing to accomplish. It actually decreases the needed vacuum.
    Do not hook the distributor to manifold vacuum. I’ve read it actually reverses the advance signal.
    Consider one of bubbas conversions or a electronic version.
    And three carburetors on a stock-ish flathead is a waste of time and money.
     
  25. Boden
    Joined: Oct 10, 2018
    Posts: 747

    Boden

    Sorry. My motor is not stock. I did not explain. It a 51 block with a merc crank, .040 aluminum coated pistons, stock rods, ported and relieved, high compression 59cc sharp heads, and headers. And soon hopefully a 2 or 3 deuce intake with either Stromberg 97s,48s or a Holley 94.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  26. Please explain how this works and how it’s wired!


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  27. Take that stock lodamatic distributor and throw it as far as you can. It won't work right on an engine with multi carbs/other mods.
    Get a modified Delco, MSD or Mallory.
     
    Truckdoctor Andy likes this.
  28. F-ONE
    Joined: Mar 27, 2008
    Posts: 3,271

    F-ONE
    Member
    from Alabama

    My point is this...
    If you have Dual Points it’s not a stock Ford LOM unit.

    It could be the stock unit with a Dyna-Flyte Dual Point plate but I’m not sure the Dyna-Flyte was offered for the LOM unit.
    This stuff has not been made for about 6 decades.

    You probably have a Mallory Unit with mechanical advance. That’s just a guess.

    You cannot get an informed answer unless we know what unit you have.
    So...
    Is it a LOM conversion with ancient parts?
    Is it a Mallory?
    Is it a customized unit from a later Ford or another Make?

    What distributor do you have?
     
  29. Boden
    Joined: Oct 10, 2018
    Posts: 747

    Boden

    I have a stock 8ba distributor with a dual point breaker plate that was made as an upgrade. This is the item[​IMG]


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
    F-ONE likes this.
  30. F-ONE
    Joined: Mar 27, 2008
    Posts: 3,271

    F-ONE
    Member
    from Alabama

    OK I see this now.

    The LOM will not work correctly with dual or triple carburetors.

    The only way a LOM might work is with a single “matched” carburetor.

    Some say the LOM works really well with the bigger Snorkel 4 Bolt Mercury LOM carburetor and intake.
    You see the Snorkel Mercury was designed for a LOM vacuum advance only distributor.

    Some say it can be set up to run better than the multiple carb “eye candy”.
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.