Les,
Sounds good to me. Thanks for bringing us back down to earth. What does
'blueprinting our distributors...' mean? I'm also keen to know about the
advantages of centrifugal-only vs vacuum advance. I've often wondered about
it. I agree, this is the venue for such a discussion. And you're right, I
have a limited understanding of the effects of a larger spark. Your post
that 0.045" may be the useful limit is good to know. Thanks!
But, honestly I don't to see how going to a different triggering mechanism
(i.e., Hall effect vs original points) constitutes a voodoo system. As for
the Sport coil, since I was replacing my old one and could get a Sport coil
for the same price, why not? Also, and please correct me, but don't SUs run
a little rich at idle or low rpm? I do a lot of stop and go driving during
the week (but not on the weekend!) and I thought widening the plug gap
might help get a cleaner burn. As far as I can tell, my mixture is correct
as per Haynes, though I'm going to be spending some time with the local
guru of the AHCA chapter to check my work. Again, you're right, I don't
know how much wider is enough, or if any wider than 0.025 is useful at all.
Maybe I'm hiding a mixture problem. OTOH, is the 0.025 spec a compromise
based on plug and points technology of the 50s? Why do modern cars use
0.035 to 0.045? Is it an interplay of modern factors that just don't apply
to our cars? I know all of this must seem awfully naive to you; Hope it's
not bothersome.
Jeff
>At 01:54 PM 6/24/98 -0500, Les Myer wrote:
...>snip<...
>
>There is a lot more performance to be gained by precise and correct
>ignition timing than by extra spark intensity. Why don't we discuss
>blueprinting our distributors, vacuum vs centrifugal-only advance stock and
>aftermarket setups, proper heat ranges for spark plugs, and determining
>advance curves for modified engines? Or do we all just throw in a
>hodge-podge of aftermarket electronic ignition system parts and run them
>straight out of the box?
>
>Sorry, but this thread sounds like of a lot of ignition system vodoo, IMHO.
> Of course, everyone has the right to do anything they want to their cars
>or discuss anything they want in this forum. I'm just not buying it.
>
>Les
Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD
Editor-in-Chief, Molecular Vision
http://www.emory.edu/molvis
"Seeing the Future in a Very Tiny Way"
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