Need some distributor lessons

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

Is the 901 a Lincoln 12????

[35fordtn]

Jim,
All the Lincoln dizzys I have have H, HB, or 16H stamped on them... maybe tractor??

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

SOME MORE DISCUSSION REGARDING EARLY FORD ADVANCE CURVES...

A couple pics from some morning work. I think Ford has done a great job sitting this one up. It appears the weights have a bearing on top and a pin on the bottom. The 11A slots are a little different from the module 68..
Heres the exact curve from the model 68. And a couple pics of the upper bearing plate and lower pin plate . Well designed for proper curve...

[35fordtn]

Jim, If I am seeing it properly, your graph depicts the 68 beginning its advance curve right off of 500 rpms. Do you tamper with the springs at all? In stock form a 11A seems to advance at or just above the 500 rpm range, but the 68's much later.. Thats the main reason I prefer a 11A over a 68.. when stating rpms I am referring to crank rpms not distributor rpms..

[RobR'35]

Ford had good prints and specs on everything they produced. It suprises me there aren't prints and specs found yet today that depict everything involved with all these distrbutors.
Weight sizes in weight and shape, spring tension specs.

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

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Originally Posted by 35fordtn

Jim, If I am seeing it properly, your graph depicts the 68 beginning its advance curve right off of 500 rpms. Do you tamper with the springs at all? In stock form a 11A seems to advance at or just above the 500 rpm range, but the 68's much later.. Thats the main reason I prefer a 11A over a 68.. when stating rpms I am referring to crank rpms not distributor rpms..

This was my third one this week and all seemed very much the same (all 68s), my numbers at the bottom are in 500 rpm jumps. Note the slow linear rise to approx 1500 then the rise time from 8 to 14 degrees and then the final jump to 16 degres at 2500.
My next batch is early strap point units and i will compare them then get us some more discussion on the 11A......
I never mess with the springs , just make sure they are straight etc.....

[rotorwrench]

The green bible lists the 68-12176 advance unit but in the description column it states "replaced by 11A-12176". The 11A-12176 was the replacement part for most of the front mount distributors up thru 1948. If the old 68 type is still serviceable then it can be used but the little bit more advance given by the 11A type won't hurt anything on the older engines.

[35fordtn]

Jim,
I rebuilt and ran 2 68's and 3 11A's on the Sun Machine / KRW fixture today.
Both 68's advanced 16 degrees and began there advance at around 875 rpms finishing out around 1400. The 11A's all advanced 23 degrees beginning at around 450 rpms and finishing off around 900. The 11A's all had NOS shafts and weights.

As a side note I have run into NOS 11A shafts that are "clocked" wrong causing you to have to run the timing indicator all the way in the bottom retard position to achieve 4 degrees initial timing. I have run into 13 NOS shafts that way.. Likely mis-manufactured, thus why I think it imperative to use actually check the timing rather than relying on the marks.... Just my pea brained opinion!

IMG_3591.JPG

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

Originally Posted by 35fordtn

Jim,
I rebuilt and ran 2 68's and 3 11A's on the Sun Machine / KRW fixture today.
Both 68's advanced 16 degrees and began there advance at around 875 rpms finishing out around 1400. The 11A's all advanced 23 degrees beginning at around 450 rpms and finishing off around 900. The 11A's all had NOS shafts and weights.

As a side note I have run into NOS 11A shafts that are "clocked" wrong causing you to have to run the timing indicator all the way in the bottom retard position to achieve 4 degrees initial timing. I have run into 13 NOS shafts that way.. Likely mis-manufactured, thus why I think it imperative to use actually check the timing rather than relying on the marks.... Just my pea brained opinion!

Attachment 370678

WOW someone would really have to work at clocking the plate incorrecty as the shaft, tang and advance plate are indexed with a machined flatspot. Send me a couple pictures of that when ya get time.......

I am fighting point bounce on a early Model18 unit this morning, finally got it fixed with new set of aftermarket (NOS) contact points.....

[35fordtn]

Jim, Ill get a faulty shaft and shoot a photo on here tomorrow in comparison to a good one. The plate with the two slots are clocked wrong in comparison to the tang.

Them darn early points have that tenancy to bounce like a basketball. I hate them.. My favorite old brand of the Early points is tungsten.. The easily run up to 5500 in many instances without bouncing.. Ive never been able to get even NOS Ford points to act properly above 3800 ish.
Jim, Have you ever had any luck out of the Repro early points? I gave up on them after three failed attempts of trying to set dwell, but that was two years ago.

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

These are the last of my prefered strap points, they have worked pretty good about 90% of the time. When these are gone i am going to need some more from somewhere. Good news is that i dont use a lot of the early distributors. If the customer is serious i convert to 11A or 68 and use the small points.

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

aftermarket box of points.......

[35fordtn]

Jim when you run I’ve got plenty of good ‘uns