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MG TD TF 1500 - Advanced Distributors - Does he give info on curve

I am sending off another distributor to Jeff at Advanced Distributors and had a question for those that have used him - (my first attempt at having him rebuild one was not successful as he returned the distributor to me - the bowl was loose on the steel shaft and the unit was shot - he felt he could do nothing with it).

This next distributor is in good condition and I think he will be able to reconfigure the advance curve and total advance setting.

I am curious if any customers who have had their distributor rebuilt have been provided with detailed information on what the revised curve actually is.

I am just curious as I will want to confirm things when I set timing and tune it up - I could develop a curve sheet - but I hope he provides one.

Most will vary I am sure - based on engine tune and modifications. Jeff is good in that he takes this into account when setting the curve.

Thanks in "Advance"

Jeff
Jeff Delk

Just tell Jeff what year engine your putting it on and if the engine is in standard tune. If it has any modifications such as performance cam, carbs, rocker lift changes, etc, etc, make sure you tell him that. If the car is going to be raced or street driven. Give him all the information you can and he will have a picture of how to set it up. He rebuilt the one on the wifes 72-B with points, (No electronics) and it is perfect! The car runs like a dream. I like points because you can adjust the dwell,(very important) and unless I missed it somewhere, you can't on an electronic unit. I would not let anyone rebuild a dizzy for me except Jeff. When you find something good, you stick with it! JMHO. PJ
Paul Jennings

Thanks Paul - did Jeff provide you with the data on the actual curve for your distributor? Such as

x degrees advance at 600 RPM
x degrees advance at 1000RPM
" " " " 2000RPM
" " " " 3000RPM

Total advance = 30 degrees

something along those lines.

I am familiar with the worksheet he requests and am sending everything up tomorrow - I'll call him and see what he says.

Jeff
Jeff Delk

I asked Jeff for the curve on the B he did for me a couple of years ago. Nope.. propritary info. Afraid of someone stealing his formula. Probably rightfully so. You can ask but I don't think he's gonna spill the beans. I'm going to send him my TF dizzy one of these days.
LaVerne Downey

Jeff, I can tell you that the recommended timing starts at 11-14 degress BTDC below 1000 rpm, measured dynamically. We typically get to the full 32 degrees at about 4000 rpm on the distributor he did for me.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Thanks so much guys - when I get mine back I will plot the curve and let you know what I find. I can understand Jeff wanting to keep this to himself - but without springs and so forth, even with the info, there is not much I could do with the info if I was trying to do it myself.

I am really looking forward to seeing the difference it makes on the TF. His site shows the excellent quality of the work he does.

Jeff
Jeff Delk

Dave B.

Do you know if your new advance curve is a dual slope (As was the original) or has it been changed to a single slope. You can tell by looking at the springs, if one of them has a loose fixing loop on one end, then is is a dual slope, if both springs look about the same and they are firmly hooked on the supports then you have a single slope. I have rebuilt my distributor and am experimenting (by trial and error) with springs.

John
J Scragg

Jeff rebuilt the distributor on my twin cam about 6 months ago and he provided me with actual curves he achieved. No problem here!
Hiram Shepard

Had my dizzy rebuilt this winter by Jeff. Suggested advance was 13 degrees.

Cheers,
Jim
James Neel TD28423

Hi:
I had this discussion with Jeff a year ago and came to the conclusion that the curves are his intellectual property and that reading them and publishing them on this or any other list would be a breach of his copyright. I would use caution in going down that road as he has valid reasons not to have this information published and it has nothing to do with the availability of springs etc.
As well I feel that it would be a personal violation of trust that a valued member of our MG community has in us his customers. If we wish him to stay in business it is in OUR interest not to violate this trust.
Just my opinion!
Godspeed in Safety Fast
Jc
John Crawley

Since I am in a similiar position with the voltage regulators. I have to agree with John C. It's OK to find these things out for yourself but to publish your findings is not ethical. And as John says it could cause specialty suppliers like Jeff to stop doing business which would be a terrible shame.
Cheers,
Bob
Bob Jeffers

After speaking with Jeff yesterday and talking about his process and the factors he takes into consideration, I agree with what John and Bob have to say. I am looking forward to having my distributor recurved, but will certainly support keeping him in business by holding my transaction as a confidential matter - I have three others that I will be sending him - so I want him to stay in business as well.

Bob - I sent your info to a club contact the other day and am also looking forward to having my regulator modified - I look forward to dealing with you soon and will certainly pass along your contact info in our newsletter here in GA.

Thanks for the comments.

Best regards,

Jeff
Jeff Delk

With regard to propritary information on distributor advance curves, I believe that it is narrow sited to withhold such information in an attempt to maintain a market..
I have my own distributor machine and I realize just how easy it is to modify the curves.. And further how simple it would be to obtain the actaul ideal advance curve. Since doubtless every single car by now is differant there is no one "correct" advance curve. The exact degrees may only be slightly differant but it is worthy of the effort.
With the help of a chassis dyno (about $50 1/2 hour) the exact curve for every car could be obtained.. Those who hear the word Dyno and start worrying, it is no harder on a dyno then driving on the street.. You are in control.. If you choose to accerate briskly or slowly or however you choose to drive then that's exactly how you should drive it on the dyno..
You can achieve the same thing without a dyno if like me you're so tight you squeeze a penny untill lincoln screams.
Find a reasonably step hill with no traffic. make a chaulk line on the pavement and another where you hit peak RPM. Now practice driving up that hill untill you can time things exactly repeatedly with a stop watch down to the 10 of a second.. Make a change and retime yourself faster and you're doing good slower and change the things back the other way. Also works for setting carb mixtures as well.
After a whille you'll realize that a chassis dyno will be cheaper, faster, and a whole bunch easier.
Joe Buchmiller

This thread was discussed between 04/06/2010 and 19/06/2010

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