Recurving a Distributor
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Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,575
Likes: 5
From: Broken Arrow , OK
Recurving a Distributor
I have a procomp dizzy in my 351W. Procomp has 0 tech support and all of their contact info is in Canada. They do not return email apparently because I have sent them several over the last few months with no response.
So what I need to know is:
1) Are distributor springs and weights universal?
2) Where do I get the springs and weights?
So what I need to know is:
1) Are distributor springs and weights universal?
2) Where do I get the springs and weights?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,916
Likes: 4
What's sad is that that's probably the truth.
I don't know about the particular distributor in your truck, but I know they have vacuum advance cans and distributor re-curve kits (just springs and weights as far as I know) that go right into the Duraspark II distributors. Mr. Gasket makes re-curve kits with springs and weights for the DSII's. Don't know about the vacuum advances cans though.
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Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,575
Likes: 5
From: Broken Arrow , OK
Mine is a mechanical advance and the company is in Australia come to find out. I am not saying they arent made in China,but,I am saying they are hard to get a hold of. I might have found a place to contact them. We will see tomorrow.
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
Likes: 39
From: EXTREME southwest CT
If you buy the adjustable vacuum advance kit from Crane Cams for a DSII it has the springs included.
The Mr Gasket kit is only the springs.
Don't know anything about the Procomp stuff, except where it's made...
The Mr Gasket kit is only the springs.
Don't know anything about the Procomp stuff, except where it's made...
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Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,575
Likes: 5
From: Broken Arrow , OK
Ok, I found this info regarding the distributor:
FORD 351w 8000 SERIES PRO BILLET MAGNETIC PICKUP DISTRIBUTOR
Does the part in bold mean I dont have to add weights or springs?
FORD 351w 8000 SERIES PRO BILLET MAGNETIC PICKUP DISTRIBUTOR
FORD 351w 8000 SERIES PRO BILLET MAGNETIC PICKUP DISTRIBUTOR
E-mail this product to a friend
Procomp 8000 Series billet distributors are designed for the enthusiast that is serious about performance but needs the small cap size due to space considerations when installed.
The spark plug type terminals offer secure wire attachment.
Under the brass terminals of the cap and rotor is an extremely accurate magnetic pickup that never requires adjustment.
This combination yields stable timing and spark delivery at any RPM.
Billet Housing:
Procomp Pro Billet feture a distributor housing machined from billet 6061-T6 aluminum.
Procomp uses Computerised Numerical Controlled (CNC) mills and lathes to create each housing.
This procedure produces a flawless, lightweight distributor housing that is accurate to within 0.001''.
The Billet and Pro Billet offer the same performance features with the only difference being the base of the distributor.
The Billet models feature a Dupont Rynite, glass reinforced base, while the Pro Billet models use a CNC-machined aluminum base.
Shaft and Ball Bearing Guide:
The complete line of Procomp Distributors uses a polished 1/2" steel shaft that receives a QPQ, or Tuftride coating.
This process produces a durable finish that reduces friction and resists corrosion.
To accurately guide this shaft, Procomp uses a sealed ball bearing located at the top of the housing.
At the bottom of the housing, an extra long sintered bushing controls the shaft.
This combination keeps the shaft spinning smooth and accurately throughout 10,000+ rpm.
Magnetic Pickup:
All of the Procomp Distributors use a high output magnetic pickup to trigger the ignition system.
This pickup is completely maintenance free requiring no adjustment ever.
The pickup is mounted to the base of the distributor housing and plugs directly into your Ignition Control.
A trigger signal is created as a precision made reluctor (attached to the shaft) passes by.
The reluctor has a ''paddle'' for each cylinder and when the paddle passes the pickup, a signal is created.
Adjustable Mechanical Advance:
One of the most important features of the Procomp Distributors is the adjustable mechanical advance assembly.
The advance assembly allows you to accurately modify the advance curve to match your specific application.
To start with, the advance plate is stamped and machined from chrome moly, weight pins are then staked in and tig welded in place.
This assembly, along with the weights, then receive a corrosion resistant QPQ coating.PLEASE NOTE!
Installation: All Procomp Billet Distributors must be used with an˜Procomp or MSD 6A, 6AL, Ignition Control and Coil.
Only the Pro-Billet Ready-to-Run and Pro-Billet HEI Chevrolet models can be used without an Procomp Ignition.
Bronze Gear: We offer a full line of billet Bronze distributor gears for roller cam applications.
E-mail this product to a friend
Procomp 8000 Series billet distributors are designed for the enthusiast that is serious about performance but needs the small cap size due to space considerations when installed.
The spark plug type terminals offer secure wire attachment.
Under the brass terminals of the cap and rotor is an extremely accurate magnetic pickup that never requires adjustment.
This combination yields stable timing and spark delivery at any RPM.
Billet Housing:
Procomp Pro Billet feture a distributor housing machined from billet 6061-T6 aluminum.
Procomp uses Computerised Numerical Controlled (CNC) mills and lathes to create each housing.
This procedure produces a flawless, lightweight distributor housing that is accurate to within 0.001''.
The Billet and Pro Billet offer the same performance features with the only difference being the base of the distributor.
The Billet models feature a Dupont Rynite, glass reinforced base, while the Pro Billet models use a CNC-machined aluminum base.
Shaft and Ball Bearing Guide:
The complete line of Procomp Distributors uses a polished 1/2" steel shaft that receives a QPQ, or Tuftride coating.
This process produces a durable finish that reduces friction and resists corrosion.
To accurately guide this shaft, Procomp uses a sealed ball bearing located at the top of the housing.
At the bottom of the housing, an extra long sintered bushing controls the shaft.
This combination keeps the shaft spinning smooth and accurately throughout 10,000+ rpm.
