InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

I can always tell on mine when the weights are stuck and when they aren't. Sometimes the weights get stuck and give me no mechanical advance and sometimes they get stuck at full advance. I can usually tell with fluctuations of my idle speed. It took a lot of frustration and inexperience to finally track that down as the cause, but I was able to verify it with a timing light. Normally at high RPMs it will always give me my 32-33 total that I want, but at idle it varies pretty wildly with vacuum advance disconnected.

So I've already replaced the bushings and weights and springs in there once, and Im usually in it once every 6 months to a year to address yet another Accel ignition parts failure (no more of that left, thankfully) and I usually find the weights are binding up pretty bad in there.

Is there anything I can do to prevent this? Im leery of spraying wd40 or gun oil or something in there.... there's obviously a lot of high powered sparks flying around in there. Are there perhaps higher quality brands of weights/springs that arent as prone to binding? Does anyone else have to deal with the weights getting hung up all the time? It's never really a problem so much as it is a nuisance, but it's just one of those things I hate about having a carbed car.

92RS_Ttop

iTrader: (3)

When I rebuilt the distributor during my 350 swap, I used a small file on the top of the weight plate to smooth down any burrs or uneven spots. Then I put a smear of wheel bearing grease on the top of the plate to keep them from sticking. Just the used my finger to put a thin film of it on there. The weight/spring kit I used is just the standard cheapo Mr Gasket one from Summit. I never noticed a problem in about 7500 mles(daily driven for 2 1/2 summers).

Damon

Are the weight holes or the pivot pins they go over worn? If so, you're done. It's time for a new distributor (or replace the weights and the distributor shaft).

Factory parts are the only ones I trust in a stock HEI. Aftermarket kits (which are all the same crap as the Mr. Gasket kit, regardless of whose name is on it) are worse than stock stuff in quality and performance.

84elco231

Yeah, if the pivots and pins or weights/plates are worn then you need new stuff or refurb as necessary. I have no issues with oiling or greasing these parts down with lithium grease or most anything, like ATF or motor oil but I think the grease might last longer. The corona and ozone trapped under the cap could cause corrosion issues I suppose but I haven't ever had too much problem with that myself.

dmh

If you can get it free'ed up, a couple of drops of oil should do the trick. It won't hurt anything.

Best thing to do is pull it out, take the shaft out and pull the advance part off the shaft. Clean it up real good and grease it.

Had the same problem on a 78 z I had years ago.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Yup, just a thin schmeeer of white lithium on all the parts, usually does the trick. Especially the little plastic pads the weights sit on.

Might want to check everything to see if the "rib" features on the bottom of the rotor, are maybe rubbing on the top of the weights. I've had several distributors over the years that worked AHELLUVALOT better if I put a washer under the rotor at each screw, to raise it up a coupla .001"s and clear the weights better.

Might also want to make sure the problem isn't really that the whole reluctor pole piece, the thing that the weights actually move around, is stiff on the shaft. If it is, it's teardown, clean-up, refinish the shaft, and relube & reassemble time.

87v6Bird

iTrader: (1)

I just finished diagnosing this exact problem on my car this weekend. I've got a couple of crappy pics at home. I was only getting ~8 deg. mechanical advance. It was making for a very frustrating tuning experience...

My solution was also the same. Moved the washers from above the rotor to below. Voilą 24 deg advance.