1932 Distributor Question

[Bill Lee/Virginia]

What is the best setting in "degrees advanced" for the 1932 Distributor on the Model A engine? Currently, I have mine set at 4 degrees advanced and it runs fair but I think it should run better. Points are set at .018. Am using a Brumfield 5.9 to 1 cylinder head.

Thanks for your input, info and advice.

Bill Lee/Virginia Peninsula

[JSeery]

Assume you are talking initial advance. There is also total advance and the advance rate to consider.

[Bill Lee/Virginia]

I am seeking advance at 600 rpm idle. I think that is what you are referring as initial advance.

Thanks for your prompt reply.

Bill Lee/Virginia Peninsula

[JSeery]

I have little knowledge of Model A engines, but on most engines total advance and the RPM it occurs at is far more important than initial advance. Such as say 22 degrees at 2200 RPM (made up numbers!). Need someone with Model A experience to jump in here. Have you tried posting on the Model A board? I would think a Model A guy (high performance type) would know the best advance curve numbers.

[ursus]

The 1932 Model B engine was set with an initial advance of 19 degrees and the distributor had a total of about 12 degrees of centrifugal advance. The initial advance was built into the timing cover and pin setting.

The timing cover and pin assembly on the Model A was set at 0 degrees (Top Dead Center) with an manually adjustable total advance of up to 40 degrees. With a 5.9 / 1 compression head you won't need more that 28 - 30 degrees of total advance. The question is what kind of timing cover does your engine have??

[Hoop]

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You should be using a Model B timing cover with a Model B distributor on a Model A engine. If you are using a Model A timing cover, you are WAY under advanced and not making enough power unless you use timing marks/light to match Model B advance.

Use Vince Falter's website below as a guide:

http://www.fordgarage.com/pages/timingcovers.htm

[Kurt in NJ]

Do you have the vacuum hooked up ---no vacuum will slow the advance and limit total advance

[Bill Lee/Virginia]

Help me understand more about the 1932 Distributor on my Model A engine. I am using the Model A timing gear cover. I do not have a Model B timing gear cover to use. I did not road test the car. The starter does not kick back. It starts and runs fairly good at 600 rpm idle with the Distributor set at 16 degrees Advanced BTDC (using a timing light). Does this mean that I need to adjust the timing (using the timing light) to 19 degrees and divide the 19 degrees by 2 thereby giving me the desired 9-1/2 degrees BTDC?

I appreciate your time, info and advice.

Bill Lee/Virginia Peninsula

[Hoop]

Yes, 19 crankshaft degrees is the same as 9 1/2 distributor/camshaft degrees ... the crankshaft turns 2X the speed of the distributor and camshaft therefore 2 crankshaft degrees equals 1 distributor/camshaft degree.

Simply use your timing light to set the advance to 19 degrees BTDC on the crankshaft pulley.

[Bill Lee/Virginia]

Hoop:

Thank you for your time and info. I will adjust the timing to 19 degrees BTDC and attempt to drive the car this weekend. I will post the results of my test drive.

Bill Lee/Virginia Peninsula

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

The ones we build we set at 30 degrees at 2500 rpm, works great......

[Bill Lee/Virginia]

I set the timing at 19 degrees BTDC and test drove the Speedster this weekend several times. It now performs smoothly and with good power. There are no hills around here to test hill performance.

Thanks to all of you on this Forum for your time, info and advice.

Bill Lee/Virginia Peninsula