Some very valuable tuning tools are greatly misunderstood. Take the lowly vacuum advance canister. Many enthusiasts dismiss this device as superfluous—or worse—only for emission-controlled engines.

The GM HEI (High Energy Ignition) electronic distributors have a reputation for hassle-free performance. Used in GM rigs from its inception in 1974, the famed HEI can be retrofitted to almost any GM ...

Vacuum advance is a topic that many hobbyists avoid like the plague. Most summarize its perceived intent into a single function—a way to increase fuel mileage. While it's true that vacuum advance can ...

Ignition timing is typically split into three types. The first is initial timing—that is, the amount of spark lead that is set using a timing light (aimed at the harmonic balancer) with the engine at ...