Redog

how hard is it?

I was told my weights are shot and that is why I need a new ign. These weight kits are only $3 to $10. Beats $175

Rallye469

Piece of cake...just don't loose the tiny little springs when you're sprawled out over your fenders trying to put them in...

And prepare to do it a few times to get the right spring & weight combo.

joe_padavano

While it's not impossible for the weights to be bad, I'd want to understand what was "shot" before replacing anything. The two possible failure modes are 1) the weights have rusted in place and you get no advance or 2) the holes in the weights are worn and you get erratic advance. If the latter, it's also possible that the posts that serve as pivot points are also worn, which gets a lot closer to a new distributor. Understand the problem before replacing parts.

Redog

The weights "spin" too much, knocking the advance out.

joe_padavano

Well, again, what exactly does that mean? The two weights pivot out due to centrifugal force. They pivot on small pins. A spring on each weight holds them in place. An ear on each weight near the pivot limits the total travel outboard. The weights don't exactly "spin" and I don't understand what "knocking the advance out" means. If you're saying the mechanical advance is erratic, that's one thing. If you're saying the mechanical advance provides too much advance, you don't need to change the weights to fix that. If you're saying the advance curve is too fast (or too slow) you need to change the springs, not the weights. At the risk of channeling Norm, your statement really doesn't make sense.

Redog

I know my engine turns at 3500 RPMs at 65 MPH, It used to be 70 at the same RPMs which is still too high. This happened with no timing changes.

At 3500 RPMs when I had the points I was going 85.

IfI take off the cap and rotor and see the weights. I can move the weights freely back and forth. Is this normal?

The timing is right. I believe it's at 23 not 20. But when my old mech set it at 36 ( ) it's been pretty much the same as it is now

Redog

EDIT : Nevermind

Stock dis replacement is $100

88 coupe

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...iming-hei.html

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...e-problem.html

This is the third time around. Maybe one, or two, of the laws of physics have changed since the last go around.

Norm

Oldsguy

You can move them around the axis of the pin they are mounted on by a number of degrees (maybe 20) but there should be spring tension to it.

Redog

Or maybe I have yet to get a straight answer on if I can just replace the springs and weights or do I need a new dis.

BTW the coil is an OE replacement. I'm not spending $50 on a "50,000" volt coil

joe_padavano

OK, first, the engine RPM at speed is a function of the trans gear (and/or slippage), final drive ratio, and tire diameter. Period. If you've getting different RPMs at the same speed, you either have slippage in the trans/converter, you've changed tire diameter (or inflation pressure), or your tach is reading wrong. Since this change seems to be tied to the change from points to electronic, I vote for the latter. Changing the advance weights by themselves CANNOT change the RPM at a given speed. As Norm correctly points out, for this to be possible would require a repeal of the laws of physics.

Get your hands on an inductive tach (the kind that clamps on the spark plug wire) and temporarily install it so you can read the tach while you drive. Compare the reading to your in-car tach, THEN figure out what's going on.

joe_padavano

And to answer this question once and for all, yes, it's trivial to replace the weights and springs. Remove the cap, remove the rotor, remove the advance springs, remove the weights. Reverse the process to replace.

Redog

Thank you and now I'm done.

OE replacement is $98 and a $14 core

88 coupe

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...04681&D=304681

And also inexpensive.

Norm

Olds64

"I canna change the laws of physics Cap'n."