So, I recently bought a 1966 Plymouth Barracuda, with a 383 Big Block. It ran extremely ruff, I found that the distributor cap was on backwards (not in its notch) fixing that helped greatly, but it still hard to start, crappy idle and hard to get it to drive. While trying to adjust the timing the vacuum advance fell apart (... minor rust)

I have recently had some great experience with the Pertronix Flamethrower.

Soooooooo, my question is, should I go for Vacuum advance or the other model???

1. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...J38N6VK012ZBWH

or

2. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...J38N6VK012ZBWH


Things to know, I am looking for a fun car, more cruiser but still fun.
It has a crazy cam, already, its more than it should have. Headers, Torquer intake, 4bl edelbrock ...

 

#1

 

How big is the cam?

 

I have no idea how big the cam is, it lopes. The guy I bought it from put new tires on it, headers, intake, carb, drove it once or so. With all drum brakes and that much go, I think he was a little scared of it, I got it pretty cheap. Many wonders with the car I haven't figured out yet.

This is my first Mopar since working on my Dads 71 AMC Javelin AMX as a kid. Most of my mechanic life was Army equipment so, this isn't diesel, I'm learning. :P

 

Lets see if I can get this image to post

[IMG][/IMG]


I've already bought the wiring harness kit, new plugs and wires, cap and rotor. I went to set the timing after that and the vacuum advance started to fall apart from rust in my hand...

 

Well... That worked well.....
Looks like you got your work cut out for you.... Have fun with it...
A little at a time or every weekend and before you know it, you'll have it whipped into shape....

 

Bob -

Just curious, why not a mechanical only dizzy, if it can be adjusted for desired initial and total advance?

K - Hard to tell what;s going on in there, but you might consider a Mopar Electronic conversion kit. Dizzy + box + harness.

Archer

 

Big cam, mec advance!.............



Period .......

 

Anything over 0.50 @ 0.50 = mec advance.

 

For a street car/weekend warrior Vacuum advance dist would be the one

 

Vaccum advance helps with the street manner in most cases.....
Just an FYI... I did not read the last paragraph, about the crazy cam...lol

 

I think I know the answer, but is there a way to tell the cam size without pulling it?

In my teens I rebuilt a 350 Chevy with my Dad, when it came to the cam, I was told "Keep your grubby hands off". When I asked what size cam "Its a rubber cam, higher the RPM the wilder it gets"..... Soooo my knowledge around cams is a bit lacking lol.

Thank you for all your help

 

Do you have access to a dial indicator and stand?

I would never run an engine without knowing some of the cam specs, any tuning could damage engine. A TDC check with a timing tape and good eye can give a good ball park for duration.

Rockers and shafts off with indicator on push rod will give a fairly accurate lift.

 

So, I bought a dial indicator, took some measurements... By the way, real pain in the...
The measurement was to close to .5 lift if I did it correctly, I went with the mechanical.

Took a week or 3 to get the distributor, I put it in and found out someone popped the trunk and stole the battery out of the trunk... Luckily the damage was minimal and the battery was a POS.

I will get it together soon and see how she runs...

 

So I bought the distributor, I couldn't get it to start after. I thought it was all to do with the timing like the last owner said when I bought it...

Stupidity! Never trust, verify your own problems...

My timing was crap, I replaced the distributor to get away from points... THEN the bigger issue was the fuel pump was failing... I wasn't getting the fuel to deal with the timing, that took me a while to even consider, I walked away from it (winter and car port work doesn't mix well). Now I need to go threw the fuel system (rubber hose from the tank, I ordered new steel line to replace to go back to the real deal).

Mean while, hoodlums stole the battery and siphoned the gas out of it. (Within a week the ricer down the block burned up his Integra's turbo...Octane boost w/ 90 octane? yeah that could be it hehe)

Its a literal rats nest (not much of a cushion back seat now). Slowly but surely she will get back to a grocery go getter.

Thank you all for your help and knowledge
Mike