I am about to freshen up the top end of my 400. I have a few varied questions so I will just lay em out, please answer if you got the time.

1. The comp cams K32 kit (complete with timing chain, springs etc) shows it comes with a "Double Non-Roller" chain set. Is this ok for a weekend driven engine. I do like to hear all 8 cylinders run so I can be heavyfooted at times WIll this chain and gear set suffice even though it is non-roller?

2. I removed all smog equipment years ago, and I have heard that I should recurve my dizzy. What is a good way to bolt on an upgraded distributor curve? I still have the stock DuraSPark II Ignition system. I would be willing to spend 150 max on upgrading ignition system. Im not to up on ignition systems or timing for performance etc. What are some good settings for this engine? I have an old sparkomatic timing light from the 60's

3. I will have the heads off of the engine when I put them cam in. Do I just get the number one piston to TDC then install crank gear at "0" mark, then install cam gear with matching mark pointing to each other? I installed a cam in my last 400 but that was many moons ago.

 

Here's a link on the dizzy recurving
Duraspark_distributor_recurve_instructions_index
I have no clue about the other stuff but what you said about the cam settings sounds correct.

 

Thank you for the link. Thats what I needed!

 

For about $60 on ebay you can get h.e.i. dizzy that bolts right in and is self contained. It is just a 1 wire hook up. Comes with a 50,000 volt coil in cap. That way you can get rid of your ign. box witch tend to fail without warning. Good luck.

 

I prefer the Cloye's "Street" Tru-Roller for a little more insurance as a personal prefference. Being a Comp timing chain you should be alright though. If you haven't bought the kit yet, ask the supplier if an upgrade is possible. It doesn't hurt to ask and the upgrade may be very reasonable. Short answer to #3-yes. It is a good idea to degree your cam, though.

 

Does anyone know the voltage required to fire an engine? If you have an ignition scope or a lab scope which can read the secondary voltages you would find that about 8 to 13,000 volts are needed. Pulling off any plug wire will tell you what the coil is capable of producing, this is usually around 30 to 35,000 volts. While I'm sure people are well intended I don't think a normal or mildly modified steert engine needs anymore than a normal duraspark or hei system. If we were building an engine which ran very high rpms
such as the nascar or indy types where the dwell times become so very short perhaps
something else is required. By the way the old point systems produced voltages very close to what I mentioned earlier, the problem was always point bounce which cut into dwell time. That was helped with dual points. My thought, I would be save the 60 bucks for something else that may help your engine. kotzy

 

While what you say is basically true, there are other considerations besides the power of the spark delivered. You touched on one of them when you mentioned points- timing of the spark. While good systems and capable of supporting a fair amount of modifications and revs, the factory ignition systems have some limitations and problems. While there are no points- the factory dizzys are notorious for wearing a wobble into the shafts. A little wobble, a lot of revs, and the deviation in timing becomes enough to affect performance. At what point the factory parts become a noticable hinderance to performance is debatable, but the fact that nearly everybody upgrades sooner or later proves it does. The very nature of performance upgrades translates directly to moving more air through the engine. NA engines have a narrow window of air/fuel ratio in which to operate which means more fuel is coming along with it. More fuel at a higher compression is harder to light off, and it needs to happen reliably- hence the need for higher voltages. Porky2118's other point was the elimination of the factory ignition module who's failures have been the source of many an FTE thread. While certainly not part of a $60 distributor, aftermarket ignitions usually emit a series of closely spaced sparks for a more complete ignition. But it points to a need for the best ignition possible to gain the best performance. But you might be right- that $60 probably ought to be spent on a set of wires.