<VV> Electronic distributor news (plus an adv.)

[Sethracer at aol.com]

Electronic Distributor Tech update and a new distributor cap  option 
A  couple of new technical issues. We had the first failure of an 
electronic part  in one of the electronic distributors. After several thousand miles 
of use, the  owner was working on the carburetors and the throttle linkage 
stuck at a high  idle. Instead of turning off the ignition key, he just 
pulled off the three  connector distributor feed cable, disconnecting the power, 
ground and coil  signal circuits. The engine, of course, stopped. After 
fixing the linkage and  plugging it back in, the car started and ran for a 
distance, but later died and  wouldn’t start. A component on the internal signal 
board had failed (It looked  “cooked” to me). We replaced the module and 
the car is working fine.  
When I later discussed the failure with the manufacturer, he  mentioned 
that there had been another module failure – not in a Corvair  distributor, but 
in one using the same electronic module. The ignition had been  left on 
overnight, without the engine running.  At that point the battery had run down. 
 He didn’t specify the actual failure, but again the module replacement 
solved  the issue. So, now, I guess, I recommend NOT pulling the main 
connection plug to  stop the motor. If you have to do something in the engine 
compartment to quickly  kill the motor, pull the coil wire! (Although I don’t like 
that solution much  either.)  Second – Don’t leave your  ignition on 
overnight. <duh!> It doesn’t seem to be the amount of time  that the module was 
energized, more like the drop in voltage that caused the  issue. 
On a  lighter note - I am pleased to announce a new option for the 
distributor, a  bright Blue colored HEI-style distributor cap. I should have these 
in stock this  week. They are identical to the red/black pin-type cap, except 
for the Blue  color. I have Blue HEI wire sets available to match the caps 
as well. Pricing is  the same as the other HEI caps.