I don't think mine is. I can remove the vacuum lines to the distributor and speed up the engine, but I get no vacuum from either line. I checked it according to the Haynes manual.

 

Who cares about vacuum advance? All performance applications pull that off anyways. Just cap it at the carb/nest and leave the dizzy vacuum inlets open.

Your distributor has a mechanical advance system which advances about 20* from idle to 4000 rpm. You can easily verify this with a timing light.

 

What he said . Just dont cap the openings on the vaccum advance diaphrams at the distributor...That will give you problems .

~T.J.

 

ok, whatever you guys say...

I was also curious as to why it wasn't working though.

 

Maybe because it only advances when there *is* vacuum?

The vacuum advance does *NOTHING* when you're accelerating at WOT. "Speeding up" the engine will do the opposite of what you're thinking. It only affects the timing at idle and what not. The purpose is to speed light-off in the catalytic converter and otherwise improve emissions. It also leads to a shittier idle.

Rip it off and watch your idle get smoother. That's what happened for myself and others I know at least.

Vacuum advance has nothing to do with performance, and everything to do with emissions considerations. If emissions aren't an issue, cap it off (not at the dizzy of course) and never look back.

 

Would a catalytic converter last longer to do running cooler by not advancing the ignition, and therefore, not speed lighting them off?

You should go in for emissions testing with the car fully warmed up anyhow.