I've got a non-computer Accel blueprint distributor that is only getting 9 degrees of mechanical advance. Currently I've got it set at 16 degrees base (600 RPM), though I can go up to 24 degrees no problem. The advance increases as it should to about 1100 RPM, when it reaches 9 deg mech. or 25 deg total. I ran it up to 4000 RPM and it stayed at 25 deg the entire time. Another problem occurred when I brought the idle back down. Any time I return to idle it takes about 3 seconds for the timing to return to base. It acts like the mechanism is sticking or bound up. For reference it is an Accel HEI Blueprint distributor (#59107). The book says it should have 24 degrees at 2800 RPM. And yes I had the vacuum advance disconnected.

Thanks,

Troy

 

Advance weights hitting the rotor.

 

Exactly.

Take off the rotor and look at it carefully, I'll bet you'll see where the weights rub. Probably one of the little reinforcement ribs. Grind a little material off.

 

I took off the cap and rotor and there were no unusual wear marks. Nothing seemed bound up or interfering either. The instruction sheet says that different sleeves can be put on the advance stop pin, I assume to alter the max advance. Has anybody had experience with removing or reshaping these bushings?

 

If it's anything like MSD, you should be able to get different size stop bushings. (yes) These allow for tweaking the amount of mech adv.
I think mine are 20 or 22 can't remember. My total right now is 36, and my initial is -what- 14 or 16...

I can't even imagine they would put a 9° stop bushing from the factory!

What strength springs do you have on? They might be to strong to open up below a ridiculously high rpm.

You want to make sure you can get it all (34-38°) in by 3000 or so.

Ron

 

Also Troy, do you have any type of ignition box (like MSD 6A)?
Some timing lights do wackey things with capacitive discharge systems.

Ron

 

No, I don't use an ignition box, at least not yet. Tomorrow I'm going to look at the stop pin and see if I can do any adjustments there. Supposedly there is an adjustable slot that controls max advance. If so that might be my problem. I'll know more tomorrow. Thanks for all of the advice so far.

 

I have run into my fair share of mechanical advance issues. I have a mallory hei (with their "new mechanical advance mechanism") and it wasn't advancing more than 4 degrees, no matter how high it revved. I checked over everything, the weights moved freely, bushings were new, no unusual wear. Come to find out that the center plate (that advances the rotor when the weights push on it) was shaped different than a stock hei center plate. Went to u-wrench-it and pulled a stock one, cleaned it up, now advance works just fine... hope my little adventure can help!

 

I took everything apart this morning and found that there was a tiny bit of wear at the tips of the weights so I gutted the underside of the rotor where they may have touched. This did absolutely nothing for the timing. The springs are the medium strength, full advance at 2800 RPM. I did notice that there were bushings in the slot to limit total advance but I couldn't even get it to touch the stop. It seems like the shape of the weights or center section could be off or something. I'm thinking that I'm going to try thidgen88's idea of replacing the mechanism. Does anybody know of a kit that has weights that are thinner at the tips, this might help reduce rubbing. Thanks guys