Thread: HEI installation

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I'm getting more confused the more I read about setting this up. I have my #1 at TDC and I have installed the distributer in with the vacume pointed towards #6. I popped the cap off and have the brass tab on the rotor pointed towards the #1 cylinder so I think I'm good to there, but not sure.

So now I got out my multimeter and put it on ohms, I got the ground on the lip of the distributer and the positive on just about any piece of metal in there I can find and no reading while turning the distributer. Should I have it against the brass tab on the rotor or somewhere else. Am I even doing this near the right way?

Any help would be great cause I'm stumped.

Sean

I am not sure I would even worry about what ohm level its putting out. I would wait until its time to fire it up and if there is no spark, then worry about that. Or maybe I am just a hack hot rodder but in the 28 years ive had them, ive never checked that.

I'm a little nervous about the break in of the new engine so I want to try to get everything as close as I can before I run it up to 2000rpm . I still don't like the idea of that but I guess it has to be done. I would probably be okay if you set it up but I'm thinking there might be a list of things that aren't quite right with what I've done.

I read that you should have a reading on the Ohmeter and then turn it counter-clockwise until it goes to zero and that's the point to lock it down.

I don't know, maybe I'm being too cautious.

Sean

You can use the ohm meter on points type distributors
Never heard of it working on HEI type.

Maybe that's my problem .

I just found a youtube video from boxwrench that shows how to install it. They just lined up a pointer to the rotor and then put the cap back on so number one is in line with the pointer. I think I'm making this harder than it actually is.

I should have built a cheap motor first, I feel like a frightened cat everytime I touch it.

Thanks,
Sean

You should spin up the oil pump before putting the distributor in.

Yea I did that and at the same time figured out where the oil pressure sending unit goes .

Sean

put one up on tdc and point your rotor were you want number one on the cap should rotor needs to point on 1 on cap should be close to fire you can phase the dist with a timing ligth hook pickup on number 1 just power up the dist hand turn the dist till timing light flashes

Just follow what the other guys said, especially the part about pre-oiling, then drop in distributor, pointed at number one, and fire that mother up!

If you get nervous just remember, Columbus took a chance, look where it got him!

To test for fire, just test for fire. Point the dist to #1, put on the cap, put a wire on #1, put a plug in the wire, and lay the plug on the block. Now put voltage to the HEI, and rock the distributor back and forth quickly. You should get a spark. Same thing to test on the bench... ground the dist. base, ground the spark plug to dist. base, put fire to the POS terminal, and spin.. you should get a firestorm on the plug gap.

In fact, if you plan to run the engine at, say, 20 degrees advance, then go one step further and rotate the crank until the timing markspint to 20 degrees ( advance ). Rotate the distributor back and forth, ( with afore mentioned setup ) and guesstimate the exact point where the spark is occuring. Snug down the distributor and you'll now be within a couple degrees of your 20 degree timing. Makes initial start up much easier.