Hello all,
I have one of the source ready to run electronic distributors. Is there any way to tune the advance curve?

It seems like my car wants to run better with a lot of initial advance, but then the curve is too great and I'll get it to ping too much.

I have it running off ported vacuum and I guess I could try not having the vacuum advance at all but I prefer it if there is no way to change the advance curve.

Thanks for all ideas.

I'd set the initial to where your eng wants it (vac gauge method) then w that figure in hand shorten the slots to give you 36-38 total for a big block (& this initial and total are set w vac can hose disconnected/plugged)then play w the springs w the lightest combo it will handle staying just under the pinging point at WOT up thru the gears on your hottest/driest day. Note: any ping you can hear is WAY too much. then hookup the vac can and w a 3/32" allen wrench turn it cw to make the curve start as soon as possible staying just under the pinging limit at PART throttle (high vacuum) at an RPM high enough to where the springs are already maxed out and may need to find a can w less adv or solder feeler gauge strips on yours on either side of the notch on the arm to limit it's travel (but know the allen wrench adjusts when the curve starts (in hg of vacuum) and the notch on the arm limits how much TOTAL a particular can can offer). Vac adv alters rotor phasing so drill a 1/2" hole in the dist cap top flat halfway between the center terminal and the #1 terminal and shine your timing light in there at speed to freeze the rotor & see if it is reasonable close to the underside of the #1 cap terminal. Short answer, I have not owned one of those units but I'm assuming it has slots like std ones. Not sure what springs are available these days but on my next one I am going to use a stock light spring w one of the MP super light springs that come 2 in a cellophane pkg & grind off some off of the bottom "tip" of each weight like a comma until I slow the mech curve & get just under the ping point

If you'll take the time, search around on www.msdignition.com which has the info you're looking for as far a tuning the distributor.

RapidRobert, I believe the poster has an MSD Ready To Run distributor.

Hi guys thanks for the help. RapidRob thank you for taking the time to write that explaination up.
If youre not familiar the 440 Source ready to run distributor is a magnetic pickup electronic dist. http://store.440source.com/Street-Distributor-RB-Ready-to-Run-New/productinfo/117%2D1002/
I think I read somewhere that it's made by procomp. I'll check out that MSD link maybe it's similar.
Thanks again for the help.

Yes that distributor appears to be the same as the one procomp sells. If you go to procomp's website they sell a tuning kit for that distributor. I think their website is procompelectronics.com you can check them out over there.

I've owned a couple of 440 Source distributors, and I think that the older ones used to be ProComps, but I don't think that the new ones are. A guy on the telephone for 440 Source told me that the new ones weren't ProComp, but you never know...
They're not all bad, but I now run a Summit (a.k.a. Mallory) distributor.
Good luck.