8ABA engine distributor?

[derek costello]

Has anybody used one of the TSP pro series distributors ??

These have an adjustable built in mechanical advance as well as a vacuum connection and electronic triggering. They come with a post type distributor cap
for push-on wires................?

[Ol' Ron]

Nope, but interesting??

[KiWinUS]

$169.95 cheap enough. I no nothing about this distributor. Is it correctly set up advance curve wise for a flathead would be my question.

[derek costello]

They come with a lot of set-up options 3 sets of advance springs, vacuum yes or no, lock out for advance, and a tach output. I think I'm going to buy one.

If you are interested in buying one of these distributors what-out!! the prices go from 140.dollars to 300. dollars?? depending whose selling them.

I will report my findings.........

[19Fordy]

Here's a blurb that may help.
https://www.topstreetperformance.com/about

Here's some customer reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/Top-Street-Pe...ews/B005O2WIA4

Priced affordably.
https://www.topstreetperformance.com...-ford-flathead

Here's a thread worth reading.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...advice.132741/

I don't think they're tied in to the Hoffman Group.

[tubman]

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Thanks for volunteering to be a "Guinea Pig". I notice that most of the reviews are for installations other than flatheads. That raises a huge "Red Flag" for me. If you have an advance timing light, make sure you check the total advance after installation. It should be around 22-24 degrees, not like an SBC (which will be about 36 degrees). This will cause overheating problems, among other things.

[Charlie ny]

Could this be the end of the SBC/8BA conversion distributor ?
Charlie ny

[derek costello]

I have noticed that the electronics in this "new" unit are SMT.... surface mount technology
this means no conventional components all the set stuff is soldered as a package rite onto the circuit board no more drilling holes to mount components! But although these components are smaller and cheaper to make. they do not "shed heat as well" as the wire
style components, which maybe why they fail more often.
That said I will mount a heat sink and possibly a voltage regulator before installing!

[derek costello]

Most new Chinese built electronics are Beta designed (let the buyer be the tester)
so there fore are prone to fail! I am familiar with these type of products so I will
install and use with caution................

[tubman]

Originally Posted by Charlie ny

Could this be the end of the SBC/8BA conversion distributor ?
Charlie ny

Looks like it to me!

And I am stuck with all of my Mallory "flattops".

[Charlie ny]

Denny,
I have some Flat Tops in the shop now to be converted from SBC to 8BA.

Hang onto that stuff.....every customer either supplied me with one of your big brass
condensers or is having me supply one.
Charlie ny

[flatheadmurre]

The thing is if you use a distributor of known origin you can walk into your local parts store.
When that SMT unit burns out you can hope that the importer has a replacement in stock now...in 10 years if they don´t sell well there will be no spareparts at all.
Points/known ignition modules/or a big brand aftermarket ignition conversion gets my vote !

[mfirth]

Are these "new dizzys" 12 volt only? I think i'll go the Charlie/Tubman route if i switch out the load a matic. Keep my 6 volt pos ground. I just don't like electronic stuf !!!
mike

[Charlie ny]

I sure agree with flatheadmurre.....NAPA still has wearable parts......Although I build
many many SBC/8BA dist conversions I don't exactly have a soft spot in my heart for

the cap, but the rest of the 'package' is so good I just keep on making them. The TSP
just has the wrong look to my eye...way too billit.
Charlie ny

[flatjack9]

I don't plan on changing. Too set in my ways. (Just old I guess).

[tubman]

Did some of you guys miss the "Sarcastic" emoji on my first reply to Charlie?

Since I got the Napa part numbers for the Ford replacement points that fit the Mallory's from Bubba, I'm more ensconced in that world than ever before. I have accumulated goodly supply of caps and rotors over the years as well. I did have a condenser problem, but I think I have that solved.

[Ross F-1]

Boy, if this picture doesn't scream "Cheap Chinese S&%T" I don't know what does! Look at the terminals.

As said, if the cap is a true copy of a GM part, replacements should be available, but if they are proprietary, rotsa ruck in 5 yrs...

[Jockeyshift41]

The more cheap crap we buy, the more cheap crap they’ll make. Supply and demand. People need to demand more quality not just cheap prices. ��

[flatheadmurre]

I sometimes just don´t get it...we have people on here that rebuild a distributor with parts commonly available...they do a superb work...support you if you have questions and have a more or less lifetime warranty on their work...
Let´s see now...shall we spend a few more $ and be happy for the rest of that engines life...or do we really enjoy having the pain of doing the job atleast twice with offshore crap...and in the end spending a total over what the good unit cost...

[derek costello]

OK tell me where I can buy a modern mechanical advance distributor for a 52 mercury flathead ? It must have adjustable advance and have provision for electronic spark control (Pertronix) and have the supported bottom bearing shaft
like the original..........

[tubman]

Derek, I think you should slow down and do a little more reading and researching about what you are trying to do. If you really do have 80 lbs of oil pressure at cold idle like you said in another thread here, that's a problem and you should find out what's going on there before you worry about your ignition.

A word to the wise.

[tubman]

As for a distributor, first decide if you want vacuum over mechanical advance, or just mechanical. You then get a suitable SBC distributor (either GM or aftermarket) and send it to one of several guys on here who convert these distributors for use in a flathead, "Charlie ny" is the one I have used and he is A number 1. I would actually discuss with him what you want to do and he can probably recommend or supply the proper distributor core that best fits your needs. Then have him do the conversion. If you are a glutton for punishment, get the Pertronix kit of your choice and have that installed (or do it yourself).

