Distributor

[Car'n'Guitars]

Were HEI Distributors the only type of distributors used on the 85 trucks? Or were they uncommon and not stock?

[irishman999]

As far as I know thats the standard.... Its what my 85 has HEI too.

[mooseknuckles]

HEI been the standard for quite some time....since the early seventies

[Car'n'Guitars]

Okay thanks, what are some common problems with these?

[Indyuke]

The only problems I've had in the past with HEI systems are:
- HEI module overheating and burning out
- coil going bad
- dist cap cracking
- mechanical advance freezing up
- poor timing curve (designed that way for emissions reasons)

Other than that, I've had less problems with them than the conventional points style. At least less maintenance is involved.

[Car'n'Guitars]

Is there a special way to work on these and go through them? For example with maintenance if the truck has been sitting for some time?

[irishman999]

Originally Posted by Car'n'Guitars

Is there a special way to work on these and go through them? For example with maintenance if the truck has been sitting for some time?

As far as maintenance I would just replace the cap and rotor. There is a ground strap that screws into the metal part of the coil that is very easy to loose. If you put it back together without it the truck will start and sometimes it wont, I battled this for a while before I figured it out. You could also check out the mechanical weights, take them apart and grease them if there is surface rust.

[Car'n'Guitars]

Originally Posted by irishman999

As far as maintenance I would just replace the cap and rotor. There is a ground strap that screws into the metal part of the coil that is very easy to loose. If you put it back together without it the truck will start and sometimes it wont, I battled this for a while before I figured it out. You could also check out the mechanical weights, take them apart and grease them if there is surface rust.

Okay does anyone have a diagram or pictures of these apart? The last time this truck ran it ran like sh*t. And then after that it just wouldn't even start, so I replaced the spark plugs, fuel filter, fuel pump, and the fuel line from the fuel pump to the carburetor. So I want to check out the distributor before I try to start it and get it running again. So that's why I'm asking all these questions.

[Stepper86]

Take off the cap and clean it, and the rotor. Make sure you get all the green oxidation off the contact points in the lid and on the tip of the rotor if there is any (spraying it with brake clean works good)
Re-assemble and test for spark ( hook up a loose sparkplug to one of the cables and ground it. Ask someone to crank the engine while you watch for a spark. If you get one you are good to go for now. If you get fuel to the carb your truck should fire up.
It might run rough after standing so long, but if there is life there is hope. If it runs it´s easier to truble shoot and find the reason why it´s running rough, vaccume leaks etc

[Car'n'Guitars]

Originally Posted by Stepper86

Take off the cap and clean it, and the rotor. Make sure you get all the green oxidation off the contact points in the lid and on the tip of the rotor if there is any (spraying it with brake clean works good)
Re-assemble and test for spark ( hook up a loose sparkplug to one of the cables and ground it. Ask someone to crank the engine while you watch for a spark. If you get one you are good to go for now. If you get fuel to the carb your truck should fire up.
It might run rough after standing so long, but if there is life there is hope. If it runs it´s easier to truble shoot and find the reason why it´s running rough, vaccume leaks etc

Yeah the truck ran then winter hit and it wouldn't even start. Do you have any pictures of a distributor apart?

[Pop's C-10]

Here you go..it's good for all years..it says 75-85 cause it from a corvette site

[Stepper86]

Sorry no pictures of it open, maybe someone else here have some.

[Car'n'Guitars]

Originally Posted by Pop's C-10

Here you go..it's good for all years..it says 75-85 cause it from a corvette site

Okay thanks this helps me. I'll look in to it in a little while.

Originally Posted by Stepper86

Sorry no pictures of it open, maybe someone else here have some.

Your covered thanks anyway.

[Car'n'Guitars]

Is this the right firing order for my truck? It's a 85.

[78 Chevyrado]

Thats correct.

[Car'n'Guitars]

Okay thanks.

[motornut]

check the vac advance
found mine sticky 78
dosn't leak but will suddenly move
weights were moist and rusty before
i cleaned them, also spotted the rod was rusted at a small spot in the hole (you can barely see the mark after cleaning that)

also the cap i bought a "tip" pulled out,some are press fit it seems

[Car'n'Guitars]

Thanks motornut that helps me in what I need to look for.

[motornut]

if you suck and release on the vac advance, it should move freely, while looking at it
make sure the weights move/swing out ok too

[Car'n'Guitars]

Alright I'll try to check all this out tomorrow, but first comes my fuel line work. Thanks for all the info.

[motornut]

some times you can bend lines around soup cans etc
just don't try a table edge,or a corner ....it will get kinky on ya lol

[Car'n'Guitars]

Yeah I have been using all round objects.