[DeTomaso] Weirdness with my Cleveland ...

[wkooiman at earthlink.net]

I'm happy with my:

Mallory Unilite - with vacuum advance
With Pertronix conversion (don't leave home w/out it)
With double-pinned gear (yes - the brand new one sheared - but only when the oil pump sucked up timing chain plastic debris)

I like the advance curve on the Mallory.
I like that it is a small diameter design.
The LED went out on me - I had to be towed.  The pertronix conversion was easy and is super reliable.

If I were buying one all over again, I'd consider the small diameter MSD that Mikey mentioned.  Either that or another Mallory Unilite, just like I have right now.

Will.

-----Original Message-----
>From: Erik Anderson <eanderson at geotracinternational.com>
>Sent: Jul 9, 2008 9:35 PM
>To: JDeRyke at aol.com, detomaso at realbig.com
>Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Weirdness with my Cleveland ...
>
>From: JDeRyke at aol.com [mailto:JDeRyke at aol.com]
>Sent: Wed 09-Jul-08 1:25 PM
>To: Erik Anderson; detomaso at realbig.com
>Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Weirdness with my Cleveland ...
>
>
>In a message dated 7/8/08 10:26:48 PM, eanderson at geotracinternational.com writes:
>
>
>
>	Given that this seems to be a common "weak link" (I have a Motorcraft distributor converted to work with my MSD ignition system), I am now thinking it's time to upgrade.  Does anyone have any suggestions? I just sussed the summitracing.com site and see that several options are available. I need a new distributor with vacuum advance, adaptable to my MSD and has no clearance problems.
>	
>
>
>A new distributor is not a fix for the sheared Ford drive pin syndrome. Brand new aftermarket assemblies usually are shipped with the identical pin that sheared in your Motorcraft. In fact, a failure in a new aftermarket distributor is what caused MD Antenucci to DNF an open road event one year, ruining his record- for want of a 25 cent pin. FWIW, I suggest you simply re-pin the Motorcraft and spend your money elsewhere; thats about as good an ignition as they make, and parts are available everywhere quite cheap. My 2 cents- J Deryke
>
>I understand your reasoning.  I had to go to four places today to even find a roll pin that would fit, and I am not super happy with what I found (even though it is aluminum).  I had a look at the other distributors in each shop and, aside from a very high-end Mallory distributor (sorry, I forget the model), they all seem to deply the same pin.  So, I am going to take your advice and stick with the Motorcraft.
> 
>A final question (I hope!) ... Is it OK if the pin is flush with the gear once I bang it in?  The only pin I could find will fit exactly flush with the gear (ie. there is zero overhang).  I assume this is good enough?
>
>Thanks again, guys.
>
>EA
> 
> 
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