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Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:48 pm

OK Guys, I have read a lot about the constant argument about the SVDA's and the 009's. So lets get it all together in one place and give all the pros and cons for each. Lets use a stock 1600 dual port with a 009 distributor and the the famous 34 PICT 3 carb. Engine code is AE937212 and Distributor is JF4 0-231-178-009. Question is. Is it really worth changing a 009 to SVDA for the money and performance?

Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:50 pm

laug6615 wrote: OK Guys, I have read a lot about the constant argument about the SVDA's and the 009's. So lets get it all together in one place and give all the pros and cons for each. Lets use a stock 1600 dual port with a 009 distributor and the the famous PICT 3 carb.
PICT-3?

Do you mean 34PICT-3?

SVDA? That's a generic term meaning the distributor has vacuum advance and mechanical advance. That fits a number of different distributors. I assume you are talking about the 0 231 170 034.

The 34PICT-3 was designed to work with the 0 231 170 034 vacuum/mechanical distributor. It was not designed to work with a 009.

In fact the 009 was never offered from the factory. It's a cheap "one size fits all" that actually fits none.

I've done back to back tests with a number of carbs and distributors and I can tell you the 34PICT-3 works like crap with all distributors except the 034.

Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:52 pm

Yea thats the carb, sorry for the typo. Thats the setup on my buggy right now. It runs pretty good, I guess. I have nothing to compare it to. So thats why I have posted the question. By making a change will it be that much better??

Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:55 pm

laug6615 wrote: Yea thats the carb, sorry for the typo. Thats the setup on my buggy right now.
I've replace a 009 with a 205zb (New Mexican 034) on a handful of stock engines with 34PICT-3 and all ran better.

Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:43 am

I used to recurve a lot of distributors for roundy round cars, drag cars, SCCA cars and street cars. Both 4's and V8's. Vacuum and mechanical is the best bet for a street car if the cam is not too radical. Straight mechanical is best for race cars or engines with big cams.

The mechanical and vacuum advance curves in a std distributor rarely are optimal for ANY engine. There are exceptions but they are rare. Sometimes the gains from a custom recurve are minor but more often they are dramatic.

Unfortunately recurving a distributor is becoming a lost art. Back in the 60's and 70's every decent sized garage had a distributor machine. Nowadays they are rare and finding somebody that knows how to use it is even more rare.

Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:44 pm

"By making a change will it be that much better??"

Absolutely! I have run a 34PICT-3 carb with an 009 and also with the SVDA dizzy sold by Aircooled.net. The SVDA performed better in every way. There is NO advantage to an 009 with that carb. In fact, the 009 provides LESS performance and driveability because there is LESS advance potential with the 009. The Aircooled.net SVDA has about the same mechanical advance as an 009, PLUS the vacuum side, which gives superior off-idle performance. My only experience with stock 034 dizzies has been with old, worn out units, but they STILL performed better than an 009.

The 009 has its place, but a stock engine with a stock carb is not it. Any 'fixes' to make the 009 work better with the 34PICT-3 carb only make the engine run way too rich.

When connecting your vacuum line, be sure to loop the line up above the carb to prevent gas from running down it and ruining the vacuum diaphragm.

Lee

Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:47 pm

rayjay wrote: Unfortunately recurving a distributor is becoming a lost art. Back in the 60's and 70's every decent sized garage had a distributor machine. Nowadays they are rare and finding somebody that knows how to use it is even more rare.
Some of us still work with them.

Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:57 pm

Where's your cabinet ???? :) Do you have a pulse generator for use with mag impulse dist ??

Mine was the same way, no cabinet. I used to work at a Chry dealer and the owner wanted the cabinet for some use on his farm and he told me to take off the dist machine and take it home with me !!!!!!

Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:00 pm

Just rebuild the old cast iron distributors and just make sure they match original factory specs. I don't work on magnetos or the newer cast aluminum distributors.

If you want easily adjustable.. .buy a Mallory Unilite.

Tue Apr 01, 2008 6:10 pm

the other thing I did with my pict 34 and vac type dist was to install a Pertronix CD ignition and their blaster coil - what a hugew differnec - instant starts and no loading up !

Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:51 pm

Glenn wrote: rayjay wrote: Unfortunately recurving a distributor is becoming a lost art. Back in the 60's and 70's every decent sized garage had a distributor machine. Nowadays they are rare and finding somebody that knows how to use it is even more rare.
Some of us still work with them.

I will vouch for Glenns work anytime, anyday! If it is a lost art then he is Michelangelo of the distributor world. Please keep up the fantastic work Glenn!

Mon Apr 07, 2025 6:17 pm

My 009 elect ign no vac worked well for 80k miles mated with a 34 pict 3 in my 71 1776 dual port (Bus). No flat spots, efficient, good mileage, no maintenance, nice.

But then I replaced the 009 with a PerTronix SVDA Distributor with Ignitor 1 Ignition Module - 12 Volt. I wanted to use vacuum available from my carb. The added vacume advance smoothed accelerations out in first and second start out gears. Very smooth. Better than the 009 even though it suffered no flat spot and was tuned with the engine perfectly. SVDA was added as standard stock clear back in early 50's for a reason. Go with SVDA. It offers better performance.

Tue Apr 08, 2025 6:41 am

Exactly right! Yes a good German 009 will make them run but a proper vacuum equipped distributor makes them run well.

My new Pertronics III distributor by the way only lasted for 8 months including the 5 month winter storage period so keep that 009 on hand to get you home and watch for a good stock German distributor for when the Pertronics one goes south.