Such Disappointment

[JHT67]

Was feeling real good as the day got started, got me a new distributor and wires preparing to swap it over from the points distributor, but before that my dad and I drove out to a fella's place got a set of 16" 8 lug wheels and tires to get rid of my 16.5, day getting better. swap the tires, ready to roll, swap the distributors and........no go

Acting like it's out of time, worked on it till 10:30, decided it was time to call it for the night and try again tomorrow. Wanted to be cruising it tomorrow, so wish me luck.

[jocko]

why does everyone seem to dislike 16.5 wheels? IS it just because tire selection isn't very big? Am interested in your 2 cents, as well as other folks as well.

What kind of wheels did you get - off of what, I mean... or aftermarket, etc?

Thanks. Hang in there, distros are always something that makes you want to slap your head when you get it fixed.

[Hubscrub]

You sure the dizzy isn't in 180 out? The last one i did i didn't pay attention where the rotor was pointing and installed it wrong. Truck popped couple times wouldn't start so i took the dizzy out turned it a half circle and dropped it back in and vroom came to life.

[70cst]

Keep the faith JHT67 ...

Sometimes you got to go thru the valley's before you reach the mountain tops.

As the saying goes...Been there & done that ...

Best of luck

[MrSchaeferPants]

You use the correct wire? Should be two, 12v and 9v for points. Need 12, which has to be rewired. The origional comming from the cab is 9.
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[ole dollor]

it will be hard to explain here...but i will try, the old dis. the rotor was pointing to the first plug on the right side of the motor which is # 2 cylinder .... with the new dist. the rotor will be pointing to the left side of the motor to the first plug on the left side of the motor, which is the # 1 cylinder . now make sure you are on top dead center on the timing mark , drop the new dist. in and see if you can line the rotor so it points to the left side of the motors first plug.which will be #1, if it wont go all the way in ,take the new dist out and take a light and look down inside the hole look at the dist shaft end it will look like a big wide screw driver, down in the hole you will see the slot it goes into, now try and line up the dist shaft and the slot so they match when the dist. is all the way in , a long screw driver can be used to move the slot inside the motor through the hole. once you get it to go all the way down and the rotor is pointing to the #1 plug on the left front of your motor, then snug it down and wire it up starting with that place on the cap.....the firing order is 1.8.4.3.6.5.7.2. the left side of the block is 1.3.5.7 the right side of the block is 2.4.6.8. after all that get a 12 volt wire and run it to the dist where is say bat, the other wire is tach wire....if all is good it should start, if it starts back firing, the take the dist out and turn it 180 and put it back in, snug it down and see if it will start again. try this and if the dist is good and its where it is supposed to be and wired up right it will start, also it will wire up counter clockwise....at the dist....hope this helps you....

[ole dollor]

jocko: they have been outlawed in the u.s. because of the wheel ring....they will come off and kill you...

[jocko]

Originally Posted by ole dollor

jocko: they have been outlawed in the u.s. because of the wheel ring....they will come off and kill you...

Huh? 16.5 isn't a split rim (some 16's were) - to what ring are you referring? Splain for me, I just spewed my kool-aid... am looking at a truck with 16.5 rims......

[Sicklajoie]

Originally Posted by ole dollor

jocko: they have been outlawed in the u.s. because of the wheel ring....they will come off and kill you...

I believe back then the split rims were 16" and the regular 1 piece were 16.5...maybe I'm wrong.
Tire selection was the reason I went with 16" rather than 16.5. I swear by Michelins and they don't make a 16.5 tire.

[jocko]

That's what I was afraid of - and kinda recall folks mentioning on here. Thanks Joe.
Sorry to hijack JHT!

[MrSchaeferPants]

Selection I imagine. 17 is the new 15. And with 3/4 you couldn't go smaller to 15 so ya bump up to 17s and you have way more selection. I'm happy with my 16.5
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[jocko]

so where do you get tires for them? Are you hoarding the world's supply of 16.5x9.50's......?

[ole dollor]

man i am sorry about the kool- aid ..... have you tried to buy a 16.5 lately, i was told that the split rims were outlawed in the u.s.of a , my brother-in-law could not find any because of this, he did not have split rims on his truck but they were 16.5, and was told that was the reason he was not able to replace his tires, he bought 16" wheels and new tires at the same time, now 16.5 wheels with a split wheel ring is what i was talking about, i don't remember seeing a 16" with a split rim. but you may be right...i really dont know for sure. shop around and see how many 16'5 new tires are for sale, and i will look up the law on the rims and we can get back together and we both will be smarter ......how does that sound to you.....we got a deal....

