340-4 ignition - Which way do I go?

B

bigdougsoutho

Member
Hey guys I hope that someone can help get me pointed in the right direction. I have been trying to get all of the bugs worked out of my 67 Le Sabre for about a year now. I'm not trying to hot rod it or anything it's my daily driver. I recently have been having trouble with the ignition and timing. I pulled the OE breaker point distributor from my donor car and the cam gear? is worn down in the center where the rubbing block makes contact. This was also the case with my driver. I checked the gap (.016) of the points, set timing at 2 - 1/2 BTDC The car still is not running well, and I cannot get the dwell angle greater than about 23 without it running terribly worse. (the car ran great up until a few weeks ago when the engine developed a ping on light acceleration - tried running a couple tanks of different fuel as well.) I know that there are a few aftermarket types of ignition systems available, I am a retired carpenter - not a professional mechanic - so if anyone can offer some advice I would greatly appreciate it!
 
Myself, I am going back to a points ignition on my car.

If it is the distributor, it is probably worn out and finding a good rebuilder would do just fine and give you many happy miles.

I don't know if we have a rebuilder on the site, but a search online brings up several possible rebuilders.

If you decide you want a performance distributer, you could follow the DUI link on this page.
 
340 dist.

Bob said:
Myself, I am going back to a points ignition on my car.

If it is the distributor, it is probably worn out and finding a good rebuilder would do just fine and give you many happy miles.

I don't know if we have a rebuilder on the site, but a search online brings up several possible rebuilders.

If you decide you want a performance distributer, you could follow the DUI link on this page.
Click to expand...


Thanks Bob, I appreciate the advice.

Doug [h=2]:thumbsup:[/h]
 
if you decide you'd like to convert to an HEI ignition, you can pull an HEI cap straight out of a 1975 or newer Buick 350 and drop it in.
 
bigdougsoutho said:
Hey guys I hope that someone can help get me pointed in the right direction. I have been trying to get all of the bugs worked out of my 67 Le Sabre for about a year now. I'm not trying to hot rod it or anything it's my daily driver. I recently have been having trouble with the ignition and timing. I pulled the OE breaker point distributor from my donor car and the cam gear? is worn down in the center where the rubbing block makes contact. This was also the case with my driver. I checked the gap (.016) of the points, set timing at 2 - 1/2 BTDC The car still is not running well, and I cannot get the dwell angle greater than about 23 without it running terribly worse. (the car ran great up until a few weeks ago when the engine developed a ping on light acceleration - tried running a couple tanks of different fuel as well.) I know that there are a few aftermarket types of ignition systems available, I am a retired carpenter - not a professional mechanic - so if anyone can offer some advice I would greatly appreciate it!
Click to expand...

Distributor shaft bushings can wear out and that results in the dwell going all over the place because the shaft is wobbling. Dwell effects timing, so your timing goes all over the place as well. Getting the distributor rebuilt can remedy that. There are several points elimination kits on the market that can get rid of the points. I have heard good things about the Crane kit as well as the Lectric Ltd. unit.

Another option is a guy named Dave Ray. He rebuilds and recurves your distributor and converts it over to electronic ignition (uses GM HEI module), or he can convert it over to MSD trigger so that you can run an MSD box. Not sure what his lead time is, but if you have a spare or junk distributor, you can send it to him. His work is impeccable.

www.davessmallbodyheis.com

Distrib2A_zpsmewls1oi.jpg
 
bob k. mando said:
if you decide you'd like to convert to an HEI ignition, you can pull an HEI cap straight out of a 1975 or newer Buick 350 and drop it in.
Click to expand...



Thanks Bob, I've been thinking about using HEI setup because it eliminates the need to periodically adjust the points. If I were to switch over to HEI would there be any adverse effects on the rest of te electrical system that would need to be addressed?

Doug
 
LARRY70GS said:
Distributor shaft bushings can wear out and that results in the dwell going all over the place because the shaft is wobbling. Dwell effects timing, so your timing goes all over the place as well. Getting the distributor rebuilt can remedy that. There are several points elimination kits on the market that can get rid of the points. I have heard good things about the Crane kit as well as the Lectric Ltd. unit.

Another option is a guy named Dave Ray. He rebuilds and recurves your distributor and converts it over to electronic ignition (uses GM HEI module), or he can convert it over to MSD trigger so that you can run an MSD box. Not sure what his lead time is, but if you have a spare or junk distributor, you can send it to him. His work is impeccable.

www.davessmallbodyheis.com

Distrib2A_zpsmewls1oi.jpg
Click to expand...


Thanks Larry, I will check out those options and Dave's link as well.

Doug
 
Daves website is FUBAR as in gone.Last I heard he had someone else in the shop playing catch-up,like months behind.He didn't sound very enthusiastic about continuing.I know he was shot trying to stop an armed robbery & had many health issues afterwards.Too bad,he had a good product from what I heard.
 
That's terrible. I tried to get to the site last night and just figured that the site was having problems.

I have an extra so I pulled it and found that the dist. shaft was much straighter than the one I was running. I took a set of calipers and did the "pass / no pass" and found that there is not as much wear on the cam as well.

The inside of the distributor body, the points and the breaker plate are extremely sticky, almost like a thin layer of molasses. I was going to wipe off what I could and apply lube under the moving parts.

I also found a box with some misc. parts in the trunk of my parts car and there were a few pieces that appear to be usable - I think that between the two I have and these parts I can put some thing together to get me by, at least for a week or two until I can get a replacement.

I have a bottle of Lucas assembly lube and a small amount of moly type cam lube - will either of these work?

Thanks.

Doug
 
If I were to switch over to HEI would there be any adverse effects on the rest of te electrical system that would need to be addressed?


i don't think so but Jamie would be the pro to ask on that.
 
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