Expert: Brad Sears - 3/13/2008

Question
QUESTION: I have a friend with a mid 60's Plymouth. 383 motor, looks stock or close to stock.  I want to help him tune it up.  I'm familiar with GM distributors having points adjustment windows.
Questions: 1) What should the point gap be? 2) Dwell angel? 3) Set the point gap with the new points at the top of distributor lobe, 4) Timing ___ BTDC @ RPM's (#1, I assume).
Can you help?


ANSWER: I can help but get me the actual model year of the car and the model of the car please.
Brad

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: It's a 1966 Fury Sport, 383, 4 barrel, auto trans, no A/C.
thank you Brad.

ANSWER: Spark plug gap .035", point gap .017", dwell 28 to 32 degrees, Timing is a bit tricky. There are two versions of this engine, one is with the Clean Air Package (CAP) and the timing is 5 degrees after top dead center. The engine without the Clean Air Package is set at 12.5 degrees before TDC. Idle speed on the CAP equipped engine is 600 RPM in neutral and the non CAP is 500 RPM in neutral. On a non CAP engine the distributor vacuum advance line runs directly to the carburetor. On the CAP equipped engines the distributor vacuum line runs to a valve that has two lines running to the carburetor.
Brad

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I assume #1 is the cylinder closest to the front grill on the driver side, Correct?
As for adjusting the point gap...rotate the motor until the point contact is centered on a distributor lobe, Correct?

Answer
Sorry to miss that part of it. Number one cylinder on any V rear wheel drive is the one that the valve cover is the furthest forward when looking down on the engine. In your case number on is the first cylinder on the left (drivers side) bank.
Brad
Points are adjusted with the rubbing block on the high point of the cam.