Datsun Roadster Parts from Rallye Enterprises, Ltd.

DISTRIBUTOR RECURVE KIT 1600 #221-10 2000 #221-24 (pictured)

What is it? How can it help me?

.....

Even though the cars are all 37+ years old and many states that have emission programs don't inspect the old cars, it may still be illegal to install this in your car. USA cars from 1968 -70 came equipped with a distributor designed strictly to meet the emission control requirements at idle. At pretty low mileage it became apparent that the cars would have a hard time running and surviving. When the "smog" distributors work correctly, which usually isn't for long, the cars are doggy from idle, and can be prone to overheating, rough idle and in general strange running. When the smog-type distributors get some miles on them you can many times add pinging, stumbling, a bouncing idle (600 rpm now, 1600 rpm 2 seconds later etc or sluggish performance from start to high rpm. And to make matters worse, the cars would begin polluting worse. Stock type distributosr are designed to be timed at TDC (0 degrees) and they have 35 degrees of advance built into the centrifugal advance mechanism inside the distribtor. Moving the timing ahead over TDC is dangerous as it can lead to fried or broken pistons and rings from the increase in total advance. The recurve kit converts the distributor so it is equivalent to what the European and Japanese cars came equipped with. This kit allows you to set the timing at 16 BTDC (20 for Solex cars.) This gives a more reasonable 31 degrees total advance, which is also more suitable for today's gas and the likelihood of milled cylinder heads, bored engines etc. If your timing advance settings throughout the rpm range are not correct it is pointless to try to adjust your carburetors as you are just compounding the problem. A well tuned car, even with a "non-smog" distributor, will be far more efficient, pleasant to drive, and will probably have a lower smog output then your typical untuned roadster with an incorrectly operating "smog" distributor. This is my OPINION, I don't offer anything as "FACT". HOW DO YOU TELL IF YOURS HAS ALREADY BEEN RECURVED? Remove the 2 screws that hold the vacuum advance on the outside of the distributor. Push down gently on the vacuum advance so it's black lever that moves the point plate inside the distributor will pop off. (You can also gently pop this off with a screwdriver.) Remove the vacuum advance unit. Take out the 2 screws holding the plate that the points are attached to. and lift out the plate that the points sit on. These are located near the outside edge of the distributor, near the cap clamps. Lift out the plate. You'll have to wiggle it as the recessed tabs that the screws held down tend to be a tight fit in their slot. You'll be able to look down inside the distributor and see some numbers on the base of the distributor cam near where the springs are attached. If you see "17.5", you'll be a lot happier if you change it. The kit we've used since gas went south will say "7.5" . It is possible you'll see a 9, 11 or 12 also. Basically you take that number, double it, and subtract it from 35 to get your maxium "initial advance." (Depending on your particular engine situation that may need to be reduced, or the advance curve lengthened to make everything work properly) If your distributor has shaft or bushing wear or wear on the distributor shaft weight pivot posts, you are better off to go with a complete distributor. If you are still running your original air injection system you can still recurve the distributor as the two parts of the system are not interconnected.

.....