[jocko]

no worries - I already looked, and all are correct - there isn't jack available for 16.5 wheels. woudl probably need to go the ford route.

What year chevy's had non-split rim 16" wheels in 8 lug?

[72 K20]

I don't believe I've ever seen a 16.5 split rim,,,, plenty of 16's...

There are a few 15" 8 hole rims out there for these old trucks.

I've scrapped all of the 16.5 rims I had,, too spendy and very limited selection.

[odog]

Sorry to Hijack this, But Jocko, you can still get some 16.5 tires and cheep to, only problem is they are BIG. Army surplus has 16.5 tires, they are take offs from hummers. I guess after a certain amount of time the military swaps the tires out, regardless of wear. A lot of them have 90% tread, but they are 36X12.50X16.5s. You can get them for $100 a tire, which is a great price, if you can run tires that big. www.100dollarman.com has a bunch of them.

Again, sorry for the hijacking of the thread

[Andy4639]

U also need to change the old coil resistor wire out to a regular wire for the HEI to crank good. It needs 12 volts in the crank position of the key switch not just acc. It will not crank without it. Well it might but once hot it want.

[SS Tim]

As I recall most of the 16" tires at the time were tube tires. The split rims were often seen on Forest Service trucks and the like because the tires were "field demountable" for repairs.

[desertnick69]

Originally Posted by 72 K20

I don't believe I've ever seen a 16.5 split rim,,,, plenty of 16's...

There are a few 15" 8 hole rims out there for these old trucks.

I've scrapped all of the 16.5 rims I had,, too spendy and very limited selection.

I have a 1969 C-20 that stock off the show room floor came with 16.5 split rims. This was my uncles truck from day one, and if i am not mistaken my father still has the 4 originals. This is a pic of the last of 5 16.5 split rims that came stock when uncle bought it this one was removed as a spare 3 yrs ago, the Good truck is in rebuild at present as it does need a face lift! You think?

[too much stuff]

I don't recall seeing any 16.5 split rims in my travels. Usually any of the .5 wheels would have a sloped outer bead which is the quick way to identify. And i am pretty sure the split rims aren't outlawed. Alot of shops don't want to touch them for safety reasons, but it isn't like you would get a fine for bringing them in.

[hugger6933]

My 68 GMC has 15 inch wheels on it [aftermarket] and they are an ugly chrome spoke wheel. I put on some full hub caps to help cover the ugly until it is changed out to the short frame 5 lug that it will one day be

[hugger6933]

Before anyone jumps on me my truck is a 3/4 ton with 8 lug wheelsI just thought that it would be a given but I see now I needed to make it clear

[JHT67]

Originally Posted by jocko

why does everyone seem to dislike 16.5 wheels? IS it just because tire selection isn't very big? Am interested in your 2 cents, as well as other folks as well.

What kind of wheels did you get - off of what, I mean... or aftermarket, etc?

Thanks. Hang in there, distros are always something that makes you want to slap your head when you get it fixed.

As you'll see I badly needed tires, and not really in the market for new, so I'd been hitting craigslist daily for a few weeks and only found big 4x4 tires for the 16.5. My dad had been looking too and was finding loads of used 16" tires, so the switch just seemed to make since. Luckily he found a set with useable tires and got them for $80, they came off an 80's model Chevy 4x4. Same wheel just a 16 and I got to slap my hubcaps right back on, the wife couldn't even tell the difference, even though they weren't as rusty,so I was happy about that. I did call discount tire to see what was out there and they don't carry 16.5 tires. Now to get the distributor in order.

[JHT67]

Also no one needs to apologize for "hijacking", this is a thread about 16.5 wheels and distributors , so have at it, I'm learning stuff.

[JHT67]

Originally Posted by ole dollor

if all is good it should start, if it starts back firing, the take the dist out and turn it 180 and put it back in, snug it down and see if it will start again.

It still doesn't start. We have #1 piston up, harmonic balancer on 0, rotor button pointed toward #1 piston, cap on and wired up. Can it still be 180 out?