SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

jimmye · 03-13-2015, 05:51 PM

I am,putting. 1972 SBC 400 in my 69 GMC Truck, since the engine has. HEI Distributor , my question is how do you set the timing , I know how to set it when I had the old distributor and coil , so,what is the procedure with HEI DISTRIBUTOR . And where is a good place to set the timing , has a small cam

geezer#99 · 03-13-2015, 06:04 PM

Just like with your stock dizzy. #1 tdc compression, line up your timing tab and balancer at zero, point the rotor at #1. Rotate the dizzy about 1/2 inch ccw. Lock it down.
Should fire up.
Check and set the timing after it's running.
Try 14 initial to start with and adjust for what your motor likes.
Is this a rebuilt or just a repainted/detailed motor?

enaberif · 03-13-2015, 06:20 PM

Stock balancer? Stock timing tab? Those will play a key in how you time your truck.

jimmye · 03-13-2015, 07:08 PM

Rebuild,and put a little goodies on it, wasn't sure on timing , I have not set timing in a long time, I thought one went on coil and one on No. 1 plug , wondering where it goes instead of coil. Probably try to fire it off tomorrow, need to put antifreeze in new radiator and add transmission fluid and put power steering box on and fire it off.

mechanicalman · 03-13-2015, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmye

Rebuild,and put a little goodies on it, wasn't sure on timing , I have not set timing in a long time, I thought one went on coil and one on No. 1 plug , wondering where it goes instead of coil. Probably try to fire it off tomorrow, need to put antifreeze in new radiator and add transmission fluid and put power steering box on and fire it off.

HEI has a built-in coil, only has 8 plug wires, and a 14-12 gauge 12V non-resister wire going to the coil terminal on the HEI cap. See pics, bat terminal is the terminal farthest counter clockwise, the other one is for a tach input.

geezer#99 · 03-13-2015, 07:31 PM

On a fresh fire up don't waste your antifreeze. Use straight water. Less mess to clean up if you have a leak.
I assume you proved your timing tab /balancer and set #1 on tdc already.

jimmye · 03-13-2015, 10:20 PM

Great thought: I would have put Antifreeze in the Radiator. Thanks

jimmye · 03-13-2015, 10:24 PM

Progress: so ready to make a run down the Road.

LDO · 03-13-2015, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geezer#99

On a fresh fire up don't waste your antifreeze. Use straight water. Less mess to clean up if you have a leak.

^^^^ good advice right thar^^^^

jimmye · 03-13-2015, 10:26 PM

Engine is in and almost ready

jimmye · 03-13-2015, 10:28 PM

Engine: Thought I could put more than one icture at a time

LDO · 03-13-2015, 10:35 PM

looks great.

tonight, sit down and relax and make a list. Go over everything. Fluids, torque values, etc.
then tomorrow, follow the list. At least this is how I do it. I get really excited and forget stuff so I like to have a list.

Good luck.

jimmye · 03-13-2015, 10:51 PM

That what I like about this Forum, no matter what the advice is its all great from small to big. The little things seem to slip up on you and creates a Disaster .
I WILL MAKE A LIST ! ( let me make a comment on a slip up I caught last night, I had put the starter on several days ago , but didn't hook up the wires , so last night I hooked up the wires and bolted it back on but when I tighten it back up I noticed the stater did not pull up tight , the first time I just tighten it up and didn't check to see if it pulled tight this time I did, I have 2 starters one is a older starter and one is a newer on which is smaller around in diameter and I assumed both used the same length bolts , one starter was about 1/4 inch thicker were the bolts run through. I went back and used the bigger one cause that the one that fit the bolts ). Best advice is go slow and double check and don't get in a hurry . I will start a check list from now on. Thanks

geezer#99 · 03-13-2015, 11:08 PM

Still wondering if you timed it right!
Did you set it up on #1 tdc compression when you put it together?

hamjet · 03-14-2015, 05:50 AM

I had the same thing happen to me. I just ordered a new high torque starter with bolts and it was just shy of tightening before the bolts bottomed out. Good catch on your part... Is that a fresh rebuild? (new cam?)

SierraMtns · 03-14-2015, 01:36 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYGU7mTwsZc

jimmye · 04-04-2015, 11:09 PM

Been a while since I have been on this Forum, been extremely busy at work and not a lot of time to wrap everything up, I did hit a few snags the next day, fire it up and ran for just a few minutes , after a couple afternoons tinkering I found that I had not let the hot wire to the Distributor click completely in place it had pulled out just enough to lose connection, 2. The new heater hose had a hole in it, 3. I charged the battery and it was Dead, Trip to NAPA , 4. The P.B. Vacuum was split in the front with something else , when I fired it off ,it had a bad vacuum leak, come to find out , it had a port in the back of the Carb. That I didn't see , so I put the plug in and I was set to go.
5. Set timing today and drove it out of the Garage

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THE GREAT ADVICE !

