I have a distributor part number 3690432 I bought about 1996. It gave me pinging at 70mph climbing a hill. I thought I took it out and put in the original (74 Jensen Interceptor). Now I look at the tag on the one in the car and it says 3690432 and the distributor in the old box has no tag. I don't find the curve specs for it in my old Motor Manual like a 3755518 (which I have a couple of) or in the Direct Connection book. Is the only way to find the spec to dissasemble and look at the springs?

no info on specs but you might turn the can CCW 2 turns with a 3/32 allen wrench (I'm assuming this is part throttle pinging climbing a hill, disregared if WOT), otherwise I would note your initial and your total and at what RPM it maxes out at & likely will need to first loosen/turn the housing to be able to see what springs are in there (OE combo is light/heavy with elongated loop on one end). Older (non Mallory) I am assuming.

'432 should have a green/white primary spring, pinkish-blue heavy secondary spring, 13 degree plate and 9 degree vacuum advance. total centrifugal advance comes in around 2800rpm.

13 degree plate which means it has 26 degrees of mechanical advance .

Hang what is your initial timing set at ?

My initial timing is 5 degrees. It is too hard to start at 8 or 10. This is 8.3 CR and not a Magnum cam.

Thanks for the specs. I can see the one in the box has a blue heavy spring.

Yes, I will turn the screw in the can. Years ago when I got it 432, I didn't know about the screw in the can.

All that will do is delay or quicken vac advance , it does nothing to limit it.

naw, you got to get in there and put a spot weld down and file to get the mec. advance where you want. last one I did was 5 degrees total, all in, big ass cam.

the FBO $22 plate is the best deal going for altering mech adv & has slots for 10-12-14-16-18 degrees

no 5 degrees total?

we're missing something. with those numbers no way should it be cranky (just from the DCR) being generated

I have the FBO plate in my tool box. When I had this distributor in the original engine (Magnum cam) I could set the initial to 10 degrees, but not with this engine. So I figure the main difference is the cam, but then this engine is from a junk yard for $200. Maybe it is no longer 8.3 (1977 is stamped on the block)?

I would suggest (1) checking true TDC (2) see what your cranking compression is

with 8.3 compression this thing should not be hard to start at 10* advance, nor should it be pinging.

i would check that the timing mark on the balancer is correct.

Good idea. I have just done a sort of quick check using a whistle on a compression tester and bumping the starter. Only #1 plug was removed. With the whistle method, TDC is 1 3/4 inches below the timing cover grid which has its lowest gradation as 20. I repeated it 3 times. The timing cover is marked 0, 10, 20. The engine block says 8T440 E and below it is 8 25. Do I need to take all the plugs out (real pain with these headers in a Interceptor) and repeat the TDC check or is this enough to tell me there is a real marking or parts missmatch problem?
Thanks guys.

I don't think I would trust the whistle method for finding TDC.

I would use a stop to find it.

Can I buy a stop or do I have to make something. I wouldn't want to dent the piston.

Just put a stiff copper wire in there.
It will top out and start moving down again once top dead center is achieved.
Wont hurt a thing.

Or stick your pinky in the spark plug hole. It will be at TDC twice (firing & top of exhaust stroke) per crank rotation.

To find the exact TDC, you really need a "stop" which won't damage your piston if you're turning the engine by hand.