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Thread: Windsor 351 Distributor Problem

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    Default Windsor 351 Distributor Problem

    I have a 351 F4TE block converted back to carbie and have been running



    It runs fine but I have 44deg total timing at 3300rpm not so good.

    I replaced it with this



    Adjustable etc and was running ok with 14deg initial timing and 32 total timing at 2800rpm.

    After a couple of short runs the motor was not normal and after checking the timing it was all over the place, usually at start it was slower at idle and had 0deg timing, rev it up then at idle it would speed up and have 15deg timing but even if u went to 2000rpm it still only 15deg timing. Turn it off and start again same thing. so I pulled the disy out again and found marking on gears as per pic

    It appears the gears are not meshing properly and binding causing timing issues. After comparing measurements I found the shaft size below the gear was 515thou on the first disy but only 500thou on the second disy

    My question is and from what information I have found is that windsor blocks up to 1982 had the 500thou disy base and EFI blocks from 1983 went to 531thou.

    Does anyone have any recommendations on an adjustable disy or somewhere I can get the first on remapped

    Thanks Thomo
    Last edited by RedXT; 15-02-20 at 10:50 AM.



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    shit thomo now your scraping the bottom of my barrel but if mem is ok theres a difference in the dia of the cog on the bottom some are a different diameter also the bush in the block are different too , but to me the look of the gear seems to have got some metal between that and the cam drive a mate had similar in a stock car and we worked out he had a new dissy on a old block with the large dia bush , its a bit hard to measure with out pulling it down , there is one way to prove it thats to make a lead slug and put it down the hole and give it a smack with a hammer and pull it out and measure it but dont drop it or you gotta pull it down cheers Don

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    Haven't heard any discussion on 351s for a "century", I think Hinekadon is on the money, but I'm only working on second hand memories from the 70's.
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

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    lsemmens hell am i that old , hard to remember all those facts , things are starting to gel a bit lol

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    Quote Originally Posted by hinekadon View Post
    shit thomo now your scraping the bottom of my barrel but if mem is ok theres a difference in the dia of the cog on the bottom some are a different diameter also the bush in the block are different too , but to me the look of the gear seems to have got some metal between that and the cam drive a mate had similar in a stock car and we worked out he had a new dissy on a old block with the large dia bush , its a bit hard to measure with out pulling it down , there is one way to prove it thats to make a lead slug and put it down the hole and give it a smack with a hammer and pull it out and measure it but dont drop it or you gotta pull it down cheers Don
    I have been able to measure the locating hole and it is around the 530thou mark so the second disy is at least 30thou under which is too much. I have found someone that can regraph the first disy so that looks the way to go.
    This block is from a EFI 1996 American Bronko, the early windsors 351 had a 500thou hole

    cheers thomo
    Last edited by RedXT; 16-02-20 at 09:31 AM.

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    I think the top bearing was a bit on the flimsy side so the bottom one had to be smack on. you can get a lead sinker and drill a hole in it and tap a 3/8 unc thread into the back end and screw a threaded rod into it push it down the hole and tap it to get a idea of the size this leaves a mark on the sinker and you shape it to slightly over that size then put a mark for front/back direction . next step is a good swift bang to get it to follow the shape of the hole , wobble a bit and it will withdraw and you have a copy of the hole so theres no guess work measure with a micrometer and you have the exact size of the hole then you can sweat a bush on the shaft and machine to size the other thing to watch is the distance from the top of the hole to the cam gear some of the after market shafts were a bit on the short side and didnt mesh all the cam-gear so could "unmesh slightly " at high revs the purpose of the front back marks is because the holes are sometimes oval and you can check with the mic this cheers Don

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    Open your first dizzy, take the plate off, check if both the mechanical advance springs are on, if one breaks you will have more total advance than you need.

    Proflow parts.....Chinese Junk......

    Edit, forgot to mention....

    1/ If both the springs are on your original dizzy, try it without the Vacuum port connected, it will give you less total advance.

    2/ you want about 32 degrees advance at or near redline, test higher up the rev range in case the advance keeps climbing, because if it does, hello detonation......goodbye engine.....

    3/ once you see 32 degrees and stops there at higher RPM, test 34, 36 etc for power, hopefully you will see something like 3-10 degrees when back at idle, any more and she wont like to crank over on startup.

    Been about 30 years since i last played with a Windsor or Cleveland.....
    Last edited by Godzilla; 17-02-20 at 04:20 PM.

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    Proflow, Fuelmiser MSD etc all made in china so unless you want to pay around $1200 you dont have much choice and with a Bosch ignition module they work fine

    I want initial timing at 14deg ( it starts fine atand total timing 32 to 34deg all in by 2500rps ( at the moment it has 44deg at 3200 with vacuum disconected) so it looks like I will just get the first one regraphed.

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    No Proflow is a cheap as can get VPW Chinese house brand.

    I buy a lot from VPW but the proflow stuff is on another level of cheaply made.

    Try setting your old dizzy at 10 degrees at idle with vacuum advance disconnected, then see what she does, from memory i think 10 degrees was the factory stock setting.

    Dont forget to check those springs on the mechanical advance weights, if they are broken or weak expect more advance than you bargained for.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Godzilla View Post
    No Proflow is a cheap as can get VPW Chinese house brand.

    I buy a lot from VPW but the proflow stuff is on another level of cheaply made.

    Try setting your old dizzy at 10 degrees at idle with vacuum advance disconnected, then see what she does, from memory i think 10 degrees was the factory stock setting.

    Dont forget to check those springs on the mechanical advance weights, if they are broken or weak expect more advance than you bargained for.
    I dont run vacuum advance on this motor and it doesnt matter what initial timing I run it still has 44deg total. I purchased another disy

    to put in while I have the other on regraphed and it has 44deg as well. I have a 289 and a 302 with similiar distributors I purchased about 12 years ago and they run 10deg initial and 34deg total at 3000rpm and thats

    how they come straight out of the box.

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    10 and 34 sounds about right

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