SeanMcl
Petty Officer 2nd Class
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2009
- Messages
- 187
I have a 74 Gulfstream, OMC stringer, 190 HP 302 Ford. She runs well, has good power in the lower RPM range, but will not get above 3400-ish RPM at WOT. Prop is a 16 pitch. It revs up just fine out of gear, but not under load.
After reading and following the excellent stickies on this very subject (and fixing other issues by doing so), I bought a timing light and a dwell meter, (that's a clue as to my newbie status) replaced the points, condenser, cap and rotor. They were all in horrible shape, fwiw. I set the point gap and dwell to the manual's specs.
I attached the hose, started it up and checked the timing. It was all over the place, with something like 31 degrees total (way too high) at 3000 and above, and too low at 2000. I fiddle for a bit with no luck (I'm new, remember) and eventually set it at the correct 27 degrees total advance at 4000 RPM, but the lower RPMs are still all over the place. It runs fine for the rest of the year except for the low RPMs and I decide to replace the distributor this year and free myself from mechanical advances and points.
But when I start doing my research, I find that even the new $350 Mallory units are still using a mechanical advance. The points are replaced with solid state, but for $100 I can convert my old distributor to points-less. I understand that my weights and spings are out of whack, and that's why my timing curve is all over the place. I have not looked to see if anyone makes a rebuild kit for my distributor.
So what is the consensus? Should I replace the distrib entirely, convert my old to points-less and refurb the mechanical advance, or just refurb the mechanicals and leave the points in? Will I see any performance increase with new parts over the originals, or will the originals be as good once I get them working right?
Your thoughts are appreciated.
After reading and following the excellent stickies on this very subject (and fixing other issues by doing so), I bought a timing light and a dwell meter, (that's a clue as to my newbie status) replaced the points, condenser, cap and rotor. They were all in horrible shape, fwiw. I set the point gap and dwell to the manual's specs.
I attached the hose, started it up and checked the timing. It was all over the place, with something like 31 degrees total (way too high) at 3000 and above, and too low at 2000. I fiddle for a bit with no luck (I'm new, remember) and eventually set it at the correct 27 degrees total advance at 4000 RPM, but the lower RPMs are still all over the place. It runs fine for the rest of the year except for the low RPMs and I decide to replace the distributor this year and free myself from mechanical advances and points.
But when I start doing my research, I find that even the new $350 Mallory units are still using a mechanical advance. The points are replaced with solid state, but for $100 I can convert my old distributor to points-less. I understand that my weights and spings are out of whack, and that's why my timing curve is all over the place. I have not looked to see if anyone makes a rebuild kit for my distributor.
So what is the consensus? Should I replace the distrib entirely, convert my old to points-less and refurb the mechanical advance, or just refurb the mechanicals and leave the points in? Will I see any performance increase with new parts over the originals, or will the originals be as good once I get them working right?
Your thoughts are appreciated.
... hum, went and looked up the two definitions. i wonder which way it is? now i am confused..
