Help: Mallory Uni-Lite Degree Key needed.

My Buddy had a Mallory Uni-Lite that he took off a car he sold. My Motor was running an old points distributor. We Installed the Uni-Lite no problem, but he can't find the Degree Key to adjust the Advance . I called Mallory they say I have to buy the whole YL-Advance Curve Kit which is about $50 w/ shipping. I don't need all the springs, I just want the little Plastic Degree Key. Anybody have an extra, or maybe somebody in the bay area who has one I can borrow?

 

Here's do-it-yourself info on the needed thicknesses and results from Rumbleseat's book. All you need is Allen wrenches as thickness keys!

http://www.flatheadv8.org/rumblest/ignition.pdf

scroll down to Mallory section.

 

Thanks Bruce, I printed it out, I'm gonna run it by my buddy, hopefully this is what we need.

 

All the key is is a length of plastic with steps in it, each step being the dimension for a certain number of degrees. Anything of correct thickness that fits in the gap there will do the job.

 

Thanks a ton Bruce, I called Mallory, and told them that we just lost the tool and needed a new one. They told me that I had buy the whole kit, I asked the guy if he could just tell me the thickness I needed for each degree setting, I told him that I have a bunch of feeler guages and that I would just use them to figure it out, he gave me some BS about them having to send out a request to the engineers and that they are really busy and probably would'nt be able to help me. No thanks Mr. Gasket Co. You my friend Suck.
Thanks again Bruce, Right On!

 

Here's the thickness' on a plastic "key" I have. 12 degrees initial with 24 degrees in the distributor seems to be a pretty good place to start for V-8 Chevys.
Larry T

16 degrees=.390
18 degrees=.405
20 degrees=.423
22 degrees=.443
24 degrees=.462
26 degrees=.480
28 degrees=.500

 

Thanks Larry,
The paper that Bruce sent me shows
16 degrees @ .144"
18 .162
20 .181
22 .201

That differs from your posting, is his Mallory paper for Points on a different distributor?
16 degrees=.390
18 degrees=.405
20 degrees=.423
22 degrees=.443
24 degrees=.462
26 degrees=.480
28 degrees=.500

 

That differs from your posting, is his Mallory paper for Points on a different distributor?





I don't really know. I saw those specs and thought I'd post these. The keys I have came with V-8 Chevrolet Unilite distributors. I've got a couple of them and they're the same.
Larry T

 

Ok, I'm gonna try with what you posted, From the pics, that key looks alot thicker than .201 and under. If I still have probs. I might bug you to buy one of those keys off ya. Thanks again Larry.

 

Ahh yes mine is orange. Starts at 16* and tops at 28*. Would be easy to make>>>>.

 

HAMB to the rescue again...I had one of these keys, and either lost it or sold it. Now I need it, I find the info faster on the HAMB than looking thru all my crap

 

Hmm...no idea what's what on the dimensions, but it would make sense that the dimensions would vary on Mallorys of different ages and models. The old school 2-piece cap ones were much larger diameter than the small conventional cap 1970's model, and both probably differ from the ones sold now. Similar mechanisms of different diameters would quite logically use different translations of degrees into spacing of the stops. I've NEVER been able to keep track of mallory model designations, either.

 

The distributor I'm working on is a "newer" style, so the plastic key has the correct dimensions for it.

I also have an "older" distributor with the two piece cap, and as I recall the key was not correct for that one.

 

I have a set of keys , 14-28* for a YH model unilite , if that's what you need I can measure them....
dave

 

I used the dimensions Larry gave, it worked just right! Thanks for the offer though

blown 427, 20 initial, 36 total.

 

cleaning up...I found some papers I had misplaced.

 

I just measure the dist dia find the circumference and divide by 360 and then figure how much I want mark dist and adjust till I get it remember that every dist degree is two degrees of crankshaft rotation

 

Squirrel, is there in fact a "key" for the older two piece cap Mallory units?

 

i don't know

 

Anything Mallory:
Exists in 17 variants
is not covered usefully in any catalog or book I can find
And all codes were changed every week.
I'm so annoyed by not having good info on the several blips of information in the model numbers, fit of the innumerable points changes and microscopically different rotors, etc. that I have started losing interest. All needed info can be determined by measuring sizes and degrees (or breaking NO$ rotors until you find the right one), but whyinhell didn't they put out some documentation? This was a company founded by a genius and working to very high quality standards...
And never buy anything Mallory beyond the classic flat cap period. I debugged a modern SBC one with a friend and discovered that almost everything was wrong straight from the factory. The drive gear was still ok after 1500 miles, but that was about it.

 

I will try to contribute to the info for setting the adjustable YC advance plate in time. I have a friend here locally that has a distributor machine, but some health problems have kept him out of the shop. I will provide info as it develops. I have two advance plates, 24 degrees and 28 degrees. Once I can document other degree settings, I can measure the advance slots and make a chart of sorts.

 

Bruce, sounds like you are having issues with Mallory flat caps and rotors, I figured this out when I had a YC for a 371 Olds on the bench.
I got it from a friend and when I tried to turn it the tip of the rotor struck the contacts but I learned what was happening.
Flat caps came in two colors, the early brown p/n 24004 and the later production 4004 which was molded in black. Mallory ground the first digit from the mold effectively erasing the 2. The correct rotor for a 24004 cap is the 24215 which has a spring loaded brass contact. That piece of spring steel provides contact with the carbon button in the cap.
The black cap uses the 4215 rotor, just like on the cap Mallory ground the 2 from the rotor mold shortening the p/n. The 4215 rotor will not interfere with the contacts in the 4004 cap. If you are lucky enough to find an Echlin MA7 rotor it’s a cheap, exact substitute for a 4215 Mallory rotor but unfortunately it’s out of production.

 

For what its worth, speedway motors had this unit for sale with the later style key? I guess one would have to use the key and test results with a dist machine.