Here's the deal. 1955 super 88 with a 61' 394 cid in it. Engine cranks but does not start unless I move the distributor counter clockwise -- (I'm assuming retarding timing) little by little until it starts --- Once I have it running, it runs rough. Now, I keep turning the dist. a little more and it run better, but not as god as it use to run before any of this happend. The timing is not jumping or anything -- Now I am assuming it has something to do in the distributor and it is not the points, running petronix. Does anyone out there have any idea? Could it be the vacuum advance, is there any mechanical parts in the dist that would make it run like this. Please, help need to have veh ready for The Turkey run in November.

 

Have you removed the distributor completely to do any work? If so, you may have not re-installed it in the correct position and that may be why you have to rotate it so much to get the engine started.

 

The times that I have installed the distributor i have always dropped in with #1 cyl TDC on compression stroke and point the dist rotor towards #1. Should be on time -- The thing of it all is that when even when I do get it started it does not run correct. Another thing, when it does run and I shut it off it will not restart.

 

I recently had the same issue putting a new HEI into my '69 Supreme. I did all the checks with TDC and aligning the timing marks. Bottom line is that I was off one tooth. Try this and see if that works.

 

Any advice how to properly install Petronix distributor parts in 1955 Oldsmobile?

 

Ummmm... Follow the package instructions?

By the way, you've resurrected a nine year old thread.
It is customary to start a new thread when you have a new question, even more so when that question is unrelated to the original thread.

- Eric