Possible Performance Distributor for 2.6l

[Pengineer1]

Thank you Sscorpion and Guns1980!!

My rebuilt 2.6l doesn't really make the power or gas mileage that I was hoping for...I wonder if the old distributor is holding it back?

I've just dumped so much time and $ into my 86 Power Ram it's hard to blow another $200 but of course I've already spent much more than the 200 I'd hate for my old original distributor to keep me from letting her run at her best and most reliable. I've already put the 38 Weber and Hooker headers and a chinese non-jet mechanical valve head. I did a poor man's rebuild new bearings, new piston rings and had a shop clean up the block.

The instructions that came with the Weber carb swap don't inspire a lot of confidence so I called their helpline but all they say is basically tune and jet for good idle and all should be fine???

I'd be very curious to hear if others feel this distributor is a good idea both for increased performance or even just as a better quality, long lasting upgrade from the old original distributor especially if new stock replacements (Cardone) are so poorly made as to not be reliable or comparable to the original Mitsubishi distributor.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice/opinions
Bill

[SubGothius]

My rebuilt 2.6l doesn't really make the power or gas mileage that I was hoping for...I wonder if the old distributor is holding it back?
...
I've already put the 38 Weber and Hooker headers and a chinese non-jet mechanical valve head...

Exhaust headers are typically meant to maximize high-RPM peak horsepower, at the expense of low-end torque or a broad band of useful street-driving power. Same goes for the 38 Weber, which is also thirstier than the 32/36, so those may account for poor mileage and street performance. The 38 is synchronous, meaning both of those big 38mm barrels open simultaneously to really gulp down air and fuel, whereas the 32/36 is progressive, meaning it usually runs on the gas-sipping 32mm barrel until you really step on it, then the 36mm barrel also opens.

Presuming your stock distributor is fully functional, I doubt replacing it would improve matters. Just make sure your static advance is in-spec, maybe even advance it a wee bit more than stock, but not so far it starts pinging/knocking under any condition. Check that your vacuum and centrifugal advance both work as expected with a timing light -- disconnect the vac hose from the intake/carb and cap that hose barb, then at idle watch the timing light on the crank pulley to confirm the timing advances when you suck hard on the vac hose and retards back again when you don't, then operate the throttle gradually to confirm it advances as RPMs rise and retards again as they fall back to idle.