Need some help on How to install an HEI distributor

[WadmalawJoe]

Thanks for all the advice on should I swap to an HEI distributor. Now I need a little help with the procedure.
I looked around online and it looks like a local auto part store (Pepboys) has a MSD Street Fire HEI distributor in stock. Comes with a 1 year warranty and is $145. Here is the link http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/9975109/00038/

So I will pick it up later today unless I get a heck no don't go! from someone on here. I know there are some less expensive ones out there, but I like that this has a one year warranty.

Here is my current set up;


I see there is a newer looking yellow wire coming into the coil. I need to see if that has already been upgraded to 12v, the voltage needed for the HEI system and I need to make sure its only hot when the key is on correct?

Also, to make sure things go a little easier I need to turn motor over until its on the #1 cylinder THEN pull out the old distributor.
Actually what is the easiest way to get to and know that I am on #1 cylinder and on the correct stroke? The reason I ask this is because I have a horrible time with my farm tractor. It has a three cylinder gas motor and when I think I have it on #1 and on the correct stroke I put the distributor in and crank it up and I am always off 180 degrees because it will backfire like a son of a gun and I will have to pull the distributor back out spin rotor 180 and put it back in and whala she runs.

On the new distributor; is there a rotor that needs to point to #1 as I put the distributor in or??


Thanks!

[WadmalawJoe]

I just read through another post, if I get a regular ol GM HEI distributor, what year(s) will I need to get for dist. gears to match up? My motor is 350 out of a 72 Chevelle.

[hyatt]

Chevy HEIs started in 1975 all gears are the same any year will work until they started using computer If it has a additional 4 wire harness or doesnt have a vacumn advance Dont use it 75-80 I think Make sure your ignition has full 12v Point harnesses were reduced

[Moline_Puller]

Hey,

The HEI's are great distributors are great, but that Accel one probably isn't too bad. If you are changing it out just to get rid of the points, you might be able to just get an electronic pick-up for that distributor for maybe $80-100.

That might be another option for you...just my 2 cents.


Chris

[Littletony]

Why not buy this one with a lifetime warranty?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-BBC-CHEV...item51a297ccb0

[Dale99]

I just did this on mine. My motor was from a 72 el camino.

Easy way on TDC is to pull your cap off, and rotate tell it points to 1 sp wire, then look at your timing mark and when its on 0, your TDC. There is a more accurate way, but it takes a tool that screws into the spark plug.

The kit I got was from summit, I question if its an MSD?

I ran a specific 12ga wire from key accessory, to a 20am fuse, then to the dizzy. That yellow wire looks to small.

[WadmalawJoe]

Thanks everyone,
Did anyone have a clearance problem? Looks like there is all kinds of room around the old distributor and over it, but what about when you pull it up and out?
I'm concerned with the HEI size being a problem when I go to put it in. With the cap off it and so forth there shouldn't be a problem is this correct?


Joe

[Stocker]

It'll fit. Your C10 has more clearance than my K20, and I installed a GM HEI. Had to remove the cap first, though.... it's that tight.

[truckster]

Originally Posted by Stocker

It'll fit. Your C10 has more clearance than my K20, and I installed a GM HEI. Had to remove the cap first, though.... it's that tight.

Same here. I took the cap off to install it in the Blazer. The main thing is to get it close enough to the timing of the original so you have some room to adjust the timing. If you're too far off, you may have to pull the distributor and slip it a tooth or two, because you don't get a lot of room for adjustment between the firewall and the intake manifold.

[hugger6933]

