I am in the process of finishing a B16 to B18 conversion. everything seems OK and i have been able

to get the B18 to start. Today after many attempts, it would not go. So i narrowed it down to the

distributor. I popped the cap off and it looked like some wires were fried. The motor is a '62 (i

think) and the distributor has vacuum advance. I have a 145 (B18) that i don't drive. Could i just

swap the distributor and plug up the vacuum hole on the Carb? can i get parts to rebuild it?

Sure! Make sure the points are in good shape and you get it oriented

right. That is, the distributor rotor must point the right way,

hopefully the way the rotor is pointed now. If not, you'll need to

make sure it points to the right contact and put the wires in in

firing order. Time it to about 21 degrees BTDC. You will need to

plug any vacuum connections.

21 degrees BTDC?!? Isn't that awfully high for idle? Haynes said around 14, and that's what I have my 122 at. For more on that, read the post of mine up above. . . .

It would be too much if you had vacuum advance in addition to

that. You might have noted that I usually recommend that

advance with EVERYTHING CONNECTED, while most others say with

the vac disconnected. I have low confidence in vac systems

so in case it doesn't work, you still want that advance at idle

and more when it revs up. I've been doing it that way over 20

years and it works great for me. Less results in lower power,

overheating and burnt exhaust components. If you get excessive

pinking or kicking back against the starter, you've gone too far

and should set it back some. But to me, the proof of the pudding

is in the eating and I've got at least one manual that backs that

up. I normally run 21-24 degrees.