When he does the conversion, he will set up a good standard advance curve that should work just fine in 99% of the cases. Fine tuning beyond that will be in your hands. There is excellent aftermarket support for weights and springs for SBC distributors, so you should not be hurting for any parts you might need.

[Jockeyshift41]

Originally Posted by derek costello

OK tell me where I can buy a modern mechanical advance distributor for a 52 mercury flathead ? It must have adjustable advance and have provision for electronic spark control (Pertronix) and have the supported bottom bearing shaft
like the original..........

Try Mallory Unilight. I used one for years in my Pontiac 462” with zero issues. Around $350.

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

Originally Posted by derek costello

OK tell me where I can buy a modern mechanical advance distributor for a 52 mercury flathead ? It must have adjustable advance and have provision for electronic spark control (Pertronix) and have the supported bottom bearing shaft
like the original..........

Heres one option , read the Charlie info.....
http://www.bubbasignition.com/loadam...lacements.html

[tubman]

"Bubba" - I didn't mean to ignore you, I just thought you were enjoying your well-deserved retirement. If you still have your hand in this (even just a little bit), it's to everyone's benefit.

[derek costello]

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I just looked at the Barns converted GM distributors and they look pretty good...

But am I to under stand the shaft that has the gear is cutoff and doesn't extend down into the 8BA bearing??

[Charlie ny]

derek,
As with Bubba's sbc conversions mine have the shaft that extends past the gear. If your timing cover does not have the lower bushing just chop off the extension. Additionally as received his and mine will work in ANY timing cover.....we are both very
non exclusionary.
Charlie ny

[40cpe]

The conversion I bought very early after these became available had the extended shaft but it was too big for the lower support hole in the aluminum cover. I eventually cut the extension off. Without the extension, the distributor tried to "wallow" around in the cover unless the hold down bolt was really tight. Fearing a lot of stress was put on the aluminum distributor, I sent it to Charlie to install a new shaft with the extension machined to fit the cover's lower support hole. All the instability disappeared with the new shaft. The aluminum cover with the lower support hole doesn't provide nearly as much support/stability in the upper section as an iron cover without the lower hole provides.

[derek costello]

OK that is what I wanted to here is that the remanufactured distributors HAVE

the extended distributor shaft lower support bearing.

This seems very necessary for gear engagement and stability.

[19Fordy]

Derek, Use the cast iron cover with the shorter shaft as 40cpe suggests.

[tubman]

I like the aluminum timing covers. You can polish them and they weigh 5 lbs less than the cast iron cover. I run 'em when I can find 'em.

[40cpe]

I actually wasn't suggesting the use of the cast iron cover. I haven't used one to base an opinion that one is better than the other. I was only saying that I had distributor wobble in the aluminum cover until the bottom support hole was utilized.

[jrvariel48]

I'm trying out a Mallory Unilite hooked up to a CB Performance black box. I can control everything through a laptop and most importantly, I can pull the timing down as the boost comes up. The motor should be back in the car this weekend and ready to roll in a week or two!!

[tubman]

Originally Posted by jrvariel48

I'm trying out a Mallory Unilite hooked up to a CB Performance black box. I can control everything through a laptop and most importantly, I can pull the timing down as the boost comes up. The motor should be back in the car this weekend and ready to roll in a week or two!!

This post tells me something. "jrvariel" has a specific purpose to his build and knows what he needs. "Derek Costello", on the other hand, has not given us any information about the vehicle he has or it's purpose : Sunday Cruises or Bonneville racing? I think we know he has a '52 Mercury engine, but beyond that, we don't have any idea of what he is trying to accomplish. Given this situation, I don't see how we can provide any meaningful advice beyond a few generalities.

[derek costello]

Sorry bout that........ Quick street use........ engine is in a 1934 ford pickup with a

mustang 5speed T5, and 3:73 Ranger rear-end, Triangulated 4 bar, and

conventional ford leaf spring front-end. all steel , full fendered, all steel, un-cut

pickup.....

[tubman]

That helps a lot!

[derek costello]

I am waiting on a new aluminum timing gear, when it is installed I will restart the engine with fresh 20-50- VR1 oil and all new valves and seats hopefully next week.

I will then get a new reading on my oil pressure gage, both cold and warmed up
( my last report disturbed some members at 80psi). so I will see what happens this time......................

[56markII]

I got an aluminum gear in mine since 1949-51 Mercury advertised truck powertrains for quality and performance in some back in the day sales brochures and it's noisy! The original set, aluminum and steel was all pitted from years of rattling as well and when I tear my 255 down for new gaskets and seals after 35 years of use AND if the gear is shlonged I will throw a fiber one in!! They worked in the Fords and what got me is I would hear a rattle at 62 miles per hour! Ignition preignition, loose engine components?? Finally I realized its that stupid gear perhaps resonating or rattling at certain engine rpm's and I hear this accelerating before I shift. As for the distributor, a 6 volt battery, positive ground of course, a GOOD brand of points and condenser, and of course make sure the bushing is in good shape and not worn and sloppy. The advance springs can be checked using a timing light as well and tweaked. China ain't allowed in my 70 year old Mercury as well! The only thing know to work from them is Corona!

[tubman]

I would be careful about using a fiber timing gear. There have been reports that the replacements currently available fail in as little as 2000 miles. If you can find a NOS gear, you may be OK, but there is no way I would put a used fiber timing gear in an engine I cared about;

In addition, I have aluminum timing gears in two engines and am disappointed in the fact that they are no more noisy than a stock fiber gear. I you sure there wasn't some other problem?

[flatjack9]

I agree with Tubman. I've been running and for 25 years and don't hear any extra noise. If you're hearing bad noise, you've got some other problem.