The motors in the K truck are set back farther than the motor in the C truck. Due to the $ wheel drive having different motor mounts or some thing. That might explain why some on some trucks may have a little clearance trouble and then some have all kinds of room. I think the same can be said for the Blazers. You must make sure that the wire is hot in the run position and not just in the run or just the crank or it will drive you nuts. Also you need to make sure the wire size is appropreate, it needs to be a 14 Ga. at least I would say preferbly a 10 or 12 gauge would be best. There is a terminal in the fuse block marked ACC that you can check with your test light and make sure it is hot in the run position and so that may be the one. When you take your old dist out you really dont have to bring it up on TDC of #1 cylinder to static time the motor unless you want to you can take the cap ofdf make the location of the rotor button and where it is pointing and place the new one with the new rotor pointing the same place. For instance when you take the old cap off and it [the rotor button] is pointing to the pass side wiper arm pivot, make a note of it weather a mental one or mark it with tape or something. Now when the new hei is starting in place the rotor so that it is pointing to the same place when you have it seated. Now keep in mind the gears are helicut meaning the rotor will rotate on you as you pull up on it. But one thing that will help you is the oil pump driveshaft rod will make sure that your in the right spot as if you are close and it drops all the way down you win! if not you may be off by one tooth so pull back and take another stab at it. Boy, I am sure glad I don't know much about this so I can kepp my answers short. Jim

[hugger6933]

One more thing you will need a spade terminal on the dist. end of the wire and it will plug into the side of the cap and there will be a spot marked either BAT[T] or 12V and the other is marked tach and that is where the tachometer is hooked up and the one marked BAT is for the keyed on 12 volt source. Also if you have not changed your spark plugs you should do so . The plugs with HEI ingnition where hotter and had a LOT more gap[like 45 thou for compared to point type at 25 thou] So if you dont have the newer plugs it might burn the electrode off in short order, or worse yet cause a hotspot and burn a piston. Good luck Enjoy your new found fire and power

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

Also if you have not changed your spark plugs you should do so . The plugs with HEI ingnition where hotter and had a LOT more gap[like 45 thou for compared to point type at 25 thou]

Yup, .045 gap with HEI (.035 with points). Pretty sure the plug type stays the same, so if they're fairly new, they'll be OK. But new wires are a must. IIRC, OEM plug wires are 7mm, and HEI wires are 8mm. Oh and the 12V wire is fine at 12 gauge.... 10 gauge is really too thick & heavy IMHO.

[C5Phil]

Originally Posted by Littletony

Why not buy this one with a lifetime warranty?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-BBC-CHEV...item51a297ccb0

This is the one I used- works perfect and i couldn't believe the $$-- good luck- HEI makes a heck of a difference esp. for starting--

[WadmalawJoe]

Thanks everyone!
I haven't bought the new distributor yet..... I was shocked by how low they are on ebay. I prefer to buy local but at that price difference, I think I will be ordering one. I have one local place to call today that carries a lot of performance goodies, I want to see what they have and how much.

[WadmalawJoe]

Originally Posted by C5Phil

This is the one I used- works perfect and i couldn't believe the $$-- good luck- HEI makes a heck of a difference esp. for starting--

I went ahead and ordered this one.
I got the shipping/tracking # like 15 minutes later!!
Which I think is awesome !!
Ordered something (pair of mirrors) from Brothers, it supposedly shipped 9 days ago, no tracking number and no I haven't got it yet. There was New Years holiday, but still.....
Posted via Mobile Device

[Littletony]

I have order a few things from them and so far they seam like a great company to deal with. Make sure you post us up some pics once you have it installed.

[slikside]

subscribed

[WadmalawJoe]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

The motors in the K truck are set back farther than the motor in the C truck. Due to the $ wheel drive having different motor mounts or some thing. That might explain why some on some trucks may have a little clearance trouble and then some have all kinds of room. I think the same can be said for the Blazers. You must make sure that the wire is hot in the run position and not just in the run or just the crank or it will drive you nuts. Also you need to make sure the wire size is appropreate, it needs to be a 14 Ga. at least I would say preferbly a 10 or 12 gauge would be best. There is a terminal in the fuse block marked ACC that you can check with your test light and make sure it is hot in the run position and so that may be the one. When you take your old dist out you really dont have to bring it up on TDC of #1 cylinder to static time the motor unless you want to you can take the cap ofdf make the location of the rotor button and where it is pointing and place the new one with the new rotor pointing the same place. For instance when you take the old cap off and it [the rotor button] is pointing to the pass side wiper arm pivot, make a note of it weather a mental one or mark it with tape or something. Now when the new hei is starting in place the rotor so that it is pointing to the same place when you have it seated. Now keep in mind the gears are helicut meaning the rotor will rotate on you as you pull up on it. But one thing that will help you is the oil pump driveshaft rod will make sure that your in the right spot as if you are close and it drops all the way down you win! if not you may be off by one tooth so pull back and take another stab at it. Boy, I am sure glad I don't know much about this so I can kepp my answers short. Jim

