Thanks for the help guys, Yeh I could buy a new one, I've always thought was strange to drop the voltage to the coil. I'm with 80nordic I always thought the resistor was for the dist. not the coil . Like I said this is hou it was hooked up when I bought it. If I run it without the ballast check to see if the coil gets hot? I don't care to much for paddling.   oh I just saw hd's earlier post. she's a cheby.
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It is not for the coil. The coil doesn't care how much voltage it gets to a point - but that is how an MSD works - it boosts that voltage.

The resistor wire is to limit current and therefore heat through a device. Most people can't measure current, so that is why its expressed in voltage.

The items that need a current limiter (ballast or resistor wire) - points, unilite modules, some ignition control / amplifier boxes. Coils, MSD's, Hyfires, etc do NOT need any current limiting and can be run direct without (though the resistor wire doesn't hurt either because that wire usually turns on another power feed).

You can run any of them without the ballast for a short period of time, but it will eventually overheat and burnout or in the case of points, cause severe pitting (and then no worky no more).

I agree. I said if it is on the wrong side it can cause hard starting.

Most likely if it starts but dies when the key is released, the ballast is bad.

Most carbs came with a 65 power valve. If you have a cam with less than 232 duration @ .050, that will probably be the one you want.

I have a set of 3.5 inch 45 degrees if you are interested.

Good point. Chevy's aren't known for thier snout strength.

I'm buying a "new" used impeller - how do I tell an aggressor A from a Berk A - and is one better than the other?

Just get the right bolt - and one or two progressively longer (each 1/2 to 1 inch longer with the threads going past where the other one starts), and just screw it on.

On the same topic, lobe seperation and lobe centerline, what do those two play in the role of octane requirement for an engine with all else being equal?

I'm feeling the love - Thanks!

I've had a bunch of wine, so I probably shouldn't answer BUT I'll try anyway...


First you have to understand what lobe separation and lobe centerline is and that they are different.

The centerline is just that, the center of the opening and closing of the valve. You have one for intake (ICA) and one for exhaust (ECA).  It is the average of the duration for the most part (yes there are asymetrical cams,but not tonight)

Lobe separation angle (LSA) is the intake (ICA) and the exhaust (ECA) averaged.

A cam with a 103 ICA and 117 ECA has a lobe separation angle (LCA) of 110 degrees  ((ICA+ECA)/2).
BUT So does a cam with a 110 ICA and 110 ECA, that is also a cam with a 110 LCA....

Anything that causes the intake valve to shut sooner will cause more dynamic compression and a more likelyhood of detonation. Basically, it is the ICA and intake duration that determines how friendly the engine is to gas, not the LCA or ECA.

If you compare the same cam with a 110 LC but with the ICA moved around - the one with an ICA of 103 will ping over a cam with an ICA of 114 because that intake valve closes sooner. However, it will make more power if you don't ping. When you advance or retard a cam, you are changing the ICA, not the LCA.

A 10:1 engine with a 280 degree cam will run on regular all day long, while a 9:1 engine with a 200 degree duration cam will have a hard time with even premium.

Remember - if you have a pinging problem - go BIGGER!

Hopefully I was clear, didn't miss anything, etc. Now, back to my Wine!

Usually you find the ICA that the cam is supposed to be at - and degree it so that is where it is and move it from there. Advancing the cam 4 degrees from installed, isn't the same as advancing it 4 degrees from where it should have been....

I don't see anything wrong with that separation, that's pretty normal nowadays. On the old grinds, they always kept thinks the same, LC 100, ICA 110 - Now crane, etc all move things around to optimize the cam.

  Thats a big gap.  You should however wait and measure that clearance again after everything else is rebuilt.  If you use a shouldered wear ring alot may change.   

With that much clearance the pumpshaft may have been cut to move the impeller forward, in an effort to tighten up front side clearance(sometimes the impeller hub is cut instead).  Thats an old practice pump builders did b4 shouldered wear rings, and some still do. Often times they would also cut the register on the bowl to tighten up back side clearence (no stuffer needed).

That was the other thing I was thinking of doing, cutting a bit off of the bowl - but I figured that would be more trouble than adding a stuffer. Any thoughts either way?

Any advantage to using synthetic 90 wt in a berk?