distributor performance?

[Richardlss]

Hey guys, just wondered how a distributor can give you better performance? i mean i know its good to have better plugs and wires for the perfect spark, but how does the distributor come into play with horsepower?

[Mike Goble]

Any distributor that lights the spark at the right time all the time will work well.
I think way too much is made out of spark plug wires. If you believe the modern hype, engines wouldn't have even run in the 50's and 60's, when Packard 440 was the standard.

[Richardlss]

Any distributor that lights the spark at the right time all the time will work well.
I think way too much is made out of spark plug wires. If you believe the modern hype, engines wouldn't have even run in the 50's and 60's, when Packard 440 was the standard.

so then the dist. really has no play in hp? as long as it gives the spark at the right time all the time...

[veno]

Mike has a fair point... I remember using the copper Packard 440 wires, and finally saving enough coin to get a set of the orange corvette Packard wires... woo hoo...


Distributors... if you have ever played with any stock distributor, there is a fair amount of play in the shaft in the vertical plane, shimming solves most if not all of that. Advance curves are preset in stock distributors. and need to be modified to accommodate performance ramp rates and the amount of advance available varied by the application .. some amount of waver in the shaft in the upper rpm range of a stock distributor could contribute to spark scatter from the amount of play in the horizontal plane if the shaft.

There are many reasons to purchase a after market distributor. If you need one... and are concerned about every little bit of hp you can obtain....

We used to buy a mallory or Accel unit because it was the best way to get a dual point set up.. much easier than trying to find a corvette tack drive dual point...

Wires on the other hand.. to me is a must... the better the conductor the better your ignition in the chamber... I have always tried to find the best and least resistance wire I could afford... currently that is the MSD race wire with 40-50 ohm per foot.. I under stand Accel is producing a 25 ohm per foot wire... I just love one up manship in the vendors...

all in all, if you happy with the way your car runs and drives...then why worry about it... you just saved you self about 800.00 bucks by the time you get all the things you need for such a conversion...

[Richardlss]

Well its just im beginning to build up a 250 with the normal upgrades (ported head, headers, offey 4bbl intake, holley 4bbl carb, and just a step up in cam) and just wanted to figure out all the other stuff that may help, but since 4000 rpm is about where the 250 peaks in HP i guess a decent priced dist. would work well since i wouldnt be running a high rpm to really get that scatter from the play that you were referring too.

[Mike Goble]

so then the dist. really has no play in hp? as long as it gives the spark at the right time all the time...

What else would you expect from a distributor?

[Richardlss]

What else would you expect from a distributor?

heck i dont know :D just wondered why everyone was spending 150 bucks on a distributor if it did pretty much the same as the cheapo ones...

But i know this question has been asked over and over but i never really havent seen an answer, but i was just curious on how much hp i could expect out of a 250 with ported head, headers, 4bbl offey intake, 4bbl holley carb, and looks like a high energy comp cam .474/.474 110 degrees. just a ball park figure? i'd appreciate the advice :)

[DriveWFO]

i was just curious on how much hp i could expect out of a 250 with ported head, headers, 4bbl offey intake, 4bbl holley carb, and looks like a high energy comp cam .474/.474 110 degrees. just a ball park figure? i'd appreciate the advice :)

Precisely 73hp :D

[Richardlss]

hm, how so accurate? :)

[Mike Goble]

I think he just pulled that right out of the horse in front of him...

[BPeer1]

I think he just pulled that right out of the horse in front of him...

LOL. Mike, You are a pip.

[pops]

heck i dont know :D just wondered why everyone was spending 150 bucks on a distributor if it did pretty much the same as the cheapo ones...

You get style points...and with a MSD dizzy you get rust and corrosion...I know, I have one.

pops

[NovatoriusRex]

heck i dont know :D just wondered why everyone was spending 150 bucks on a distributor if it did pretty much the same as the cheapo ones...

While all distributors essentially do the same thing, with variations on technique amongst brands, the cheapo ones may not be constructed as well and would need to be replaced more quickly WHEN (not if) they fail. Over time the cheapo ones may actually be more expensive.

The more expensive ones may offer (but not guarantee) some more tunability, connectability, better fit & finish, bling, and/or vendor support.

[Stan Sixes]

I have a Mallory dual point w/vacuum advance on my 250. It has an adjustable centifugal advance so it was easier to change the curve than with a stock distributor.
In hindsight it would be cheaper to get an HEI from a later 70's model. Much better than a stock points distributor and cheaper than the Mallory. The coil in the cap saves on wiring too, just the 12v supply wire. You shouldn't have any trouble finding one.
HEI has much more powerful spark than the points distributor and no periodic adjustment. Better combustion means more power.
Ask Twisted 6 about how much power to expect, but I would say better than 150 hp with the setup you listed. I have a stock cam but I know mine is a big step up from the original 110 hp. With the Comp Cam you will do better and should be able to run to 5000 rpm or so too.:cool:

[Richardlss]

I have a Mallory dual point w/vacuum advance on my 250. It has an adjustable centifugal advance so it was easier to change the curve than with a stock distributor.
In hindsight it would be cheaper to get an HEI from a later 70's model. Much better than a stock points distributor and cheaper than the Mallory. The coil in the cap saves on wiring too, just the 12v supply wire. You shouldn't have any trouble finding one.
HEI has much more powerful spark than the points distributor and no periodic adjustment. Better combustion means more power.
Ask Twisted 6 about how much power to expect, but I would say better than 150 hp with the setup you listed. I have a stock cam but I know mine is a big step up from the original 110 hp. With the Comp Cam you will do better and should be able to run to 5000 rpm or so too.:cool:

Thank you for that very detailed response! I dont mind buying something more expensive if theres a reason behind it... I just have my block sitting in the garage, and im working 6 days a week 12 hour shifts, so i have no time to really get in there and make any progress... but i will be able to purchase my head next week hopefully, and already have a guy that can do the bowl work for me :D but ill keep everything updated every step of the way since there arent a whole lot of inline threads :(

Thanks again!

[bowtie0069]

how much hp i could expect out of a 250 with ported head, headers, 4bbl offey intake, 4bbl holley carb, and looks like a high energy comp cam .474/.474 110 degrees. just a ball park figure?

Quite a bit less than a 350 from the junkyard that would cost half as much.
Sorry, I couldn't resist!
I love 6's, but the dollar/horsepower ratio just doesn't work for me.
Here's a couple of my favorites shot yesterday:
http://images35.fotki.com/v1164/photos/4/42437/6191044/IMG_4533-vi.jpg
http://images30.fotki.com/v465/photos/4/42437/6191044/IMG_5177-vi.jpg