I used this approach, I marked where the rotor was pointing to. When I went to put distributor in it looked like it was headed to the right spot except I had to manually turn the motor to get it to drop the rest of the way in, that last quarter inch or so. Which during the turning process it ended up over probably a inch or so. Now turning the motor turns the gears which of course turns the distributor. So I'm hoping its in the right spot. Like I've said before, me and distributors do not get along they always fight me.
You mentioned it should drop right in if your close. If I moved it over one tooth it would drop all the way in, but the rotor would spin way off.
I wasn't able to finish it this evening, I hope to finish it tomorrow, then I will know for sure when I go to fire it up. I bought the type of plug wires that you have to put the ends on yourself, and they are a pita to put together. My old wires (p.o. installed) were awesome 8.8 wires, but short, they ran over the valve covers and still barely made it to the plugs. So I went long this time.

[k5hart]

If the rotor is not pointing to the same position that it was when you removed the old distributor then its going to be off at least one cylinder. You will know it when you start it because it will backfire or pop back through the carb. It probably wasn't dropping all the way in because of the oil pump slot. This is usually what I fight with. I have large, long flat head screw driver that I use to turn it.

I agree that the make your own wires are a PITA. I used wires for a '75 corvette on mine but they aren't 8.8 wires.

[WadmalawJoe]

Hello neighbor K5!
I didn't stay with the 8.8 wires, they were $80-90, that's just to much $. I went with size 8.

Yeah, I don't have a lot of confidence in my distributor placement. Then with the HEI being basically double the size of the points distributor everything seems out of wack.

I'm tempted to almost start from scratch or at least try to see if #1 cylinder matches with where I have the #1 plug wire going to on the cap. Which means I should pull the fan and shroud off for better access to manually turn the motor 50,000 times Maybe I can get the wife to sit there and bump the key until my finger blows off #1 .

[geezer#99]

If you can't get help (wife) to bump it over just take an old spark plug, break off the porcelain and drill a hole thru the centre towards the electrode. Screw it in the hole hand tight, bump it over and listen for the whistle when it comes up on tdc.
EZPZ!!!

[truckster]

The most you'll have to turn the motor by hand is less than two complete turns. Pull #1 spark plug (pulling them all removes the compression and will make this easier) and find 0 on your timing scale - it will be the largest indent. Put a finger in the #1 spark plug hole, and turn until you line up the timing groove on the balancer with 0 and you feel the compression on your finger.

You're now at TDC on #1 and can install the distributor.

[richards72chevy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=FHX1yXVyIMg

[WadmalawJoe]

Just a quick update.
I decided to check to see if cylinder one plug and its position on the cap were correct.
I was off by one plug. So I just moved the wires over one spot on the cap.
I found tdc of number 1 by removing number 1 spark plug and manually turning the motor and listening for a rush of air coming out of the cylinder hole. I made note of the position of the rotor in the cap. Then to be certain I went around one more time and sure enough a rush of air again and rotor in the same spot on the cap.
So I finished assembling and moved my tools away. Gave her 3 pumps of gas and turned the key and she fired right up!
I let her run a few seconds and shut her off. I was running late for an appointment and had to go. Tomorrow hopefully I will have a chance to adjust the timing and take her for a spin.
Also, I want to pick up some new plugs. Today was the first time I pulled a plug on her (bought her 3 months ago) and I have those E3? plugs. I don't like them. How do you clean them or adjust them, you can't. It's like a cage on the end of the plug. Any recommendations on plugs by anyone? I'm just going to get autolites or ac delco or something along those lines. I don't even know what size they are supposed to be.

Thanks for everyone's help!

[k5hart]

Well I wrote you another reply the other day but it didn't look like it posted. Shoot.

Glad you got it figured out. Moving all the wires over one works, just have to remember you did that if you ever need to troubleshoot.

I think I'm using R45TS AC Delco plugs on my stock 350. I've used AC Delco plugs in a lot of my stuff without problems.