Which distributor for 351w ?

DonSeifert · #1 (**permalink**) 02-28-2002, 02:32 PM

Need some advice from the experts out there. I have new a 351w with hydraulic roller cam, would like to use Pertronix Ignitor in a stock distributor. Which distributor should I be asking the counter guy for at Pep boys?

TIA

Don Seifert

Randy Resetar · #2 (**permalink**) 02-28-2002, 02:48 PM

Don't ask the guys at pep boys...They will ask you year make and model of your car...LOL. I would use a MSD dist with a 6Al control box. Look into summit racing. Their tec people are great and you can't beat their prices... Randy

hound dog · #3 (**permalink**) 02-28-2002, 03:34 PM

Don,
If you have to get a stock distributor you'll probably need to go to the Ford parts store, which means you'll probably pay a pretty good price. I'd go with the MSD for just a bit more and get the 6AL box with rev limiter to protect the engine just in case.
h dog

Jack21 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-28-2002, 06:00 PM

You really don't want to put a Pep Boys rebuilt distributor on your roller cam motor. That's if you could get Pep Boys to sell you one in the first place. You first have to tell them what car it's for, then they try to look it up in their computer, and you get nowhere. But assuming you could get a Pep Boys distributor, it would run poorly for a short while (wrong advance curve and vacuum unit), and then not at all (wrong distributor gear).

Go with the MSD billet. If you can get MSD to install a steel gear on it for you, do so. If not, get a Motorsport steel gear for roller cam and install it. Get a spare, as you'll likely be changing it after 5000 or so miles. The second one should go a few years. Next, even MSD won't sell you an adjustable vacuum unit for this dist because they don't make them. You need a Crane or Accel adjustable vacuum advance for a '57-'73 GM distributor. Set the centrifugal up for 20 deg @ 2500 RPM, and your vacuum for 12 deg.

The MSD 6A or AL is fine out of the box. The Blaster II coil is probably OK. Crane PS91 will work too.

mkcobra · #5 (**permalink**) 02-28-2002, 07:08 PM

hello

i would love to install an adjustable vacuum on my MSD , can you tell me how you did this. i dont see where it would install or do you cut and screw this thing in place , and does the accel gm version fit on the ford MSD distr. any help is apprecitated

thanks Mike

mkcobra · #6 (**permalink**) 02-28-2002, 07:10 PM

I did look up and see crane has one for the Ford V8 motors here is the page
http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...br=76&lastcat=

dont know if this will fit right on a MSD but if anyone has done this let us newbies in on the secret.

later

Don · #7 (**permalink**) 03-01-2002, 05:35 PM

Don

Along with the other alternatives, consider the MSD 8584 distributor, $189 from Summit, along with the MSD 6A. Check the MSD website for the features, installed on my 351W, runs great. No doubt that I wanted a new high performance unit, rather than the regular street version from the neighborhood parts store

Don

DonSeifert · #8 (**permalink**) 03-01-2002, 05:38 PM

Randy, Hound Dog, Jack21,

Thanks for your reply. I'm convinced, MSD is probably the ignition for me, nows not the time to start trying to scrimp on this project. At first blush, I thought I had some options as far as distributor models, apparently only model # MSD-85805 is recommended when running a Victor Jr. intake manifold. The 6AL appears to be cheap insurance against over revving. Does anyone know if the Accel or Crane vacuum advance will work with the MSD distributor?

Thanks again,

Don

hound dog · #9 (**permalink**) 03-01-2002, 08:04 PM

Don,
You can lock out the centrifugal advance on the MSD but I don't know if you can adapt a vacuum advance. The book with mine doesn't say. There are six different advance curves available with the centrifugal advance though, so you ought to be able to find one that will suit your needs.
h dog

Campy · #10 (**permalink**) 03-01-2002, 08:10 PM

MSD-8584 with a 6AL module is the way to go! Easy to use high energy system.

Roscoe · #11 (**permalink**) 03-02-2002, 08:12 AM

Go with all mechanical, no vacuum stuff. Use MSD billet dist 8584 and any 6 series ignition. I went with the Pro Billet and Digital 6 ignition. It is always tempting to cut corners just to move ahead with your build but, believe me, you are better off waiting and getting the proper parts to do the job right.

Roscoe
"Do it right the first time!"

JBAIRD · #12 (**permalink**) 03-02-2002, 08:38 AM

If you are using a Vic. Jr. you need to use the MSD 85805.

mkcobra · #13 (**permalink**) 03-02-2002, 09:25 AM

why would you say stick with mech. vacuum is probably better for all but race vehicles, you get easier starts, better Vacuum at idle and can still have total advance set with the mech. maybe i am missing something.
Mkcobra

Campy · #14 (**permalink**) 03-02-2002, 09:45 AM

Most high performance engines loose substantial vacuum on acceleration. This is why you often see an aftermarket vacuum canister. A mechanical advance is adjustable, and will always advance. No lag time. I'm sure for a "production" engine a vacuum advance is the least complex and reliable. (No springs to pop off, etc.) I would take a gander that the main reason we see vacuum advances on older production cars was primarily a cost factor. Just a guess.
I agree with the above. Mechanical is the way to go. My MSD ignition is great! The MSD pumps out a heafty spark as well. My engine starts almost instantly.

mkcobra · #15 (**permalink**) 03-02-2002, 09:58 AM

I am currently running the same setup MSD 8584 with the 6A box, does work well, i have total advance set at 34 peak HP and torque noted. i think the 6AL box is better only in that you get rev limiter as well. i have used mallory in the past with good result also. i have been debating the Vacuum advance for a while now i will cont to debate it, hey you stole my air clearner, is this the 12 inch oval, i was looking for one of these. is this also 2 1/2 element or the 3 inch.

thanks MIke

Campy · #16 (**permalink**) 03-02-2002, 10:05 AM

I think it's the 2 1/2 element. To be honest, I think it's a bit too restrictive. (looks good though) I was considering a drop base cleaner with K&N elements.

Jack21 · #17 (**permalink**) 03-02-2002, 11:59 AM

Here's the "secret". You Duraspark fans ever notice that to do anything to the advance mechanism, even clean it, you have to take the distributor out of the engine, then take the distributor apart before you can do anything. Great idea, huh?

What MSD did was to take a Delco distributor (aka Chevrolet), and make a Ford sized stalk to put it on. Now, the advance mechanism is tight on top where you can work on it. MSD, for reasons known only to MSD, 1) does not make an adjustable vacuum advance unit, 2) will not use or even recommend a competitors unit (Crane, Accel). The MSD vacuum advance is fixed at 16 degreees which is too much with the centrifugal advance dialed in where you need it. Other than that, the vacuum unit is a '57 - '73 Delco (Chevrolet) vacuum advance. Crane and Accel (and possibly Moroso) sell replacement adjustable vacuum advance units that let you crank the vacuum advance down to 8 - 12 degrees.

Vacuum advance on a street driven car is there to optimize part throttle cruise fuel economy because a leaner fuel mixture takes longer to burn, and requires more ignition lead. Obviously, on a race car, there is no such thing as part throttle cruise economy and vacuum advance is not necessary. Todays' EFI cars use a computer to dial all this in, let you run in the 11's or 12's at the strip, and get 22 MPG on the street. Us carb guys running on the street can choose 10-12 MPG without the vacuum advance, or 16-18 MPG with.

Roscoe · #18 (**permalink**) 03-02-2002, 01:03 PM

Also my MSD Digital 6 ignition has the 20 deg start retard built in so I get easy starts all the time with no backlash.

Roscoe
"Do it right the first time!"