Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

[Dan B.]

I have a question for the distributor experts out here (and I know there are a few like Duke, Bill, John). I have a 68 327 CE engine currently installed in my 64. It came with a 1111196 distributor (66) which is the L79 with the long 30* curve. I am currently running a stock intake and AFB carb. I recurved the distributor to full advance by 3000 and am waiting on a new vacuum can to road test the final results. In the mean time, I rebuilt a 1111024 (63-64) stock distributor that I also have available but have not tried in the car yet(that has the stock 24* advance curve).

I read Duke's excellent paper and rebuild info specific to the L79 and it is spot on. I believe the engine is 350HP but don't know for sure. It is a strong motor, pulls 20.5 " of vacuum at idle and runs well with the AFB so I want to keep that set up.

QUESTION IS:

With the 196 distributor (30* advance) I can't run much timing beyond 6* (the 68 spec is 4*BTDC). Would the 024 distributor be a better match with the AFB set up using this 68 engine?? I was looking for any insight and opinions prior to trying it . Thanks in advance for your replies. Dan

[Timothy B.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

Dan,

I don't think it would hurt a bit using the 024 distributor, try it at 12BTDC and use some light springs to see how it runs. The added initial timing should give you better throttle response and a cooler running engine.

[Dan B.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

Tim,
That is kind of what I was thinking, I was not able to advance the timing much with the other distributor and the old advance (B-1) . Interestingly, all the 68 engines from what I have read call for 4* BTDC and being this is a late CE block from that year I had assumed it followed the 68 production specs and had me wondering why the initial setting was so much lower than the earlier years. It also raises the question of if someone got a CE replacement block from Chevy back then in this time period, were those engines set up to use any and all of the previous combinations (63-67) of carbs and distributors. There is a wide variation between (WCFB, AFB, and Holley CFM's plus differing timing specs and advance curves) I am waiting on a few small parts to finish before I can run the engine to test it. Thanks !

[Michael W.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

Without knowing what spec the CE engine was built to, it's pretty difficult to say which dist. is better. The engine could have originally been built for a Corvette or a truck or a grocery getter for who knows what year.

[Dan B.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

Mike,
I am confident this is 300 -350 HP by the way it runs compared to my 70 C-3 I owned a while back with 300 HP stock configuration which also feels very similar drive wise to me. Way too much brute force for a low HP engine. It also has the HP fuel pump 40083 which appears stock and the double hump heads. Either way it runs great, just trying to optimize the performance now that I have the option of using either distributor. Maybe the only way to tell will be to try both and see what works best.

[Joe L.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

Mike,
I am confident this is 300 -350 HP by the way it runs compared to my 70 C-3 I owned a while back with 300 HP stock configuration which also feels very similar drive wise to me. Way too much brute force for a low HP engine. It also has the HP fuel pump 40083 which appears stock and the double hump heads. Either way it runs great, just trying to optimize the performance now that I have the option of using either distributor. Maybe the only way to tell will be to try both and see what works best.

Dan------


What size balancer is on the engine? That may provide a clue as to whether it's a 300 or 350 HP.

[Philip A.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

Mike,
I am confident this is 300 -350 HP by the way it runs compared to my 70 C-3 I owned a while back with 300 HP stock configuration which also feels very similar drive wise to me. Way too much brute force for a low HP engine. It also has the HP fuel pump 40083 which appears stock and the double hump heads. Either way it runs great, just trying to optimize the performance now that I have the option of using either distributor. Maybe the only way to tell will be to try both and see what works best.

Dan
The double hump heads mean nothing with respect to HP rating; they were all double hump. Valve size differed which can not be determined externally.
Phil

[Duke W.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

A L-79 cam pulls about 14-15" at 750 in neutral, so I doubt if the engine has a L-79 cam, but quoting manifold vacuum without specifying idle speed is meanlingless...

If equipped with an auto trans idle vacuum MUST be reported idling it Drive...

So...?

Duke

[Dan B.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

Dan------


What size balancer is on the engine? That may provide a clue as to whether it's a 300 or 350 HP.

Joe, it has the small 6 1/8 thin balancer with the narrow 3/4 ring.

A L-79 cam pulls about 14-15" at 750 in neutral, so I doubt if the engine has a L-79 cam, but quoting manifold vacuum without specifying idle speed is meanlingless...

If equipped with an auto trans idle vacuum MUST be reported idling it Drive...

So...?

Duke

Duke, the motor was pulling 20.5 " vacuum at normal idle speed (about 800 rpm for me) as measured with my in line gauge with the distributor advance also connected. It's got a 4 speed, with nothing else pulling vacuum except the distributor. Everything is configured as a stock 64 300 HP. Thanks for your reply.

[Duke W.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

With a manual trans an no AC, it should idle lower. A 300 HP manual should idle very smooth and stable in neutral 500 @ 18-19". Since short duration low overlap cams can't tolerate as much low rev advance as longer duration high overlap cams, the 30 degree distributor is spot on as I explained in my 2012 National Convention presentation, which is on the TDB and the Web.

Run the initial at 8-10 if it will tolerate that much without detonation, and a 15" B22 VAC is what I recommend for 300 HP engines with manual transmissions (12" B26 if equipped with an automatic).

Duke

[Dan B.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

I am waiting on a new B22 can to road test with the 196, got the curve dialed in now. Also got one of Lars advance limiting plates.

One thing I still have a question about is what was the reasoning behind increasing the distributor curve to 30* (from 24*) and reducing the initial timing spec to 4* on the 68 300 & 350 engines?? Lower initial timing, but a longer curve. Did this have anything to do with emissions possibly?

[Duke W.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

The 30 degree 300 HP dist. started in '66. See my 2012 National Convention Presentation for the evolution of the 300 HP dist. from '62-on and why, which is partially answered in my previous post.

Duke

[Dan B.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

The 30 degree 300 HP dist. started in '66. See my 2012 National Convention Presentation for the evolution of the 300 HP dist. from '62-on and why, which is partially answered in my previous post.

Duke

Duke , I'll give that a read. It sounds like you are saying I already have the best combo with what I have got.

Would running with the 64 AFB (500 CFM's) factor in to this ? I noticed some popping (not detonating) out of the exhaust after dialing in the curve (but that was with the old can and no Vac limit plate).

Thank you for your reply. Best Regards, Dan

[Joe L.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

Joe, it has the small 6 1/8 thin balancer with the narrow 3/4 ring.

Dan-------


That strongly implies a 300 HP engine.

[Dan B.]

Re: Distributor question : Which to use with a CE engine 1111024 or 1111196

Dan-------


That strongly implies a 300 HP engine.

Thanks for that additional info Joe. Cheers!