Flathead Maollory elctronic dist. issue

My 37 sedan with a 59ab is mostly a stock engine with a pressurized radiator and a isky 400jr cam stock heads and one stromberg 97. I am having a slight overheating issue that i believe is due to the distributor. It is the $450 mallory breakerless electronic dist. I noticed that at idle i am running 8 degrees of timing with a light, but at 3000rpm's it jumps to 35 degrees advance.. With this setting it loses power at high speeds and picks up a miss.. If i set it at 2 degrees after TDC at idle, It runs GREAT at high speeds but like crap at low rpms and stalls at stops. Anyone else have a solution??? I am running Autolite plugs and the carb has a 60PV and 48 jets

 

Try setting it @ 4-6 degrees advance that should land you closer to 32 degrees total advance which is about as much as you will want to run.

 

seems like anything over 22 degrees advance hurts it. I wish the advance was adjustable on this dist.

 

A flat head likes about 24 degrees max advance, and I always time a non stock cam with a vacuum gauge.

 

Change the advance curve and max advance.

4° BTBC at idle and 26° at 2500rpm

 

You need to recurve that mallory.

4 degrees at about 450 rpm

~24/26 degrees at 2000


Also check that the fan belt is not too loose (or too tight)

Carb settings also effect engine temps but I think you are on the right track with being suspicious of the Mallory.


Also, your 97 will have a tough time with fuel pressure if you run more than 2 to 3 lbs.
97's needle/seat cannot hold back a stout fuel pump. They Will leak/flood.
Use a quality Holley fuel regulator if you have excessive fuel pressure from an electric fuel pump.
Double gasket your intake to fuel pump stand if using a stock pump and have more than 3 lbs.
.

 

It's a problem with Mallory stuff now. A lot of them come with small block Chevy curves in them. I NEVER let a new one go out of my shop without recurving it. If the customer doesn't want to pay for recurving.....I don't sell him the distributor. Contact me if you need help with this....

 

We curve one of these almost every week ! They have a chevy 36-38 degree limit when delivered.
Send it to us and i will reset the limts and curve for the flathead and send it back to you the day i recieve it.
Its $48 plus shipping.....

Bubba

 

i just ordered one of speedways (budget) elec dizzys for my 50 8ba yesterday does anyone know if they are set up like this?

 

Yep, same curve as a chevy ,usually has 30-36 degrees......way too much for the flatheads......