PerTronix Flame-Thrower HEI Distributors D1352 - Manual (Page 2)

PERFORMANCE ADJUSTMENTS
The Flame-Thrower HEI distributor come with a fully adjustable vacuum advance
and extra mechanical advance springs for your custom curving needs. The vacuum
and mechanical advance springs are both preset at our factory to meet the California
Air Resource Board's requirements for use on highway. Any adjustments of the dis-
tributor's advance mechanism is illegal except for racing vehicles, which may never
be driven upon a highway.
MECHANICAL ADVANCE
To adjust the mechanical advance curve, select the appropriate springs from the
chart below. The Flame-Thrower distributor is factory equipped with the silver
springs.
Remove the cap and rotor.
Remove the existing springs and install the desired springs.
Re-install the rotor, Note: If the Flame-Thrower distributor is used in a high R.P.M.
application, replace the metallic rotor retaining screws with the provided Teflon
screws and washers. Do not over tighten the Teflon screws.
DISTRIBUTOR INSTALLATION
Disconnect the 1. Flame-Thrower™ wire harness from the distributor cap. Remove the
cap from the distributor housing.
Install the distributor gasket over the gear, and up to the distributor collar (gasket
2.
not requires on Oldsmobile application). A small amount of gasket adhesive will
help to hold the gasket in place as the distributor is installed.
Lubricate the
3. Flame-Thrower™ distributor gear with a liberal amount of engine oil.
Turn the distributor shaft until the rotor is in the same position that was noted with 4.
the old distributor.
Place the distributor into the engine. As the distributor drops down, the rotor
5.
will turn as it engages with the camshaft gear. Adjust for this rotation by turning
the rotor a few degrees prior to the gear engagement. Several attempts may be
necessary to achieve the proper rotor position. The distributor collar should sit
completely flat on the intake manifold.
Turn the distributor housing until the vacuum advance canister points in the same
6.
direction as the original.
Install the distributor hold down and tighten the hold down bolt slightly. Once the
7.
ignition timing is adjusted the hold down bolt should be tightened completely.
Install the new
8. Flame-Thrower™ distributor cap.
Starting with the number one spark plug wire, move the spark plug wires from the 9.
original distributor cap to the Flame-Thrower™ cap one by one.
If converting from a point type ignition, new HEI style spark plug wires should be
10.
used (Check with your dealer for the Flame-Thrower™ spark plug wires).
Connect the
11. Flame-Thrower™ wire harness and vehicle wiring into the distributor
cap.
If converting from a point type ignition, remove any resistance wire, or ballast
12.
resistor that may have been previously used.
If a resistance wire is present: replace the wire with a 12-gauge copper stranded
•
wire. Most resistance wires begin at the engine compartment side of the fuse
block.
If a ballast resistor is present: remove the wires attached to both sides of the
•
resistor. Connect all of the wires removed together at a single point. Isolate the
connection from any grounds.
Plug the Ignition switch wire into the position marked
• BAT on the distributor cap.
If a tachometer is used: Connect the tachometer wire into the position marked 13.
TACH on the distributor cap.
Re-connect the battery.
14.
Plug the vacuum hose that attaches to the vacuum advance canister. 15.
Check to insure that all spark plug wires are secure and in the correct place. 16.
Start the engine, and check the base timing. 17.
Check the vehicle manufacture specifications for the correct timing. Rotate the 18.
distributor housing to achieve the indicated timing specifications.
Once the timing is properly adjusted, turn the ignition switch off and tighten the
19.
distributor hold down.
Re-attach the vacuum hose to the vacuum advance canister.
20.
VACUUM ADVANCE
Adjustments to the vacuum advance are made through the port on the 1.
front of the vacuum advance.
The vacuum advance is preset to 16
2. °. Each additional turn in the clock-
wise direction will add 2° of vacuum advance.
Each additional turn in the counter clockwise direction will subtract 2
3. ° of
vacuum advance.
Turning the adjustment in the counter clockwise direction until it stops will
4.
lock out the vacuum advance entirely.
Re-connect the vacuum hose to the advance canister, and bring the
5.
engine up to normal operating temperature.
Test the vacuum advance setting by load testing the engine. If pinging is
6.
detected than turn the vacuum advance setting counter clockwise until the
pinging stops.
Spring R.P.M.
500 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Copper 4° 12° 19° 24° 24° 24° 24°
Silver 0° 8° 12° 16° 19° 21° 24°
Natural 0° 6° 10° 14° 17° 20° 21°
Crankshaft Degrees