At 07:59 AM 4/15/2010, B Feddish wrote:
>distributer. Could this be the cause? Wouldn't non-functioning vacuum
>advances and/or retards cause this problem? Is there a way to test these
>things? I see ways to test the electrical connections but not the vacuum.

You can test 'em.  Get a little vacuum pump like the Mity-Vac (which
has a gauge on it) or even just suck on the thing.  You can work up
to about 25" Hg vacuum by pulling with your tongue.  Watch the rotor
move, make sure it's not sticky or jerky, or leaky.  If you want to
be technical, pretty sure the advance/retard specs are in Bentley
somewhere, mark angles on rim of distrib body, use a vacuum
gauge.  If you don't have a pump, get an assistant to suck while you
measure (cf the vet, the hose and the bull that wouldn't serve <g>).

Also need to check the centrifugal advance -- rough test just by
turning the rotor by hand against the spring; better test by remove
and plug vacuum lines, accelerate engine and watch timing
advance.  Again, smooth, no catches; specs should be in Bentley.

Yours,
David