Ignition Timing Control setup - a cautionary tale
First - this is not a question. Just thought I'd document my journey.
I've been running my Power Adder system for all of 2017. I've got nitrous so I thought it would be neat to implement timing control so the Fitech could manage the nitrous activation and timing retard. I was running a Mallory Unilite w/Pertronix II - so I had to purchase a MSD Pro Billet distributor as it allows you to lock out the mechanical advance.
So here's what I found.
The setup of timing control is one of the better written sections in the manual. I followed all the instructions diligently though the car would only start if I fiddled with the distributor base timing. Would barely idle and would not rev. Dumb founded I reset the timing, and double checked everything. What I found was that the phaseable rotor did not have enough adjustment in-the-slot to position the rotor at the #1 distributor terminal. I removed the adjuster screw and duct taped the phaseable rotor top to the correct position - engine started right away and ran great. I then removed the phaseable rotor top - used dremel to extend the adjustment slot. Re-installed the adjuster screw and all is great.
I first was blaming the Fitech but found that the MSD distributor was built out-of-tolerance. Kind of like a cam being ground wrong. Hopefully this write-up will help someone else struggling w/timing control setup.
That is interesting. I have heard a few negative comments about MSD lately. Hope they aren't going down hill. Ironcially I have installed a half dozen units with timing control. Never phased any of them and all ran great. Different distributors too. Msd Pro Billet, Summit ready to run and converted small cap HEI. Just been lucky...
I will say this. I was not happy with the fit of the Msd. Housing was smaller than the hole in the manifold. I had a friend lathe the adjustable collar with a lip to fit the hole.