Advance not working?
 

I have an old Mercruiser 165 in my deckboat... Wide open it only pulls about 3k RPM... Everything feels good, no stutter... I even came down in pitch... I am now running a 15 x 16 prop.

Anyways... If my timing advance in my distributor isn't working. Wouldn't this cause it? It runs solid, no stutter or stumble.... So I don't believe its a fuel system issue, my past experience with those problems have always caused a stumble.

it has points. pull cap and see if advance works. it is just springs and weights. long as you're in there, replace or file and regap poonts. then throw on timing light and see whatcha got...

I've seen condensers due this too, I'd replace points and condenser. Don't use off brands either, I've seen Standard Blue Streak fail in only hours.

the advance mechanism seems free and clean... Looks like I will have to find my dwell meter and check the points.. I wounder how hard it would be to convert to an HEI..

250 straight six right? i think they used that motor in late 70's with HEI. there has to be a rebuilt avail somewhere for about a hunnert bucks...or used on ebay.

Yes its a 250 inline 6,
Points and condensor new last year, maybe 12 hours on it... Ran when I put it up last year, runs ok, but wont rev out this year...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHEVY-INLINE...fd4e2a&vxp=mtr

This will probably be easier that dealign with points, condensor, and messing with trying to find a new dwell meter... etc...

For $72 with a 65k volt coil, i think I can assure myself I will not be having an ignition problem... I'll have to block off the vacuum advance, and change the weights or springs on the mechanical. But thats way easier than chasing my tail on old technology.

almost a year old thread, but was wondering if you ever got that skipwhite HEI unit and if it worked for you? A guy I work with bought a carbed 350 that the guy could not get to run, electrical ignition issues and gave up on it. He put one of the $50 HEI units on it, eyeballed the timing from TDC, splashed some gas in the carb and it lit off and ran. Couldn't believe it. So just wondering if you ever got it sorted out?

Brian

I use the H/P HEI's all the time..can't beat them for the $$$$

I have customer that built up 489, he went thru various carbs and timing. he finally changed to HEI unit, was bear at part throttle. they talked with builder and distributor provider, put in vacuum advance. with that his performance, throttle response and fuel economy are better. with ability to get HEI(DUI) units, I can't see the aggrivation of having points.