Trojan Boat Forum

Rodman wrote:Its been arching from the top of the cap to the rotor button on the distributor.

Lucky you didn't catch fire ... any strong gas fumes would have been very dangerous.

Well I managed to check the advance mechinism in the distributor today, it was non-existant, no spring action at all, pretty corroded also, pulled the distributor and am now going to either re-build this one or maybe purchase a new one, can't seem to find any Advance Curve rebuild kits anywhere, mostly tune up stuff available only, any suggestions on a new distributor supply ( 1972 - 82, Chrysler Dist model # IDH-7003-3S BID Electronic Ignition )

Abster

I bought a remanufactured one from AutoLine Products, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada) and had them also rebuild my old one for me to stock as a spare. Based on their web site http://www.autoline.ca/contact_us.htm looks like they have a Southern US office as well, in GA.

Ran across this video for stuck centrifical advance, like previously posted need some massaging & lube.

Thanks for the video now I understand what it has to do. ITs not im on way down to boat now to work on that.

Well it looks like I was able to clean & lube this OEM distributor, advance weights & spring are loose again ( disassembled, cleaned & lubed ) throw and return seems to work well manually, going to set it back in. Does anyone know what the initial timing from TDC is supposed to be set at?
5 deg BTDC, 5 deg ATDC ? I have a timing light with advance setting capability, hopefully this will cure the 2200 max rpm problem.
Thanks for the help all!

Abster

AbsterMcgee wrote:Well it looks like I was able to clean & lube this OEM distributor, advance weights & spring are loose again ( disassembled, cleaned & lubed ) throw and return seems to work well manually, going to set it back in. Does anyone know what the initial timing from TDC is supposed to be set at?
5 deg BTDC, 5 deg ATDC ? I have a timing light with advance setting capability, hopefully this will cure the 2200 max rpm problem.
Thanks for the help all!

Abster

Most of these older Mopars like to run at 10 BTDC. Unplug the vacuum line to the distributor, mark the harmonic balancer with a little white paint on the 10 BTDC mark and hook up your light; loosen the distributor, move the distributor a little at a time. I hope this helps a little.

Found something interesting today. The rotor button I replaced right after I brought the boat home before I even put it in the water. Has some slip to it. It slips 1/4 of inch before it grabs on the distributor. So I pulled the old one out noticed a big difference in it. So I went down Ordered a new one. I think my whole problem has been this. When the distributor would advance the rotor button would slip on the distributor and cause my problem. Reason I was getting 4000 RPM with the little prop its because it was not putting a load on the engine for the advance to kick in. Same as when I rev it up out the water. We will see, I really think this is the issue now. That is why I would get 3100 RPM one time and not the next cause the rotor is slipping.

Rodman wrote:Found something interesting today. The rotor button I replaced right after I brought the boat home before I even put it in the water. Has some slip to it. It slips 1/4 of inch before it grabs on the distributor. So I pulled the old one out noticed a big difference in it. So I went down Ordered a new one. I think my whole problem has been this. When the distributor would advance the rotor button would slip on the distributor and cause my problem. Reason I was getting 4000 RPM with the little prop its because it was not putting a load on the engine for the advance to kick in. Same as when I rev it up out the water. We will see, I really think this is the issue now. That is why I would get 3100 RPM one time and not the next cause the rotor is slipping.

Not sure what you mean by 'rotor button'. If you are saying your rotor can slip on the distributor shaft 1/4" you have a totally screwed up ignition system, and THAT will likely be your problem. You are running parts that were never designed to work together. If you are thinking prop size is affecting this, you are sadly mistaken. Advance is either caused by vacuum or engine speed (rpms) - depending on how the distributor is set up. Neither have anything to do with what prop you have on - other than a prop that is too big is too much resistance to allow you to build up vacuum or engine speed to trigger the advance. If that's the case, the problem is a prop that's too big.

Rodman wrote:Found something interesting today. The rotor button I replaced right after I brought the boat home before I even put it in the water. Has some slip to it. It slips 1/4 of inch before it grabs on the distributor. So I pulled the old one out noticed a big difference in it. So I went down Ordered a new one. I think my whole problem has been this. When the distributor would advance the rotor button would slip on the distributor and cause my problem. Reason I was getting 4000 RPM with the little prop its because it was not putting a load on the engine for the advance to kick in. Same as when I rev it up out the water. We will see, I really think this is the issue now. That is why I would get 3100 RPM one time and not the next cause the rotor is slipping.

