nordic95

I have two MSD distibutors on my twin 502s. Both motors run great at idle and up to about 3800 RPM. Then the port motor starts to fall off a little. By 5000 rpms the port motor is about 400-500 rpms down from the starboard. I have already switched carbs,new wires,plugs, cap,rotor and also completely rebuild the heads with new springs,valve job and all. One thing I did notice is that the reluctor and weights were really rusty on the port motor distributor. So I sprayed them with a little rust buster and the motor seemed to be ok for the trial run. Now three weeks later the same issue. How can I test if Im getting full advance? Can I lock the advance at 34 even though its not a blower motor? What can I use to clean the rust off the reluctor and weights?bead blast?and how to keep from corroding?

Thanks Anthony

BenPerfected

Just run it up to 3800 RPM and see if the timing is holding steady at 3800 RPM's. If 34 degrees is what you want, adjust both to 34. The MSD distributors easy to lock out. For the most part, the advance curves on the MSD distributor are close to useless anyway in a marine app.

nordic95

Yea I only have about 8 to 10 degrees of mechanical advance.Thats why im asking if its OK to just lock out and run the full 34. Would even help with idle around the docks Im assuming.

demag67

you can get the instructions off of msd's website on how to lock it out, pretty simple, you just have to knock the roll pin out of the gear, unbolt the advance parts spin it a little and drop a stud through a hole, put a nut on and reassemble, depending on your compression i would really recommend starter savers, if not you will probably rip of the snouts on the starters. been there done that, and it was on a low compression motor.

demag67

here are instructions for a billet with a slip collar, not sure what type you are exactly running but if you go to page 4 i believe it shows how to lock out timing.
http://www.msdignition.com/instructi...df?terms=85501

fbc25el

I am trying something new this year on my MSD dist. I drilled and taped two 1/4-28 holes about 1" above the bottom of the dist. cap. Then I installed two 90* brass fittings and turned them pointing down. I am hopeing this will releave some of the moisture. I do beleave it is better to run the MSD dist. locked out.

pslonaker

You should have the BLACK bushing installed in the distributor along with the smallest (silver) springs. The black bushing is a 20* advance and with the smallest springs, your total advance should be at approximately 2300 RPM to 2500 RPM. If you have a mess of rust on the weights and they do not move freely...I suggest that you pull them off and get after them with a wire brush to clean them off. I have a grinder motor with a disc on one side and a wire brush on the other side. I use this to clean mine ocassionally...then put them back on and try it. I dont think that the distributor is the problem tho, but it wont hurt to clean it and set it up correctly.

born2burn

For the relulctor wheel...........take some fine sandpaper and just clean the faces that pass infront of the pick up.