I'm running a points style dizzy out of a 70' Chevelle w/ a 454. I converted the points to electronic ignition with the Crane Cams kit. How much mechanical advance is built in to these distributors?

Thanks.

 

i had the same problem, can't help though

 

On a points distributor you can take the weights and springs out and zip tie the mechanism to full advance. Set your timing to about 34 degrees, and then put the weights and spings back in.

 

Hmm. Interesting theory, I've never heard of this. I'm running one med. one light spring with the stock weights. I'm going to start her up tonight and set my timing, I was hoping I could get 36 deg all in by 3000 with out mod

 

You'll probably need around 15-20 degrees initial to get 36 total. Those distributors didn't have much mechanical built in, a big reason a little distributor tweaking used to produce such big results.

 

With all the high tech electronic ignitions, why are you still playing around with a points distributor? They're not as good as electronic ignition. Even dropping in a junkyard large cap HEI will work better.

 

Ha, have you ever even had a points dizzy? As much as i hate working on certain brands of cars with the dizzy in back, changing points and adjusting dwell aint that bad. My only complaint with points is I leave the key on too long, and that can get old.

Btw as far as i can tell with my single point, i have around 4° mechanical advance. The easiest way to tell, is to uhook the vaccum advance, and run the engine, watching the timing with a light, rev the car to around 2500 rpm and see how much the timing advances, take the car higher, and see if the advance runs higher yet. at a certain point based upon your springs the arms will bottom out.

a common modification is to slot the holes bigger and allow the weights to move farther yet. a spring kit can also do wonderrs.

 

In my original post I said I was using a points style dizzy w/ the Crane Cams electronic conversion kit w/ rev limiter. I am not running points at all.

Can I still get 36 degrees advance @ 3000 rpm?

 

I don't see why not. You still have the springs and weights don't? Do some testing and find out what your advance curve is like now, then get the $5 kit and most likely use a lighter spring set and you're done.
Unless this points style dist is vastly different from the HEI that i've dealt with...

 

the dizzy itself is the same in design, at least on the mechanical side of it. Plus in the thirdgen i see the small cap as a life send.

 

Why not mark your balancer for 36DBTDC and see for yourself. Generally the old pre 1974 points distributors had 18 to 24deg of mechanical advance travel.
There is a 8 or 10 didgit number stamped on the side of the distributor body. What is it? This number will tell you about the advance curve of that distributor.
I have listings for about 25 or so delco/remy distributors.