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Distributor "spinner"
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KENO View Drop Down
Grand Poobah
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Joined: June-06-2004
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    Posted: January-12-2017 at 7:52pm
[QUOTE=Duane in Indy]
If you can find a shop that still has a distributor machine and knows how to use it then you will be able to set up the advance curve. I know of a machine near me but have zero idea of how to operate it. Been too long ago. Maybe some old guy like Pete would know how.




Since distributor machines are rare and ridiculously expensive these days, I built my own low tek red nek version of the real thing There's quite a bit that it can do and quite a bit that it can't do but it does everything I wanted it to do

I like to call it a distributor spinner.

It was basically some more or less junk stuff I had hanging around.

Started with a 12 volt DC motor from a radiator fan (from I think an old Subaru.)

Had a degree wheel hanging aroiund

Also had a cheap tach that I figured I could put to good use.

I had to actually spend some money on a cheap 12 volt DC motor variable speed controller so I spent about 15 bucks on EBAY.

Used a few other miscellaneous parts like a terminal strip, some wires, a light switch, some scrap wood and I even threw the kitchen sink at it. Well, sort of. One of my kids was remodeling his kitchen so I scrounged the formica counter top out of the trash pile to make the bench top to mount all this stuff on

Almost forgot, I used a piece of 1/2 inch ID rubber hose as a coupler to hook the distributor shaft to the motor and cut up a bracket from a scrap mower deck to make the arm that holds the distributor. Used a shaft collar with a 1 5/8 ID for my bracket to hold a 351W distributor. (There's a separate adapter for a Chevy distributor that uses a 1 1/4 ID collar )

Had to make a mount for a spark plug and decided to make another one for 8 plugs, but I usually use the single plug unless I want to turn all the lights off and watch the light show

I got out my fine machining tools (circular saw, Paslode nail gun,drill,and my trusty 4 1/2 inch angle grinder, my welder and a few other miscellaneous tools and went at it.

The end result is what's in the picture with a screw down Prestolite in it





You can't see the spark plug in the picture because it's behind the distributor and the TDC pointer is not in the picture, It's a metal block with a pointer that I can move around as I need to. You use your regular timing light hooked up just as you would in the boat.

You can mount whatever coil you want, use a ballast resistor or bypass it. Test a points or electronic distributor

A car battery provides the motive force for the motor by way of the speed controller. The motor will turn the distributor up to 2500 rpm max which corresponds to 5000 engine RPM so I can check advance at whatever RPM I want. (If your advance isn't fully in by that speed, you have some problems to deal with)

The light switch sends 12 volts to the coil when it's ON and kills coil power when it's OFF.

The tach reads "engine RPM" since it's hooked to the coil and the degree wheel shows "distributor advance" so I have to multiply the advance by 2 to get crankshaft advance.

It may look goofy but I can check advance curves check dwell, check points, check coils, check ballast resistors and if somebody gives me a used electronic conversion for example, I can check it on this before installing it. (Thanks Hollywood )

I can also keep myself amused for long periods of time playing with ignition components

For a Chevy distributor I reverse direction by reversing the motor leads under the table and if I want to jack up voltage to simulate alternator output, I plug in the battery charger and get about 14 volts.

As a test of it's accuracy, I took a NOS Mallory with a known, documented advance curve and compared my results to the known curve and they matched very well.so I was happy.

The best part is that any "Backyard hack" can build this. The hardest part was mounting the degree wheel to the motor shaft with an adapter that could then be coupled to the distributor shaft with rubber hose. Also need to ground the distributor and the spark plug for things to make spark. Overall wiring was pretty straightforward.

There are probably things I forgot to mention but this is to show that anybody can do it

KenO
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SNobsessed View Drop Down
Grand Poobah
Grand Poobah


Joined: October-21-2007
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Points: 7102 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SNobsessed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January-12-2017 at 10:00pm
Ken - That is great work!

I have a hunch you are going to be the go-to guy for checking advance curves.
“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”

Ben Franklin
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Duane in Indy View Drop Down
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Points: 1578 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Duane in Indy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January-12-2017 at 10:48pm
KENO,   Now that's cool.   Really like the engineering you put into this. I may be able to get a hold of the dist. machine I pictured if you are interested. Duane
Keep it as original as YOU want it
        1978 Mustang (modified)
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TRBenj View Drop Down
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Joined: June-29-2005
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Points: 21171 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TRBenj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January-12-2017 at 11:55pm
Ha that's awesome Ken.
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8122pbrainard View Drop Down
Grand Poobah
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Points: 41045 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8122pbrainard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January-13-2017 at 6:23am
Ken,


54 Atom

77 Tique

64 X55 Dunphy

Keep it original, Pete
<
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75 Tique View Drop Down
Grand Poobah
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Joined: August-12-2004
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Points: 6127 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 75 Tique Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January-13-2017 at 10:38am
Excellent bit of red nek engineering there. Very well done.

There is one element I found inconsistent with the rest of it tho.

Originally posted by KENO KENO wrote:


For a Chevy distributor I reverse direction by reversing the motor leads under the table


Just doesnt seem you should have to crawl under the table and mess with wiring to do this. You probably know this, but I'll put it out there anyway. Here is an easy way to reverse polarity (I learned back in my old model railroad days) Just wire up a double pole-double throw (DPDT) toggle switch (that you used to be able to get easily enough from Radio Shack (RIP). I guess you go to amazon now.) like this.
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KENO View Drop Down
Grand Poobah
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Points: 11061 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KENO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January-13-2017 at 2:19pm
Funny you should mention this Larry.

Almost did that but didn't have one handy.

Keeping it red nek, it's just 2 color coded bullet connectors to swap.

Might have to get a switch though,

Thanks
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KENO View Drop Down
Grand Poobah
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Joined: June-06-2004
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Points: 11061 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KENO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January-13-2017 at 2:23pm
Originally posted by Duane in Indy Duane in Indy wrote:

KENO,   Now that's cool.   Really like the engineering you put into this. I may be able to get a hold of the dist. machine I pictured if you are interested. Duane


Hi Duane

Thanks but shipping would be crazy and this thing does everything I need it to.

Maybe somebody else might be interested though
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Grand Poobah
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Joined: August-12-2004
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Points: 6127 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 75 Tique Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January-13-2017 at 2:26pm
Well then, keeping that in mind, you would have to admit, one of these would be a nice touch to the table top.
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