Does my Dizzy need help?

[BigBen]

Distributor: Vehicle was originally 'points type' but previous owner put a junkyard HEI in (origins unknown).

I picked up the MSD 8501 HEI upgrade kit this weekend and went to work to clean up the running on the Blazer.

When I pulled the HEI from the truck I found three things that I think are problems:

1> The end play on the distributor is on the order of 1/8"... whick seems too much. I think I read that it should be around 0.020".

2> The mechanical advance weights had actually worn through about 1/2 of their respective pins and were VERY sloppy. I'm worried that the MSD kit bushings won't survive long on those pins.


3> The vanes on the shaft appear to 'tick' against the vanes in the coil under the advance plate. This doesn't seem right, but I don't know.

The ultimate question is, is it worth salvaging?
MSD claims that I should send in my Dizzy for their $97 rebuild that will replace all the guts.
Anyone done this before?

Their tech claims I'll end up with a MUCH better unit than the MSD 8362 Streetfire or comprable budget distributors.

BTW: My budget prohibits any high cost ignition box, etc.....

 

[theperfectgarage]

It sounds like your dist. has lived its life. You could find a used one for about 50.00, ( you know what to check for ) You can get reman. at autozone or csk for about 80.00- 90.00. You could go with Accel brand for about 130.00, or do the MSD rebuild. If time is not crucial I would send it to MSD.

 

[sweetk30]

i wouldnt get accel my self. i ran 2 brand new units with there super coils. each time i installed them thay wouldnt work. but every time i installed my tired out stocker it fired up no problems. my friends at the shop and the parts stores couldnt figure it out. ?

 

[BigBen]

The thing's been sitting in the garage for 8 months and I just now pulled the distributor out to check it out.... I suppose time isn't that crucial. (I just want to drive with the top down now that we re-discovered sunshine in Michigan).

I'm thinking I'll call MSD and get it sent in.

Thanks for the thoughts guys.

-Ben

 

[ntsqd]

You CAN get the shaft bushings from the dealer as I have done it. I would expect that the shim washers are also available. You will need a good and patient counter guy.

The Reluctor is magnetized, so it has a very "Detent" type feel to spinning the shaft. Are you sure it's making actual contact? Try seeing if a thin piece (0.005" or smaller) of stainless or brass shim stock will fit btwn the points on the Reluctor and the points on the pick-up coil's housing.

The advance pins are the only real problem. You need a new dizzy shaft there. Not sure if you can get that from the dealer, and if you can that you'd want to pay for it.

Why not turn in this dizzy for a rebuild from a quality parts house?

 

[BigBen]

Hmmm... maybe I need to push the counter guy harder....

So far they can't get past the part about how the distributor is NOT from the same vehicle. I've started telling them '79 Camaro, just to avoid the discussion.

Now that I look at the gaps, I think you are right. I'm actually feeling the magnetic resistance, not mechanical interference. I learn something new everyday on CK5.

If I can actually get the shaft/bushing/shims from the dealer, this sounds like a good option. I'll take the parts over at lunch and see what they say.

If I go with the rebuild option it's the same price to send it to MSD ($97) as it is to get one at Autozone/Kragen/Etc($100). I figured I might get a better product in the end from MSD for the same price..... but that's just a guess.

 

[BigBen]

Update:

MSD does NOT rebuild anything but MSD distributors. So much for that idea.

GM wants $130 for a new shaft assembly.

Looks like I'm headed toward a Napa rebuilt, or a Salvage yard shaft. Either way should be fun.

-Ben

 

[sweetk30]

with the quality these days from auto junk i would run napa first.

 

[chevy wrangler]

MSD is located here in El Paso, my uncle works there, if you guys have any ???? just ask me and i'll try 2 answer them.

 

[theperfectgarage]

with the quality these days from auto junk i would run napa first.

X 2 on that !!

 

[diesel4me]

X4 !!!

Yeah,beware of anything Auto-Zone sells lately!!(and many other stores too,since many carry the same brands)---my friend and I just spent 8 hours replacing EVERY brake line, and rear wheel cylinders on a 74 Dodge "Coachman" RV/ motor home (POS!)...took 38' of brake line!!--he used a 20' roll of 3/16 brake line up,plus 3 lengths of 60" ready made lines!

(BTW--the roll of tubing was 20 bucks,and TWICE as thick as the "ready made" lines were,and galvanized too,not painted or coated--I'm bying it by the roll from now on,since many times you have to save the old OEM fittings and transfer them to the new brake line,due to odball thread sizes..I bet it outlasts the ready made lines by far!)..

As we were trying to bleed the brakes,and after I pumped the brake pedal a zillion times,he notices a stream of brake fluid POURING out of the right rear drum!!l--THE NEW WHEEL CYLINDER IS LEAKING BAD!!!...since this was a 1 ton FF rear axle,pulling it ALL apart to replace it AGAIN is NOT a fun job!--especially when you've busted ass all day on it already!..my friend was beyond pissed--this is the SECOND wheel cylinder he's bought in the past 2 weeks from Auto-Zone that was JUNK right out of the box!..(the one he got a week ago had one of the rubber cups installed BACKWARDS!)...this one they fit so sloppy,its like they were the wrong cups for that size bore in the cylinder!...

Auto-Zone gave him the wheel cylinder "free",in exchange for the "defective" one--but wouldn't even give him a qt. of brake fluid!--he spends thousands there every month too!..they DO have the best prices,but BEWARE of the quality of some of their parts.."Made In China" was printed on the wheel cylinders boxes.. He did get 2 Idler Arms for the camper there for 60 bucks less than other stores in the area though,both were name brands--hope they aren't as crappy as the wheel cylinders were...

This was at 6pm,and he was lucky they had another one in stock!--we got it in ,took nearly an hour,and bled the brakes again..took 3 qts of fluid to get it fully bled,and the pedal still felt mushy and low--then I discovered it had hydro-boost brakes--after I started the motor,the pedal rose back up where it should have been and was firm again! ...we got home at 9pm,and the owner was calling every 20 minutes to see if we were "done yet" ...he's in a big hurry to go on vacation the 4th of July--yet he waits until the week before to get his camper roadworthy again,after sitting since 1999!...

 

[BigBen]

I hear you there.

I'll use Auto-Zone for a lot of the miscellanious or name-brand stuff, but I tend to go to Napa or GM when I need real parts (Distributors, PS Pumps, Water Pumps, etc).

I've also learned the hard way. I don't want a lifetime replacment policy. I prefer to not need to replace it at all.

Even though it costs more, the OEM GM stuff still always seems to be some of the best.

I'll try to find a good used HEI distributor tonight at the U-Wrench-It. If that fails, I'll stop at Napa on the way home and trade mine for a rebuilt.