I have an accel HEI distributor and I want to try locking the timing out to see how it helps my idle quality, I don't want to weld on a brand new distributor to see if it cleans up the idle, so what are my choices? I know a MSD style distributor has a bushing which will lock it out, but I don't have that option on my accel. Would wrapping safety wire around the weights keep them from opening to try it out before welding it permanently locked out?

 

you can remove the springs
use a zip tie
or safety wire
or like a twist tie, temporarily. Not a lot of force on it.

I think F-bird'88 posted once how to get a zip tie on it, without interfereing.

good luck

 

search is down right now to find his post, so i guess I'll hit up a hardware store and try to find some safety wire then, unless you think a smaller zip tie would work somehow? I'm trying to imagine how to run the zip tie to not interfere with the bottom of the weights

 

Yea, he described it... the "lock" on the zip tie was below the plate IIRC. Get some FINE safety wire, <.033"

 

found his old posts, but it mentions removing the springs, and weights completely while using the zip tie, but i can't picture in my mind where to wrap the zip tie around if all those pieces are removed...?

 

Zip tie the advance plate (for lack of better/ proper word, y'know, the piece that moves seperately from the shaft...) directly to the shaft.

Im not sure how your dizzy is set up inside but from memory i think the old gm hei would be easy to do.

 

i zip tie'd the plate today after removing the weights and springs and center plate and then added 3 zip ties per side to take up the slack in the advance slot to lock it down. thanks again...

 

Did it clear up your idle?

 

dramatically cleaned up the idle. I wish I would have known to do this right away instead of trying to drill holes in the throttle plates, etc etc. Much crisper sounding.

 

does the motor crank over ok? starter retard?

did it clear up your original problem of poor cold start condition?

 

With the timing locked out, you now set the timing to total advance. Try 36*. Providing it can still crank over and start advanced that much.

 

yes it cleared up my problem of a poor cold start condition dramatically. Idled at 1000 rpm in gear when warmed up. Tomorrow I'll try restarting it on a cold engine and see how it performs, I'll probably set the mixture screws for highest vacuum reading when the motor is on the colder side so I won't have any issues off and on the trailer.


I have separate switches for starter and ignition, so I get the motor cranking really well, crack the throttle once and then flip the ignition and it fires up 9 times out of 10 with no starter kickback. I have it set at 32* since it seems like that's where most vortec combos are set, but at the track I can advance it slowly to see where the motor likes it best.