Magnetic Pickup:
All of the Procomp Distributors use a high output magnetic pickup to trigger the ignition system.
This pickup is completely maintenance free requiring no adjustment ever.
The pickup is mounted to the base of the distributor housing and plugs directly into your Ignition Control.
A trigger signal is created as a precision made reluctor (attached to the shaft) passes by.
The reluctor has a ''paddle'' for each cylinder and when the paddle passes the pickup, a signal is created.
Adjustable Mechanical Advance:
One of the most important features of the Procomp Distributors is the adjustable mechanical advance assembly.
The advance assembly allows you to accurately modify the advance curve to match your specific application.
To start with, the advance plate is stamped and machined from chrome moly, weight pins are then staked in and tig welded in place.
This assembly, along with the weights, then receive a corrosion resistant QPQ coating.PLEASE NOTE!
Installation: All Procomp Billet Distributors must be used with an˜Procomp or MSD 6A, 6AL, Ignition Control and Coil.
Only the Pro-Billet Ready-to-Run and Pro-Billet HEI Chevrolet models can be used without an Procomp Ignition.
Bronze Gear: We offer a full line of billet Bronze distributor gears for roller cam applications.
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pedant
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Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,575
Likes: 5
From: Broken Arrow , OK
OK, so I did a bunch of homework on the topic. Apparently 99% of the recurve kits are universal. The innards are the same with procomp,MSD,Mr. Gasket,Mallory, GM,DurasparkII and so on and so on.
I ordered this kit because it was dirt cheap and more than likely is a big name brand repackaged:
JEGS Performance Products 40004 JEGS HEI Advance Curve Kit
I dont know crap about doing this Gary seemed somewhat confident that he could do it. So I will probably try to catch him free and try to do it.
I ordered this kit because it was dirt cheap and more than likely is a big name brand repackaged:
JEGS Performance Products 40004 JEGS HEI Advance Curve Kit
I dont know crap about doing this Gary seemed somewhat confident that he could do it. So I will probably try to catch him free and try to do it.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,154
Likes: 2
From: Marysville, WA
The staked and TIGed part above is about the pins that retain the advance plate and springs. Staked and welded is good.
Recurve basics:
Weights are not normally changed. I have not seen them changed except for wear.
Softer springs allow mechanical advance to come in at a lower rpm.
Normally one spring will be stronger than the other. The advance comes in faster at low rpm and slower as rpm increases. This makes the advance curve an arc if graphed, where two of the same springs would be linear advance.
Total mechanical advance is usually controlled with a slot in the plate. Once the springs stretch with higher rpm, the plate will hit the pins and at that point, all mechanical advance is in.
The vacuum advance can is also connected to the plate. The same slot applies to total advance with vacuum also. The springs counteract the vacuum action at low rpm to prevent too much advance.
With your engine running, without vacuum advance, what is the initial timing and what is it at 2500rpm? Does the timing advance more over 2500rpm?
On my engines, I set the distributor for 12 degrees initial, and 34 degrees all in at 2500rpm. And you really need a dyno to see the differences is 34 to 36 degrees. Anything over 36 and power almost always went down. I only recurve if the distributor doesn't get all mechanical advance in by 2500.
Stretched or broken springs make the advance jump around or come in too fast. Worn plates/pins/bushings change the curve.
With that said, why do you want to recurve? Most quality distributors have a good curve built in.
Recurve basics:
Weights are not normally changed. I have not seen them changed except for wear.
Softer springs allow mechanical advance to come in at a lower rpm.
Normally one spring will be stronger than the other. The advance comes in faster at low rpm and slower as rpm increases. This makes the advance curve an arc if graphed, where two of the same springs would be linear advance.
Total mechanical advance is usually controlled with a slot in the plate. Once the springs stretch with higher rpm, the plate will hit the pins and at that point, all mechanical advance is in.
The vacuum advance can is also connected to the plate. The same slot applies to total advance with vacuum also. The springs counteract the vacuum action at low rpm to prevent too much advance.
With your engine running, without vacuum advance, what is the initial timing and what is it at 2500rpm? Does the timing advance more over 2500rpm?
On my engines, I set the distributor for 12 degrees initial, and 34 degrees all in at 2500rpm. And you really need a dyno to see the differences is 34 to 36 degrees. Anything over 36 and power almost always went down. I only recurve if the distributor doesn't get all mechanical advance in by 2500.
Stretched or broken springs make the advance jump around or come in too fast. Worn plates/pins/bushings change the curve.
With that said, why do you want to recurve? Most quality distributors have a good curve built in.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 32,875
Likes: 48
From: Northeast, OK
Don's writeup is a good refresher. I've done it a few times, mostly blindly meaning that I didn't know what targets I was shooting at but just getting more advance w/o pinging, It worked, but made the off-idle tricky on snow, as I've outlined before.
However, I have to agree w/Don's question - why do you think you need to recurve?
However, I have to agree w/Don's question - why do you think you need to recurve?
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Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,575
Likes: 5
From: Broken Arrow , OK
Way back when we were discussing the carb problems and what the Bronco was doing and how it was acting funny and sort of gutless. Besides the carb issues Bill had opted that the timing curve may weak for the camshaft I am running in it(this starts at around post #50). Also being that the cam was never degreed when installed it was suspect and we(Gary & Me) decided that maybe it had better be degreed in as well.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-issues-4.html
I dont know that the advance needs to be recurved(because I dont know Chit about distributors and advance curves),but,Bill thought maybe it was part of the problem in the big picture. So I thought for $4.99 I dont see how I could go wrong.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-issues-4.html
I dont know that the advance needs to be recurved(because I dont know Chit about distributors and advance curves),but,Bill thought maybe it was part of the problem in the big picture. So I thought for $4.99 I dont see how I could go wrong.
