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Delco EST Distributor Question

J

jon_allen

Regular Contributor
"Hi Gang,
One of my customer

"Hi Gang,
One of my customers recently purchased 2 Delco EST distributors to modernize his big blocks. There are two connectors which attatch to the module at the distributor base .The two pin connector came with a wiring plug attatched to a harness. The four pin connector is not attatched to anything at all. I can only get 8 degrees of advance out of these distributors at 3k rpm. What am I missing here ? I've ben told that the unoccupied four pin connector is to be used with a test plug to lock out the advance so one can set the initial timing. Even if that's the case 8 degrees is not enough advance over the base timing of 12 degrees. What is going on here?
Thanks, Jon Allen"
 
"Is the jumper still attached

"Is the jumper still attached when you check it at 3,000 rpms? If so, try it without the jumper.

Jeff"
 
"Last I heard, the 2-pin conne

"Last I heard, the 2-pin connector controlled the RUN-TIMING selection...make of note of its position, remove it, flip it over, and reinsert it and see what it does."
 
"Jon, I'm having exactly t

"Jon, I'm having exactly the same problem. Friend of mine has a 35 viking 1988 with 454 crusaders. He's had the boat a couple of years, it's never reached more than 3800 rpm WOT and the engines run 190 degrees.. too hot. He had his props de-piched from 19 to 18.5 still no better. I checked the timing and he was only getting about 6 degrees over base of 10 degrees. He bought the crusader tool that grounds out one of the legs of the unused 4 pin connector. That's supposed to get the timing to 0 - 1 degree as a base. then you take it off and the timing should advance to 10 - 12 degrees. As you point out thats not enough, I'm looking for 30 - 34 total. BTW grounding the leg did NOTHING. I told my buddy to buy two new modules, I put them in and same thing, about 6 degrees total advance?? Something I should have said.. underway with the old modules at WOT (earmuffs and brass balls required) I cranked the advance up to 30 degrees and we gained 400 rpm and lost about 10 degrees of operating temp. Obviously I can't leave the base timing at 24 degrees, could melt something at part throttle full load. I'm going to try and reverse the 2 pin wire which makes no sense to me the clip really only allows you to put it on one way and I'll report back. Dollars to donuts says I fry the module but it's worth the $70 to try. If you get anywhere please let me know. Thx."
 
"I'll bet those motors wer

"I'll bet those motors were a bit hard starting with 24 degrees advance!

Agreed, that something is wrong with the modules. And, as you discovered, retarded motors run hot.

Question: Is it possible that those modules were designed to work WITH a mechanical advance? The amount of retard built in them at low rpms would make for easier starting a hot motor and, if the centrifugal was being counted on to make the rest of the advance, the way they are working would make sense.

Jeff"
 
"Jeff, The EST is an adaptatio

"Jeff, The EST is an adaptation of the Delco automotive system, no mechanical advance... They are supposed to have 22 degrees of advance built into the module at 2800 RPM which with an initial 8 would get me to where I need to be. There must be a Crusader Tech. out there who has seen this before."
 
"Mark, thanks I was grounding

"Mark, thanks I was grounding the wire not powering it. I'll do it the right way and come back. Still not sure that there's not something goofy going on."
 
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