V8 distributor

[hilandr452]

I assume all the 74-88 chevy OEM HEI disrtributors are the same between the big blocks and small blocks is that correct?

[adpostel]

To my knowledge, they are all the same....

[Longhorn Man]

it evolved quite a bit and was computer contrilled later on... meaning you can't just stab one in your early engine. however, big block and small block units were the same though.

[hilandr452]

Thanks LHM, adpostel I will try to find one in the junkyard. I took the one out of my 83 454 and installed it in my 71 402 a few months ago, now I'm trying to find one for my 454 so I can move it.

Dan

[sinned4me]

there are three different control modules- 4 pin, 5-pin, and 7-pin. then there are a bunch of different vac advances. O'reillys, or CSK both sell Accel or MSD ones pretty inexpensively. I have not tried changing from one module to the others but bb to sb works. Remember if you are running a roller cam to switch the drive gear to a bronze one.

[sinned4me]

new MSD street fire at www.oreillyautoparts.com number 8362 for $159.99

[Longhorn Man]

look on e-bay... search skip white. $50 HEI units, complete with cap and rotor. Kinda hard to beat that number.

[Brock396]

Originally Posted by sinned4me

there are three different control modules- 4 pin, 5-pin, and 7-pin. then there are a bunch of different vac advances. O'reillys, or CSK both sell Accel or MSD ones pretty inexpensively. I have not tried changing from one module to the others but bb to sb works. Remember if you are running a roller cam to switch the drive gear to a bronze one.

why do u need a bronze gear with a roller cam?

[Bruce88]

Originally Posted by Brock396

why do u need a bronze gear with a roller cam?

The roller cam is made from different kind of material than a flat tappet cam. If I remember correctly the roller cam is a billet material and the flat tappet cam is cast material. If you use a stock distributor gear they can eat each other when running. I ran a bronze gear a number of years ago and it wears out very quickly, approximately 4000 miles it’s primarily used in racing engines. GM did develop a distributor gear that works with roller cams that does not wear out and is made for street use, I forget the part number but you should be able to get one from GM dealership parts. Also some aftermarket cam manufactures like Crain have been installing a cast gear on there roller cams so no need for a distributor gear change is required.