03-13-2015, 06:04 PM	#2
geezer#99 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bowser Posts: 13,736	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor Just like with your stock dizzy. #1 tdc compression, line up your timing tab and balancer at zero, point the rotor at #1. Rotate the dizzy about 1/2 inch ccw. Lock it down. Should fire up. Check and set the timing after it's running. Try 14 initial to start with and adjust for what your motor likes. Is this a rebuilt or just a repainted/detailed motor?

03-13-2015, 06:20 PM	#3
enaberif Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 1,181	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor Stock balancer? Stock timing tab? Those will play a key in how you time your truck.

03-13-2015, 07:08 PM	#4
jimmye Registered User Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Supply,N.C. Posts: 59	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor Rebuild,and put a little goodies on it, wasn't sure on timing , I have not set timing in a long time, I thought one went on coil and one on No. 1 plug , wondering where it goes instead of coil. Probably try to fire it off tomorrow, need to put antifreeze in new radiator and add transmission fluid and put power steering box on and fire it off.

03-13-2015, 07:31 PM	#6
geezer#99 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bowser Posts: 13,736	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor On a fresh fire up don't waste your antifreeze. Use straight water. Less mess to clean up if you have a leak. I assume you proved your timing tab /balancer and set #1 on tdc already.

03-13-2015, 10:20 PM	#7
jimmye Registered User Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Supply,N.C. Posts: 59	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor Great thought: I would have put Antifreeze in the Radiator. Thanks

03-13-2015, 05:51 PM	#1
jimmye Registered User Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Supply,N.C. Posts: 59	SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor I am,putting. 1972 SBC 400 in my 69 GMC Truck, since the engine has. HEI Distributor , my question is how do you set the timing , I know how to set it when I had the old distributor and coil , so,what is the procedure with HEI DISTRIBUTOR . And where is a good place to set the timing , has a small cam Attached Images

03-13-2015, 10:24 PM	#8
jimmye Registered User Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Supply,N.C. Posts: 59	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor Progress: so ready to make a run down the Road. Attached Images

03-13-2015, 10:26 PM	#10
jimmye Registered User Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Supply,N.C. Posts: 59	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor Engine is in and almost ready Attached Images

03-13-2015, 10:28 PM	#11
jimmye Registered User Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Supply,N.C. Posts: 59	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor Engine: Thought I could put more than one icture at a time Attached Images

03-13-2015, 10:35 PM	#12
LDO Registered User Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Senatobia, MS Posts: 1,300	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor looks great. tonight, sit down and relax and make a list. Go over everything. Fluids, torque values, etc. then tomorrow, follow the list. At least this is how I do it. I get really excited and forget stuff so I like to have a list. Good luck. __________________ Once a Marine, always a Marine! My (Her) 57 Build "Beverly" My 66 Build "Betty" My 85 C10 "Old Blue" Help Me Find "Old Blue" OLD BLUE PART II

03-13-2015, 10:51 PM	#13
jimmye Registered User Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Supply,N.C. Posts: 59	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor That what I like about this Forum, no matter what the advice is its all great from small to big. The little things seem to slip up on you and creates a Disaster . I WILL MAKE A LIST ! ( let me make a comment on a slip up I caught last night, I had put the starter on several days ago , but didn't hook up the wires , so last night I hooked up the wires and bolted it back on but when I tighten it back up I noticed the stater did not pull up tight , the first time I just tighten it up and didn't check to see if it pulled tight this time I did, I have 2 starters one is a older starter and one is a newer on which is smaller around in diameter and I assumed both used the same length bolts , one starter was about 1/4 inch thicker were the bolts run through. I went back and used the bigger one cause that the one that fit the bolts ). Best advice is go slow and double check and don't get in a hurry . I will start a check list from now on. Thanks

03-13-2015, 11:08 PM	#14
geezer#99 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bowser Posts: 13,736	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor Still wondering if you timed it right! Did you set it up on #1 tdc compression when you put it together?

03-14-2015, 05:50 AM	#15
hamjet Registered User Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: South Westerlo, New York Posts: 1,325	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor I had the same thing happen to me. I just ordered a new high torque starter with bolts and it was just shy of tightening before the bolts bottomed out. Good catch on your part... Is that a fresh rebuild? (new cam?) __________________ Thanks, Joe.. 1969 C/10, 348 C.I., 3X2 bbl. V8, 2004r , LWB.

03-14-2015, 01:36 PM	#16
SierraMtns Registered User Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Shingle Springs, CA Posts: 869	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYGU7mTwsZc

04-04-2015, 11:09 PM	#17
jimmye Registered User Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Supply,N.C. Posts: 59	Re: SettingnTiming with HEI Distributor Been a while since I have been on this Forum, been extremely busy at work and not a lot of time to wrap everything up, I did hit a few snags the next day, fire it up and ran for just a few minutes , after a couple afternoons tinkering I found that I had not let the hot wire to the Distributor click completely in place it had pulled out just enough to lose connection, 2. The new heater hose had a hole in it, 3. I charged the battery and it was Dead, Trip to NAPA , 4. The P.B. Vacuum was split in the front with something else , when I fired it off ,it had a bad vacuum leak, come to find out , it had a port in the back of the Carb. That I didn't see , so I put the plug in and I was set to go. 5. Set timing today and drove it out of the Garage THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THE GREAT ADVICE !



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