HEI distributor: wire position fixed?

[dremu]

This would be your basic non-computer HEI, ca. 1976, with a 4-pin module.

I assume that since there's no crank position sensor, that I can rotate the wires anywhere around the cap, as long as I keep 'em in the right order?

I'm trying to adjust the timing after swapping the dizzy out, and I'm reaching the limit of turning the thing to get it timed... so I figure if I can rotate the wires around one position, then I can get it set.

Or is there a specifc post on the cap that has to be cylinder #1?

-- A

 

[bp71k5]

yep that works. I did it for the same reason.

 

[4X4HIGH]

You can move the wires either direction but i always tell people it is better to reinstall the dizzy correctly to avoid future problems should the need arise to have to take it to a shop for repairs. YOU may know the wires need to be clocked 1 set of terminals over but the shop won't know this until they have spent a decent amount of YOUR money to discover it.

 

[dremu]

You can move the wires either direction but i always tell people it is better to reinstall the dizzy correctly to avoid future problems should the need arise to have to take it to a shop for repairs. YOU may know the wires need to be clocked 1 set of terminals over but the shop won't know this until they have spent a decent amount of YOUR money to discover it.

Good advice for most folks, but you know that I only use two shops... my side yard, and some crazy machinist guy in Fremont =))

So you want me to yank the dizzy and turn the slotted drive gear with a big screwdriver?

-- A

 

[dremu]

Oh, wait, the slot is the oil pump drive, which means that the magic oil pump primer I got ... should just drop right down and let me twist the slot around to the right place.

Damn, sometimes I'm actually clever. Sometimes

-- A

 

[bp71k5]

Am i missing something or why not just shift each wire on the cap over one slot and rotate the dizzy back to compensate. You don't even need to pull it out.

 

[Kenny78]

The reasonn that 4x4 said you dont want to do that is for future repairs, which is very smart IMO. Nothing wrong with what you said, but could cause major headaches at the worst time.

 

[bp71k5]

Yes, it could maybe cause some troubleshooting problems at a mechanic, but if you do it, you only need to shift the wires. There's no point in trying to turn the oil pump slot any since the dizzy is keyed to it.

Unless your taliking about pulling the pump gear out and shifting it over a tooth that way? I have no idea if that's possible but if so, cool!

 

[dremu]

Yes, it could maybe cause some troubleshooting problems at a mechanic, but if you do it, you only need to shift the wires. There's no point in trying to turn the oil pump slot any since the dizzy is keyed to it.

Unless your taliking about pulling the pump gear out and shifting it over a tooth that way? I have no idea if that's possible but if so, cool!

Actually, the oil pump key is NOT connected to the cam gear. The distributor shaft goes between them, if that makes sense.

The cam drives the geared part on the dizzy, and the key on the dizzy drives the oil pump.

You can rotate the slot on the oil pump just by sticking a bloody great flathead down there and turning it, but from experience I know that it's freakin' hard to get the screwdriver head into the slot.

When Scott built my motor, I got an oil pump primer, basically a shaft with a key on it like the dizzy shaft, and with a knurled end you put your drill on to pre-lube the motor... umm...

something like that.

Anyway, this thing doesn't have the toothed part that the dizzy shaft does, just the center part to drive the oil pump. It centers itself nicely, so you can easily turn the oil pump any way you like. You pull the dizzy, set the pump slot where you way, then drop the dizzy down to match, and you're set, no need to move wires.

Now I'll be golden IF I can just (1) refrain from installing the dizzy 180* out, and (2) find a working set of parts from the pile in my garage...

-- A

 

[dremu]

Well, once again I am indebted to Scott (4X4HIGH) -- if that man didn't do house calls I don't think my trucks would ever run

Not only did I manage to get the dizzy in wrong AND get the wires off more than one position, but I've also got cracked vacuum lines and fouled plugs Scott was kind enough to get the dizzy set up so the motor actually fires again -- he has some magic trick to get the dizzy to set wherein he pulls a Chuck Norris and just wills the oil pump slot to move

-- A