headers and distributor upgrade

manoa matt · Post by **manoa matt** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:44 pm

I got it all together this weekend after sitting for a few weeks.

Complete exhaust system: Chrome headers from Vics, via a friend ($150), Custom straight pipe in place of cat ($20), ANSA free flow resonator from ebay purchase($60) New free flow rear muffler from IAP ($16) Everything is ceramic coated ($12) Exhaust pipe expander ($6)

The sound it makes now: priceless

Not bad for just under $270

New electronic distributor with 16 deg advance to replace origonal 11 deg advance. And a new radiatior recore with a 3 row high effeciency core.

WOW WOW WOW!! This thing is fast!! There is no power curve now, its just a straight line. With my old distributor and exhaust, 4000 rpms and the car was maxed out and screaming. The new distributor will let me go way beyond that , I've only had it to about 4,750 though. I'll try to keep it under 5000, don't want to blow a head gasket, or deform the valve springs.

Mark you were right about the headers, a lot of re-working. I had to sand the header flange flat, it was pretty warped. The headers needed about 1 inch removed from the two pipes to get better ground clearance. And the 2-1 downpipe was bent following the driveshaft, instead of snaking over to where the cat would be. At least I can weld exhaust pipe pretty good now.

After the first test run: no more chrome on the headers, boo hoo. I'll waight a few weeks and then ceramic coat them.

Matt

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:13 pm

that's pretty much what we found with a brand new Vic's header, except that the downpipe pointed right at the driveshaft. No way an intermediate pipe could have been installed on it without reworking.

How did you ceramic coat the system for $12? spray can?

manoa matt · Post by **manoa matt** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:30 pm

Yeah, 6 for primer and 6 for top coat. When I coat the headers I'll have it professionally done. The pipes I coated bubbled a little bit.

Do you see any problems with 16 deg of advance? Too much?

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:06 pm

What's your initial timing set at? 16 deg advance certainly isn't too much. Is it all mechanical or vacuum too?

manoa matt · Post by **manoa matt** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:27 pm

I got a 1978 1800 with 1979 electronic distributor

Timing at idle is set at 10 deg., mechanical advance is 16 deg., and vacume advance is 15 deg. So total advance would be 41 deg.(provided the vacume will pull ALL 15 deg. of advance) I haven't yet verified total advance with my timing light.

The vac advance is band new, if you suck hard it will only move a little. Its hard to imagine the intake could suck that hard. Pardon my language.

The points dist had 36 total advance, so I think I'm still within range, provided the vac advance only pulls 10 of 15 deg.

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:36 pm

I seem to recall that most vac advs advance about 11 degrees. Originally there were different advance units for Calif or US cars as well as automativ versions. Obviously, Calif dizzys had less advance to cut emissions

manoa matt · Post by **manoa matt** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:15 am

I think you are right. IAP sells three different ones, #5105 for 1979 california cars #5104 for 1979 non-california cars ,and #5107 for 1980 and on cars.

I think I ordered the 5107 because it had more advance than the othes. (maybe 12 deg.?? not sure) That would put me at 38 deg., probably still acceptable.

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:38 am

best results usually require low 40s, but make sure there isn't any detonation

manoa matt · Post by **manoa matt** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:42 am

Explain tomorrow, its past your bed time in Cali

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:07 am

haha, late night forum browsing

manoa matt · Post by **manoa matt** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:33 pm

OK Mark,

Now that we've had some rest, you were saying "Best results usually require low 40s, but make sure there isn't any detonation"

So best perf would be advance at low 40's, but at what rpm?
With everything stock shouldn't total advance be reached around 3500rpm?

And i'm guessing pre-detonation a.k.a. pinging? I don't have that thankfully, but I have yet to get on the highway after all my mods.

Matt

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:09 pm

total advance should be in the low 40 degree range, since you have vacuum you'll need to check it at cruise condition, i.e. high vacuum. Since you're using vacuum, you could get detonation at light throttle rather than hard acceleration.

racydave · Post by **racydave** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:55 pm

Matt, are you checkin the total advance with a dial timing light, or just doin math? Seems to me that the cent and vac adv are not in addition to each other. I got good results at 10 btdc base, and 36 total, your results may vary?

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:15 pm

vac adv and cent adv add up along with initial setting for total adv

manoa matt · Post by **manoa matt** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:51 pm

Runs pretty good thru the range of rpms. I got the fast idle adjusted, no more sputtering going down hills. Just for shits and giggles I am going to disconnect the vac advance on the way home to see how it performs.