Engine Carb'd 88 GT, need centrifugal advance, will an '85 Distributor Work?

pindude80 · May 12, 2024

I recently bought an '88 GT and put a new engine in it. A previous owner converted it to carb and left the factory EFI distributor in it. We have the timing locked out at 35 degrees. I would like to install a distributor that will have mechanical advance. I think I read somewhere that I can use an '85 Mustang 5.0 HO distributor. I have a MSD 6AL box I will be wiring up as well because I need a rev limiter.

Is that correct that I can use an '85 distributor and have mechanical advance? This is the distributor I was looking at: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinf...saLF0BeVToYFnu04v0/tWMIc8rWhYp/LhEwLXaXkgZpsr

Can I run that distributor on my setup and get mechanical timing advance? Also, am I able to run the larger style cap? I think there is an "adapter" on my EFI dizzy that comes off, screws onto this distributor, and that will let me run the larger cap. Is that correct?

limp · May 12, 2024

What are you going to do with the car??
Billet cams require a steel gear, stock cams use an iron gear... Distributor gear....
for a street car I would recommend a vacuum advance distributor .....

General karthief · May 12, 2024

What engine did you swap in, roller or non roller?

pindude80 · May 12, 2024

limp said:
What are you going to do with the car??
Billet cams require a steel gear, stock cams use an iron gear... Distributor gear....
for a street car I would recommend a vacuum advance distributor .....

Mainly street, maybe some drag strip here and there. Do you know if the distributor I linked will work?

I did remember from back in the day that the roller cam had a different cam gear. I did some research and saw that a steel gear is what is needed.

pindude80 · May 12, 2024

General karthief said:
What engine did you swap in, roller or non roller?

Sorry, I should have mentioned that. We swapped in a gt40p motor and installed an F cam.

AeroCoupe · May 12, 2024

Yes you can. Here is how to wire it:

The ‘85 distributor does mechanically advance and this is a good thread on that:

https://www.corral.net/threads/85-5-0-duraspark-distributor.708070/

limp · May 12, 2024

Dont get a duraspark from DUI, mine has been back ordered for a year...
Purchased this one from LMR until my DUI arrives.... so far it works great...
Seems like it came in a Cardon box.....

https://lmr.com/item/LRS-12127BK/Mustang-50-Distributor-Steel-Gear-1985-Carb-Only

limp · May 12, 2024

pindude80 said:
Sorry, I should have mentioned that. We swapped in a gt40p motor and installed an F cam.

Did you change the valve springs?

pindude80 · May 13, 2024

AeroCoupe said:
Yes you can. Here is how to wire it:

The ‘85 distributor does mechanically advance and this is a good thread on that:

https://www.corral.net/threads/85-5-0-duraspark-distributor.708070/

Another very useful, post from you, Aeronose, thanks! I will read through the thread you provided the link for this evening after work. I looked up the MSD wiring harness adapter that is in the diagram. I will probably just cut and splice the wires off the distributor since the harness is $30.

Thanks again.

pindude80 · May 13, 2024

limp said:
Dont get a duraspark from DUI, mine has been back ordered for a year...
Purchased this one from LMR until my DUI arrives.... so far it works great...
Seems like it came in a Cardon box.....

https://lmr.com/item/LRS-12127BK/Mustang-50-Distributor-Steel-Gear-1985-Carb-Only

Thanks for the info and link!

I may just go ahead and get this distributor instead of the one from Rock Auto since it has the larger style cap and steel gear.

pindude80 · May 13, 2024

limp said:
Did you change the valve springs?

Yes, I purchased the Trick Flow 2500100 spring kit. We also had to get custom 6.350" pushrods. I got those from Comp because we ordered Trick Flow pushrods. When we got them the Trick Flow pushrods the box and pushrods were both marked 6.350 but they measured 6.370. I'm glad my friend caught that or it could have cost me my freshly assembled engine; we were already tight on clearance and the extra .020 could have been catastrophic.

limp · May 13, 2024

pindude80 said:
Yes, I purchased the Trick Flow 2500100 spring kit. We also had to get custom 6.350" pushrods. I got those from Comp because we ordered Trick Flow pushrods. When we got them the Trick Flow pushrods the box and pushrods were both marked 6.350 but they measured 6.370. I'm glad my friend caught that or it could have cost me my freshly assembled engine; we were already tight on clearance and the extra .020 could have been catastrophic.

That would of showed up when you torqued down the lifters if you are doing it correctly.....

Engine Carb'd 88 GT, need centrifugal advance, will an '85 Distributor Work?

pindude80

Active Member

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

pindude80

Active Member

pindude80

Active Member

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

pindude80

Active Member

pindude80

Active Member

pindude80

Active Member

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

Similar threads

Engine Carb'd 88 GT, need centrifugal advance, will an '85 Distributor Work?

Active Member

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Active Member

Active Member

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

Active Member

Active Member

Active Member

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

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