Re: Is you distributor housing 180 degrees out? (archive)

Hey there,
When I installed pertronics into my 72tii's 008 distributor I installed the housing 180 degrees out so the pertronics wires would the coil reach better. If you do that you can no longer use the line on the distributor housing as a marker for the rotor at TDC. Consequently you may have indexed the distributor one tooth off.
If the car runs fine and you KNOW the distributor curve is set properly I would run with it. Try putting the light on the shelf and set your idle to about 3500 RPM. Loosen the distributor and move it back and forth until it sounds "just right". Tighten the distributor bolt, making sure the distributor does not move, reset the idle, and take it for a "hard" test drive. Listen for detonation, if you hear it, retard just a bit and try again. BTW, detonation is baaaaaadddd.
Good luck,
Mike

Thanks for the reply Mike. Just went to the garage and checked the dizzy housing--definitely did not install the Pertronix 180 degrees out. Didn't know you could--hmmmm. Guess the only way you could is if you install the base plate for the points 180 degrees out. There's a cutout in the dizzy housing for the condenser connection and a notch cut into the base plate. Since the recurving was done with the points and condenser still on it, seems the base plate was attached correctly.

I've done what you suggested Mike, and seems to be running fine. Maybe I shouldn't worry but it does bring up an interesting issue when one installs a Pertronix. I wonder if the magnetic contacts exactly replicate the relative position of the cam and the rubbing block on the points? If it's not the same, that could affect where the rotor points to TDC in relation to the mark on the housing.

BTW, I've always been vexed with the late 72tii with E-12 head and a Y7 cone for the Kugelfisher. I've never been able to time it according to the specs in the factory manual AND it always has run rich (Y7 cone runs richer at lower rmp). I attribute this to the US-version tii at 9:1 compression ratio vice 10:1 for the European model, plus adding an E-12 head probably lowers the compression ratio further?(the tri-hemi head of the E-12). Because lower compression engines need more advance early, maybe getting advance quicker is the approved solution? Maybe in this case, the Big Dog method is the best way after all. BTW, I "cheated" the timing by lining up the TDC mark on the pulley slightly ahead of the mark on the injection belt cover, and then inserted the dizzy to line up the rotor on its housing mark and then timed it as you suggested. I'm still getting advance much faster, but the engine seems to perform very well under load. Anyway, thought I'd share this with you if you happen to have a late 72tii with E-12 head.

Maybe all this is too technical, and the best method for timing after all may be by ear and trial and error.

COguy

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