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Re: distributor machines - again

To: walter@omni.sps.mot.com (Thomas Walter)
Subject: Re: distributor machines - again
From: Brian Evans <brian@uunet.ca>
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 08:32:19 -0400
Almost all cars that drive the distributor off a chain driven camshaft or
jackshaft would have counter clockwise rotating distributors, but cars with
gear driven cams (two gear systems) have clockwise type distributors.  My
Martin engine is one such, as might be other performance modded engines.  If
you drive the distributor shaft with a belt, you could just put a single
twist in the belt to make it run backwards.

I suspect that even a sewing machine motor (one of the old ones that you can
pick up for almost free at flea markets) would drive the distributor just
fine, and they come with speed controls built in...can anyone think of a way
to read the advance directly on a gauge, rather than using a timing light?

BTW, now that you've mentioned it, I might make up a machine this winter -
it sounds like a fun project!  (my wife brought home a sewing machine table
for her NEW machine that still had the old machine attached, so I've got the
bits already!)

At 04:42 PM 04/09/97 -0400, you wrote:
>
>Thinking of making up a simple distributor machine:
>
>Motor for 300 to 3000 rpm (which implies 600 to 6000rpm
>  at the engine) - fine fo my needs.
>Timing Light.
>Degree wheel.
>Metal lathe -- custom made adapter and fixture.
>
>QUESTION 1: All the British cars that I can think of
>have CCW (counter clock wise) rotating distributors.
>Not sure on "detroit iron"... does anyone know of any
>CW rotating distributors?
>
>QUESTION 2: HP rating. Not much mass on a destributor,
>rough guess would be a 1/4hp motor would be more than
>enough. Can anyone with an old SUN machine confirm
>the size of the motor?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Tom Walter
>Austin, TX
>


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