I know when I went to carb from FI I needed to get a regular distributor because if I just unplugged the computer one it would have no advance. I am going to go get a regular advance distributor just to be safe but I have some Qs anyway.

A frind of mine told me that I could just take and turn the distibutor manually and it would advance or retard the timing. So I tried it. When I got the car running I turned the distributor clockwise and it retarded it I could hear it camming like hell. Then turned it the other way it it smoothened out. Advancing the timing I guess. Why wont this work why would U have to get a non computer one.?

 

you can do that,that is how you set the timing,if you disconnect it it won't have advance.
advance is for fuel economy.
you can set it at a permanent spot and leave it ther example like 10 degrees.
i would just get one with vacuum advance

 

so basically when I unplug it its just like having a machanical advance distributor?? I was just wondering cause Ive heard all the horror stories about FI to carb conversiosn who didnt switch distributors.

 

You won't have any mechanical advance with your stock distributor. The engine will run well below it's potential without a vac/mech advance system. Spend the money and do it right....

 

As mentioned, the computer controls ALL advance. All you're doing by turning the distributer is changing your base timing. When you consider that the computer usually adds up to 35-38* of timing, you can see that without it, you'll be facing some MAJOR power losses.

 

Like I said Im gonna go get a regular one anyway, Im just curious. So I didnt take out my computer what would be the situation if I just left the distributor hooked up to the computer? How off would carb timing be from TPI timing