[Fot] Mallory Distributor

[Henry Frye]

Right, wrong, or indifferent, here's my thoughts and what I run.

Once you have the motor on cam and in the powerband, it wants to see
total advance. The only reason we have the advance mechanism is because
we need to retard the spark for starting.

So...

Initial timing = <total advance desired for the engine> less <total
advance set in the Mallory>.

I set the Mallory's total advance to 10 degrees because the 24 that's
built into it made it very difficult to start hot. I did not buy the
fancy adjustable base plate, I simply bent the tang in the Mallory that
limits how far the points plate can travel. I set it to 10 degrees, it
worked, and I have not messed with it since. Is 10 degrees the optimal
setting? No clue.

As to what RPM total advance is achieved, I set mine to hit full advance
WELL before I get into the on-track useable powerband.

YMMV.

Obviously, this applies to my track-only racecar. On street-going cars
this approach probably would not work so well.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter Vucinic
> Subject: [Fot] Mallory Distributor
>
> Can those of you running the Mallory Twin Point distributor
> (Mechanical
> Advance) in TR4's please give me some advice on where to start with: -
>
> a)     Initial timing used
>
> b)     Total mechanical advance used
>
> c)      What RPM total advance is achieved