I bought my car in boxes. I have been struggling with the engine. Starts good and idles O.K. but when I throttle up it dies. I have the valves good. the carb is cleaned. The distributor is a major question. The body was in bad shape. Bought a new body and installed the guts from the original. I have spark but the spark follows the adjustment rod to the steering shaft. At idle it runs but I can see spark where the rod connects. I have put a paper gasket under the arm at the dist. It seems to have solved the spark issue or has it? Any tuning tips would help a lot. Getting very frustrated at this point. I also have a newer coil with a condenser. Not sure if it is installed right either. Can someone explain how the distributor is supposed to be assembled. And how the coil is to be hooked up. Thanks Paul

The original coil has a resistance unit mounted on the top. The wire coming from the wiring harness ( in the owners manual says blue wire) is connected to the resistance unit. The other terminal on the coil is the short wire which goes to the distributor. The points in the distributor should ground through the distributor body and to the generator and engine block when the points are closed.

After reading the shop manual I read a sentence that said the timing of the spark for the #1 cylinder has the #1 wire in the cap line-up with the notch in the cap. Mine is the #3 cylinder. Do I have the gears off a tooth or maybe more? It still appears that the spark for the #1 cylinder still fires correctly. The rotor is pointing at the spot in the cap where I have the #1 wire pushed into. Could this be the problem of it not having enough power to move the car and it not want to be responsive when I try to give it gas.

I am still looking for the arm that clamps to the rod on the steering shaft that controls the carb. I am also missing the set-up from the lever to the carb.

Hi Paul,

The rotors in both of my '28 Chevy 4 cylinder engines are not pointing the way they 'should' be, but both run fine.

FYI, there's a good discussion about electrical timing in this thread:

https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/290058/

It might help you set up the points and distributor.

Cheers, Dean

As long as the rotor points directly at one of the contacts on the distributor cap when a cylinder fires it does not matter which one. Most locate # 1 at the tab on the cap when timing a distributor so it is easier to recognize later.

Thanks for the help. It will take awhile before I can check the timing. I will let you know how it turned out.

Timed the car and still no better. I got thinking about the intake tube that runs from the exhaust. I don't have one on my system. Would that keep the fuel from being pulled into the intake.

The preheat tube is very important, especially until the engine warms up. I recommend you keep it installed at all times for better operation.

anyone have an extra that I can buy

Try your local hardware store, muffler shop or Gary Wallace.

I have a used one and a NORS one. I can send you pictures of both (and the flexi tube) before tomorrow and find the total to pay. I think I bought the last ones from Gary, but he will be back from holiday by now.

If you can send a picture and the price of just the exhaust part, that would be great. I have the flex line from the carb. Send them to my phone if you can. (989) 450-6026 Thanks Paul

Sending you the pictures, measurements, etc. by email.

Hope one stove may fit.

I bought my flex tube at Pep Boys Auto parts in the exhaust section, comes in 3 foot pieces.

Was this issue ever resolved? I’m having a similar issue with my 23 490.

What kind of issue are you having? I just fixed my 23-24 engine spark problem. It would idle fine but rev it up and it would pop and die! Turns out the pin in the back that holds the rotor in place loosened and was letting the rotor spin! I thought it was the points but finally realized that the rotor was loose!
Kustomrooster