Rodman, just rebuilt the distributor for my chrysler, new springs for the advance fly weights, new pick-up & rotor, everything loose and free now, noticed the same thing with this new rotor, these are chrysler marine products not auto stuff! and the rotor (new) has the same slippage, with the shaft secured I can rotate the rotor about a 1/4 inch on the shaft? I don't know if it engineered that way or not, it may not be an issue, when changing the springs on the advance I noticed one spring was larger than the other & stiffer, which also may be engineered that way to impede or slow the advance somewhat, left original springs in place, the new spring kit has equal springs and also states in specs that these springs are for un-restricted advance @ 2000 rpm

Is the heavy spring on one flyweight there for a reason to slow the advance somewhat, maybe to much advance to soon will cause the engine to "ping" under load & on acceleration, I know it will in Cars.
AnyOne?

Thanks Abster

AbsterMcgee wrote:

Rodman wrote:Found something interesting today. The rotor button I replaced right after I brought the boat home before I even put it in the water. Has some slip to it. It slips 1/4 of inch before it grabs on the distributor. So I pulled the old one out noticed a big difference in it. So I went down Ordered a new one. I think my whole problem has been this. When the distributor would advance the rotor button would slip on the distributor and cause my problem. Reason I was getting 4000 RPM with the little prop its because it was not putting a load on the engine for the advance to kick in. Same as when I rev it up out the water. We will see, I really think this is the issue now. That is why I would get 3100 RPM one time and not the next cause the rotor is slipping.

Rodman, just rebuilt the distributor for my chrysler, new springs for the advance fly weights, new pick-up & rotor, everything loose and free now, noticed the same thing with this new rotor, these are chrysler marine products not auto stuff! and the rotor (new) has the same slippage, with the shaft secured I can rotate the rotor about a 1/4 inch on the shaft? I don't know if it engineered that way or not, it may not be an issue, when changing the springs on the advance I noticed one spring was larger than the other & stiffer, which also may be engineered that way to impede or slow the advance somewhat, left original springs in place, the new spring kit has equal springs and also states in specs that these springs are for un-restricted advance @ 2000 rpm

Is the heavy spring on one flyweight there for a reason to slow the advance somewhat, maybe to much advance to soon will cause the engine to "ping" under load & on acceleration, I know it will in Cars.
AnyOne?

Thanks Abster

That slip is wrong on the rotor.

Most all distributors have movement in the rotor but it is not the rotor slipping it is the shaft moving back and forth on the cam drive gear. Perfectly normal I think.

davidsmith wrote:Most all distributors have movement in the rotor but it is not the rotor slipping it is the shaft moving back and forth on the cam drive gear. Perfectly normal I think.

It`s the rotor button moving back n forth on the shaft. It spouse too fit snug on the shaft.

Just got back from my test run. The engine was 100% better. Still not reaching 4000 rpm BUT it ran so smooth better it ever has. Now to get it where I need 4000 rpm Ill play with the prop.

Well, I have completely gone through the distributor, advance is loose and free ( new springs ect... ) , corrected the slip in the rotor to shaft, timed the beast to 10 deg BTDC @ 700 rpm, according to spec's the timing should advance to 18 deg BTDC @ 1200 rpm and full advance to 26 deg BTDC @ 2400 rpm, ran it up to 3000 rpm watching the timing mark it barely advances at all ( maybe 5 deg if lucky ) I know this is the problem, this distributor seems to be crap! Any suggections or help in locating a new / aftermarket distributor / conversion ignition / I think it's time to give up on this one.

Also found the ID Plate for the boat, it says the engine model # 400BWR-278595, according to everything I have read this means that this is a
Chrysler 400 Right Rotating motor, can't find anything on a 400 only 440's

Thanks, Abster

AbsterMcgee wrote:Well, I have completely gone through the distributor, advance is loose and free ( new springs ect... ) , corrected the slip in the rotor to shaft, timed the beast to 10 deg BTDC @ 700 rpm, according to spec's the timing should advance to 18 deg BTDC @ 1200 rpm and full advance to 26 deg BTDC @ 2400 rpm, ran it up to 3000 rpm watching the timing mark it barely advances at all ( maybe 5 deg if lucky ) I know this is the problem, this distributor seems to be crap! Any suggections or help in locating a new / aftermarket distributor / conversion ignition / I think it's time to give up on this one.

Also found the ID Plate for the boat, it says the engine model # 400BWR-278595, according to everything I have read this means that this is a
Chrysler 400 Right Rotating motor, can't find anything on a 400 only 440's

Thanks, Abster

Anymore updates on this problem your having?