Vacuum advance dist recommendation?

[Davidless]

Hi All,
Thought I'd throw this out there and I'm sure this has been asked 1000x but the search doesn't work well for me.

I've decided to return my MSD billet distributor and replace it with a vacuum advance distributor, after doing a lot of research.

Can anyone recommend a high quality unit for a 427?

Thanks

[Bobcat]

Davidless , look at a Ford Duraspark unit that has been recurved for an FE . Had mine done by an FE guy who has been racing FE's since 1987 , worked with Blair Patrick for a while and has been recurving Durasparks since 1976 .
He has also done a bunch of Durasparks for the FE guys over on the FE Forum .
If you want to contact him , let me know and I`ll post his name and contact info .
Ford Durasparks are much less than the MSD distributor and easier to get parts for .
After all , Ford used these by the thousands .

BTW , I have one , not installed yet as it's just too hot in the garage when it`s in the upper 90`s in the shade .

[Tommy]

If I were starting over with my engine I'd give strong consideration to Progression Ignition's programable distributor.

[eschaider]

This is easily the best non-EFI distributor-based ignition system I have ever seen or used; click here =>https://progressionignition.com.

A friend has a 68-muscle car with a lumpy cam and poor idle vacuum. It was extremely difficult to get a new (brand name omitted) vacuum-based system to work properly because of the very low idle vacuum the lumpy cam produced. This distributor makes it a walk in the park. There are no mechanical adjustments in the distributor.

The distributor controls ignition timing 100% electronically. Your smartphone is used for tuning and also to see real time data from the engine using the free app that runs on both iOS and Android phones

Because this distributor's timing is set using a timing map like an EFI system uses, the manifold vacuum, or lack of it at low engine speeds, had no effect at all on my friend's car. You could command the exact amount of advance you wanted, exactly where you wanted it, and the distributor did precisely what you told it to do!!

A couple of other niceties are that you access all the features with your smartphone, and when you park the car, the smartphone can disable the ignition for theft prevention. There are many other nice features, but in the simplest of terms, this is one kick-ass distributor based ignition with the programmability/adjustability of an EFI-based ignition.


PostScript:

Here is a YouTube link on how to use the theft prevention feature; click here => Theft Prevention Demo

[Davidless]

Originally Posted by Bobcat

Davidless , look at a Ford Duraspark unit that has been recurved for an FE . Had mine done by an FE guy who has been racing FE's since 1987 , worked with Blair Patrick for a while and has been recurving Durasparks since 1976 .
He has also done a bunch of Durasparks for the FE guys over on the FE Forum .
If you want to contact him , let me know and I`ll post his name and contact info .
Ford Durasparks are much less than the MSD distributor and easier to get parts for .
After all , Ford used these by the thousands .

BTW , I have one , not installed yet as it's just too hot in the garage when it`s in the upper 90`s in the shade .

Does he do the 351w small blocks too?

[Davidless]

Originally Posted by eschaider

This is easily the best non-EFI distributor-based ignition system I have ever seen or used; click here =>https://progressionignition.com.

A friend has a 68-muscle car with a lumpy cam and poor idle vacuum. It was extremely difficult to get a new (brand name omitted) vacuum-based system to work properly because of the very low idle vacuum the lumpy cam produced. This distributor makes it a walk in the park. There are no mechanical adjustments in the distributor.

The distributor controls ignition timing 100% electronically. Your smartphone is used for tuning and also to see real time data from the engine using the free app that runs on both iOS and Android phones

Because this distributor's timing is set using a timing map like an EFI system uses, the manifold vacuum, or lack of it at low engine speeds, had no effect at all on my friend's car. You could command the exact amount of advance you wanted, exactly where you wanted it, and the distributor did precisely what you told it to do!!

A couple of other niceties are that you access all the features with your smartphone, and when you park the car, the smartphone can disable the ignition for theft prevention. There are many other nice features, but in the simplest of terms, this is one kick-ass distributor based ignition with the programmability/adjustability of an EFI-based ignition.


PostScript:

Here is a YouTube link on how to use the theft prevention feature; click here => Theft Prevention Demo

Very interesting, any experience with their customer service?

[Mark IV]

David,

Look at a Pertronix "factory cast look" distributor, has vacuum advance and a built-in ignition system with a settable rev limiter. I have in my car and have been pleased with it. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/p...4610/make/ford

[Mongoose930]

I have been running the Pertronix module in my stock dual-point FE distributor for almost 5 years and I am very happy with it. You can keep the original points as a backup in case anything ever does go wrong: https://pertronixbrands.com/products...cyl-dual-point

[eschaider]

Originally Posted by Davidless

Very interesting, any experience with their customer service?

Perhaps the best possible, never needed it!

[Davidless]

Originally Posted by eschaider

Perhaps the best possible, never needed it!

I’m liking that dist, think that’s the one! I’m guessing it come with a steel gear, didn’t see anything on their site

[eschaider]

Don't know. Best way to find out is contact them.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Davidless

I’m liking that dist, think that’s the one! I’m guessing it come with a steel gear, didn’t see anything on their site

Yes, a steel gear for steel roller cam. Red the description on Summit. Again, never had needed Pertronix customer service. It might suck, but I wouldn't know.

[Gaz64]

CB Performance Black Box.

[eschaider]

This video was probably more meaningful for your intended use than the Theft Prevention video I linked to earlier. The video shows the idle tuning and spark map generation process. Everything is done from a smartphone while the engine is running! It is pretty impressive. Click here => Spark Map and Idle Setup. With one of the old distributor machines, even if you knew what you were doing, what he does in that video was all but impossible to achieve.

There are a number of other excellent 'how to' videos on their home page that fit into the Oh Wow category, also. Here is the Home Page link again => https://progressionignition.com

[jts359]

I put a Pertronix in my 347 , No problems and performs great , But I don,t do much spirited driving , I have about 2500 miles on it now , Ed

[NROTOXIN]

Originally Posted by Davidless

I’m liking that dist, think that’s the one! I’m guessing it come with a steel gear, didn’t see anything on their site

From the Progression Ignitions product description:
"Distributor gear is melonized steel. Compatible with flat tappet cams and hydraulic roller cams."

[eschaider]

Well, there you go!

Now if you want a steel gear, you can always buy one from Summit and easily put it on yourself. You even have a wide range of choices from an $8 steel gear for an FE all the way to a $149 steel gear for an SBF!

Certainly, there is something in that range that will be attractive.

[Davidless]

Originally Posted by NROTOXIN

From the Progression Ignitions product description:
"Distributor gear is melonized steel. Compatible with flat tappet cams and hydraulic roller cams."

Hmm
Melonized steel is a salt bath Ferritic Nitrocarburize procedure which uses a cyanide base. The process is accomplished at temperature around 1050F. It is usually (but not in all cases) applied to low alloy steels to form a surface generally of iron nitrides.

I'm guessing it can be used as a substitute when a steel gear is specified?

Summit:
Melonized or Hardened Steel
Heat treated for durability.
Slick surface is compatible with any type of cam.
Often used by the OEM for long life.
Generally used as the default gear on replacement distributors.

Today, GM and Ford both use melonized gears in several of their street crate engines equipped with steel camshaft cores. Because of their wear properties, melonized gears are a good fit for cars with either ductile iron camshafts or cams manufactured from billet steel. Melonized gears are compatible with conventional iron core camshafts too.

[eschaider]

It is not clear whether you are asking a question or making a statement.

If you are asking a question, you would be better served asking it of the replacement gear provider.

If you are making a statement, and you believe it to be true, then you should act on that.