58 Distributor-C1 No advance

[Leroy Lemmerhirt]

I recently purchased a rebuilt 1110891 distributor for the 245 HP 58 I'm restoring. The car had an incorrect vacuum advance distributor.The 891 unit has a fixed , dual point plate---no centrifugal cam or weights above the contact plate. I set the initial timing at 10 degrees, but see no advance above that. Am I missing something? How/where is the centrifugal advance weights? The ST-12 shows the Fuel injection distributor, but not the 891.Any advice/info will be appreciated. Leroy #31700

[Roy Braatz]

Re: 58 Distributor-C1 No advance

Centrifugal weights are under the contact plate

[William C.]

Re: 58 Distributor-C1 No advance

advance spec for the '891 (crank degrees and engine rpm) 1-5 @ 800 rpm, 12-16 @ 1500, 19-23 @ 2600, and 26-30 @ 3700 rpm.

[Leroy Lemmerhirt]

Re: 58 Distributor-C1 No advance

Thanks for your reply---with a timing lite attached, my concern is that I see no advance at 1500-2500, etc. I don't see how the distributor can advance the timing if the point contact plate is not moveable. Should the plate not move?
Thanks to all for info.

[William C.]

Re: 58 Distributor-C1 No advance

No, the movement is performed under the plate by a set of weights that rotate the position on the cam on the shaft. If you do not see movement with a timing light attached, it is possible that the cam and shaft are locked up and the distributor need to be disassembled and serviced to return it to normal operation. A distributor machine can then be used to check/adjust the curve just like in the more common later distributors, although it is slightly more time consumng in the '891 because of the need to remove the breaker plate and reinstallit when timing curve adjustments are made and checked.

[Dave Suesz]

That's two different things...

The rotating point plate is how the vacuum advance, which you don't have, advances the spark. The centrifugal advance uses the rotating force of two spring-loaded weights to index (rotate) the rotor. The size of the weights and tension of the springs determines the advance.

[Leroy Lemmerhirt]

Re: That's two different things...

Thanks to all that replied---sounds like I need to pull mine out for inspection/repair.