8ABA engine distributor?

D

derek costello

Senior Member
Has anybody used one of the TSP pro series distributors ??

These have an adjustable built in mechanical advance as well as a vacuum connection and electronic triggering. They come with a post type distributor cap
for push-on wires................?
 
$169.95 cheap enough. I no nothing about this distributor. Is it correctly set up advance curve wise for a flathead would be my question.
 
They come with a lot of set-up options 3 sets of advance springs, vacuum yes or no, lock out for advance, and a tach output. I think I'm going to buy one.

If you are interested in buying one of these distributors what-out!! the prices go from 140.dollars to 300. dollars?? depending whose selling them.

I will report my findings.........
 
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Thanks for volunteering to be a "Guinea Pig". I notice that most of the reviews are for installations other than flatheads. That raises a huge "Red Flag" for me. If you have an advance timing light, make sure you check the total advance after installation. It should be around 22-24 degrees, not like an SBC (which will be about 36 degrees). This will cause overheating problems, among other things.
 
I have noticed that the electronics in this "new" unit are SMT.... surface mount technology
this means no conventional components all the set stuff is soldered as a package rite onto the circuit board no more drilling holes to mount components! But although these components are smaller and cheaper to make. they do not "shed heat as well" as the wire
style components, which maybe why they fail more often.
That said I will mount a heat sink and possibly a voltage regulator before installing!
 
Most new Chinese built electronics are Beta designed (let the buyer be the tester)
so there fore are prone to fail! I am familiar with these type of products so I will
install and use with caution................
 
Denny,
I have some Flat Tops in the shop now to be converted from SBC to 8BA.

Hang onto that stuff.....every customer either supplied me with one of your big brass
condensers or is having me supply one.
Charlie ny
 
The thing is if you use a distributor of known origin you can walk into your local parts store.
When that SMT unit burns out you can hope that the importer has a replacement in stock now...in 10 years if they don´t sell well there will be no spareparts at all.
Points/known ignition modules/or a big brand aftermarket ignition conversion gets my vote !
 
Are these "new dizzys" 12 volt only? I think i'll go the Charlie/Tubman route if i switch out the load a matic. Keep my 6 volt pos ground. I just don't like electronic stuf !!!
mike
 
I sure agree with flatheadmurre.....NAPA still has wearable parts......Although I build
many many SBC/8BA dist conversions I don't exactly have a soft spot in my heart for

the cap, but the rest of the 'package' is so good I just keep on making them. The TSP
just has the wrong look to my eye...way too billit.
Charlie ny
 
Did some of you guys miss the "Sarcastic" emoji on my first reply to Charlie?

Since I got the Napa part numbers for the Ford replacement points that fit the Mallory's from Bubba, I'm more ensconced in that world than ever before. I have accumulated goodly supply of caps and rotors over the years as well. I did have a condenser problem, but I think I have that solved.:D
 
Boy, if this picture doesn't scream "Cheap Chinese S&%T" I don't know what does! Look at the terminals.

As said, if the cap is a true copy of a GM part, replacements should be available, but if they are proprietary, rotsa ruck in 5 yrs...
 

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The more cheap crap we buy, the more cheap crap they’ll make. Supply and demand. People need to demand more quality not just cheap prices. ��
 
I sometimes just don´t get it...we have people on here that rebuild a distributor with parts commonly available...they do a superb work...support you if you have questions and have a more or less lifetime warranty on their work...
Let´s see now...shall we spend a few more $ and be happy for the rest of that engines life...or do we really enjoy having the pain of doing the job atleast twice with offshore crap...and in the end spending a total over what the good unit cost...
 
OK tell me where I can buy a modern mechanical advance distributor for a 52 mercury flathead ? It must have adjustable advance and have provision for electronic spark control (Pertronix) and have the supported bottom bearing shaft
like the original..........
 
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