I Have a Mallory "Electronic Advance" Distributor- just like a Unilight, except it does not have any of the weights or springs inside it to control advance- All the advance stuff is run by this external computer control box- It allows you to totally customize the advance curve- Cut in, Slope, and Maximum advance. So technically- all you have to do is set the initail timing and it does the rest... after you set it up that is. smile.gif

I finnaly tracked down a set of instructions for it with all the dip switch settings and the associated curves- I was just wondering if you guys could help me pick a good one to go with...

Here is my setup:
Stock(rebuilt) 350 low compression w/ ? cam (guesing stock 250-275 hp cam)
TH350 w/ 3.73 gears. I have headers and 2 1/2" Exhaust.


According to the distribs spec sheet I can set all of the items below:

Cut in Speeds:
750 RPM
1000 RPM
1250 RPM
1500 RPM

Advance Slopes of:
16 Deg / 1000 RPM
14 Deg / 1000 RPM
12 Deg / 1000 RPM
10 Deg / 1000 RPM
8 Deg ""
6 Deg ""
4 Deg ""
2 Deg ""

And I can set Maximum Advance at:
32 deg
28 deg
24 "
20 "
16 "
12 "
8 "
4 "


Any ideas what to set? Is it better to have an early Cut in RPM or a later one?

Is it better to have the advance total out quickly (lower rpm) or total out at maximum RPM?


Thanks for any advice!!!!
Ben

Ben,
It is probably going to be a trial and error process. The biggest problem I see is that if the unit has no type of input for manifold vacuum, or if the distributor does not have a vacumm advance mechanism, you are going to have a very hard time getting a low compression, almost stock engine to run very well. You have to have the vacuum advance capability in order to run enough timing at low rpm, low load conditions and yet not have too much advance under high loads.
I would suggest you purchase the Jacobs ignitioon book " The Doctors guide to optimizing your ignition" It has a wealth of info on the subject.

If it does have vacuum advance, try 10º/1000 RPM with a cut in of 1000. Set your intitial at 12º and set the max advance to 24º. This should give to a total of 36º. If you get any pinging back off on the curve and maximum one at a time. That should gove you a good starting point anyway.

Good luck,

Troy.

And I'm thinking you want more than 36 total for a low compression motor. 40-42.

It does not have vacume advance on it...

I still have not had much time to play with it yet...

Just for kicks if you want to look up the info on it and see what it is- its a Mallory Series 60 Electronic Advance Distributor.

Those options i listed are the only things that you can configure on it- except of course the initial timing, which is done the normal way...