Not exactly a carb question but its something you guys would know the most about... Right now with my MSD Pro-Billet I'm running 14* initial and and biggest stop bushing which gives me 18* centrifugal (32* total for the math dumbies) Now the car doesnt idle very good with only 14* initial so I hooked up the vacuum advance to manifold vacuum. Car idles better but it'll still idle slightly crappy and rich. I did a little experimenting and bumped the timing up to 32* at idle. Car idles wonderful, isn't rich anymore, revs perfectly fine, etc. Now this was just a in-garage test no driving (still gotta replace the POS dead 700R4). The car is definately near impossible to start when hot with 32* initial so I'm thinking of either rigging up an ignition cutoff switch or just buying a in-car retard control. So when do you feel its necessary to lock out a distributor? What disadvantages would this bring in a "limited" street kinda car? Do you think its something I should do? Thanks, Chris

I'm not a big fan of locking out the distributor for one simple reason- it's so damned difficult to start it on a warm engine. The high ammount of advance (30*+) under starting conditions will often "fight" against the starter and make you miserable.

A solution is to get a "start retard" box for you ignition system (they are available for MSD boxes and several other aftermarket ignition systems). They pull the spark back about 20* for anything under ~200 RPMs, making cranking the engine over much easier.

Another alternative is a switch that turns the ignition off and on. You start cranking with the starter to get the engine turning and then flip the switch to turn on the sparks. She fires right up. This is how a lot of the real racers do it.

msd-8984 :
MSD Starter Savers
Timing Controller, Analog, Starter Saver, Each

Is it strange that I can start mine with zero problems even locked in at 38*? Never had a problem with the starter having a hard time turning the engine over.

sounds like he isnt running a high powered gear reduction starter. But anyways lock out the timing and then crank the motor over and then flip the ignition switch and you'll be fine. On bigger cammed engines there's no reason not to lock it out IMO.

wow... this thread is from 2004

whoa didn't even notice

IIRC isn't an LT1 starter a gear reduction variety?

my cam is 212/222 @ 435/460, does that rate big enough to be locked out?

I've honestly thought about it though, just don't want to have to spend any more money on my ignition...

I was using some stock starter pulled from a shed on mine and it still didn't have any troubles. Running small Hitachi right now that kicks it over great.

lt1 starter is a nice piece, but with a cam that small I wouldn't bother locking out the timing IMO. When your duration gets in the 230s+ then it is a worthwhile mod.

good to go, i think i'll look into limiting the mechanical advance instead, thanks!

one of these days I'm gonna throw in an xe274.

How would I go about locking out my timing on my points style distributor. I have converted it over with the Crane Cams ignition to replace the actual points. I run about 23* initial and 36* all in.

Hows it run right now? You can always just remove the weights, and zip tie the mechanism to fully advanced, and see how it goes. Isn't the points style similar looking? I mean, could you zip tie it? Or use twist ties, try it for a few hours and see if it runs any better.

anyone know if this starter saver will work with a stock 85z28 5.0 distributor? Pardon the stupid question since on the site it says This unit will only work with an MSD distributor or crank trigger. but is there a way to make it work with stock distributor?

MSD 8682 works. A dash mounted spark disable switch works just as well.
get one rated for 10+amps. hooks up to the big red/pink power wire in the hei cap.

thanx f-bird