I have a Texas T distributor, do they advance automatic, or which one`s do and which one`s don`t
Here is what I have picked up, some models of the TT distributor used a head unit that was designed to rotate the other way so the advance plate was locked down, this would be fully manual. Others may have used a different head and may have some automatic advance but rest is manual. Off the top of my head the only fully auto advance/retard would be an era Bosch and even then not all models. The other models of era Bosch had some auto advance/retard but for the most part were controlled by driver. I have a fully auto on my car now I do notice that there is a lag in the advance curve. Ok at low speeds and high speeds but not so good in between.
By the way if it has a place for timing rod, its not automatic.
Grab the rotor and wiggle. If the shaft below is held tightly, the rotor will not wiggle on a non-advance distributor.
On an automatic advance, the rotor should spring load and turn some in one direction while holding the lower shaft. :-)
I think my 20 year old TTP dizzy turns "backwards" to what I'm used to. Mark brought that memory back for me. Thanks! :-)
I have two Ford model Atwater Kent distributors in my parts collection, neither of which I have run. Both of them have auto advance/retard and a place for the timer rod. There are a couple of paragraphs about them in Fahnstock's Fast Ford Handbook. I don't know how well they work because I have not tried them. They are clip on distributors. The spring loaded advance weights can be disabled for manual timing control.
Dennis, they work well. I have been running one for over 50 years. Make sure the the bottom bearing is oiled. The oiler on the top bearing will not provide enough oil. I drilled the snap on cover to allow access to the bottom bearing. There may have been a felt pad under the cover when it was new.
I don't change the timing setting
I think the auto centrifugal advance/retard in the Atwater Kent only allows a small amount of advance when the springs are able to do their job, if you are talking about the LA's. Full advance is manual after the initial after starting movement. Locking down the centrifugal weights will allow operator to control the full range.
Thanks guys great help!!!
The Atwater Kent distributor I am running has one very light spring on the centrifugal weights. The timing is basically set it and forget. I don't adjust it during normal operation. I have three other AT distributors, one has 1 heavier spring, another has 2 light springs, and another has 2 heavier springs.
I don't know what combination is correct and I have not tried the last three listed. I like it the way it is.