Re: Distributor swap

Posted by Loyd Smith On 2011/1/24 12:18:43

First, Jack and PackardV8, I bought the Jacobs unit presently in the 55 Pat online from Summit Racing about four years ago. If I recall correctly the price, including Jacobs coil, was around $200 however, when I saw the privately placed ad for the one installed in the Lincoln online I checked Summits online catalogue to compare current pricing. At that time they no longer listed the Jacobs units but had replaced them with a Summit-branded unit.

Cortcomp wrote: "EDIT: After reading this, i saw it came off as kind of annoyed or angry. Definitely not the case, and it's all opinion. Not looking to insult anyone.

Just saying that when it comes to spending money or recommendations, we should stick to what we can measure, not what "seems" or "feels" better to us, as that can be misleading."

In the same spirit and without rancour or ill-feeling I'd like to point out that the engine in my 55 Pat was rebuilt professionally incorporating all of the top-end oiling modification recommendations from this forum and both Packard clubs then available. After timing, tuning and setting the transmission shift-points myself, again using tech-tips from this forum, it was placed in daily use which included daily trips all over the Orlando metro area and being used for three years to inspect property insurance claims all over the state of Florida and parts of Georgia and Alabama at real highway speeds (NOT 65 mph). It started with its original electrical, ignition and fuel-delivery systems intact and gradually acquired Edelbrock carburettor, alternator, a modern air-conditioning system, radial tires and, first, the Pertronix and then the Jacobs multi-spark ignition systems.

I spent, from about the age of six or so, the first twenty years of my life around, under and in motor vehicles built between 1935 and 1965 driving, occasionally racing, building, rebuilding, maintaining and servicing them with whatever was at hand and modifying them as required and necessary. Most of this was done in someone's garage, driveway or sometimes on my back in the dirt in an alleyway. That having been established, each modification done to the Packard improved its performance, ease of use, dependability or serviceability in some way - else I wouldn't have done them or would have undone them if they hadn't worked out. I have way more time than money. Some things were done according to my personal preferences (I was throwing away 4CG carburettors and replacing them with AFBs or Hollys when they still came new on vehicles) but even those were done with an eye to the next caretaker of my car after I'm done with it being able to return it to original configuration if desired (the Rochester, and everything else that has come off the car, is in the shed, fully rebuilt, in its box).

I have intentionally and carefully avoided arguing with experts for nearly all of my life. Many of them are so well educated and know so much more than those of us who actually have to use their services and products in the sometimes limited circumstances of our normal, everyday lives that they are sometimes hard, if not impossible, to communicate with.

As with everyone else, I do what my experience and my circumstances dictate and report the results as I see them. I reiterate: Cold starts are faster, the car can be started and driven out of the driveway with little to no warm-up and fuel mileage improved from an overall average, with information compiled over a twelvemonth period, from 13 mpg to 15 mpg but I don't have an electronic diagnostic analyser or a dyno - and wouldn't have time to use them if I had.

That's all I can tell you with certainty. I love this forum and appreciate any and all information, whether technical, anecdotal or professional, posted here.