Locked out distributor advance question

[Mark Yacavone]

Back in the 70's, GM sold a pack of distributor shims. They were .010 or .015 maybe ?
Ten to a pack , and it would take about half of them to shim up a distributor gear to remove most of the play there.
Always wondered why they left them that loose . GM must have seen as a hi-po issue, or they wouldn't have sold them.
I wonder if they are still available or somebody has them as NOS ?

[Coleydog]

I always use one very light spring on the advance. Engine starts at a small degree then flings out after 500 rpm to full advance. Easy to start any high compression engine. Also use a locking collar to allow no shaft up and down movement. I use a stock dist except when needing a tach drive.
Mike

[1320racer]

Originally Posted by Coleydog

I always use one very light spring on the advance. Engine starts at a small degree then flings out after 500 rpm to full advance.

This^^^ I would never recommend a locked out distributor when using a stock or stock type distributor. I’ve been running my distributors with 18-20 degrees mechanical advance and all in by 2000 rpm for 25 years. The reward is no hard starting, no kickbacks, no broken flexplate teeth and no broken starter drives. Spins over like the plugs are out.

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Coleydog

I always use one very light spring on the advance. Engine starts at a small degree then flings out after 500 rpm to full advance. Easy to start any high compression engine. Also use a locking collar to allow no shaft up and down movement. I use a stock dist except when needing a tach drive.
Mike

When we used points (been doing this way too long) I simply used no springs. The load from the ppoints would pull the advance back out for easy start ups. Small throttle whack = full advance even at idle. EFI makes it much easier.