Thread: GM HEI ignition question

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Hello all,

Lost ignition on the way home from work yesterday. Got the multitester and started checking. Turned out the pickup coil was bad(could'nt complete a circuit). This was the first time I had ever removed a dist. I made sure to mark the relationship between the rotor and firewall plus the position of the vac canister before removal. (I hope that was the right thing to do.) Now its ready to be installed. IS there a special procedure for this other than reversing disassembly? How does the dist. "feel" when installed properly? I have heard correct installation is crucial for oil pressure? Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

the best way is to 1st make sure that before you drop the dist. into place the #1 is on tdc,balancer mark on 0 on timing marker then align your oil pump drive looking through dist. hole with bottom of dist drive [ the divider on the bottom of the dist. gear] the oil pump drive must line up with this or the dist. WILL NOT drop in all the way so that you can put your hold down clamp on.The oil pump drive if looking FROM FRONT OF MOTOR will be approx. at the 11:00 and 5:00 oclock position. make sure you put your rotor bug to #1 on dist cap,and in order for this to fall into place you'll want to turn the rotor counter clockwise just a bit before dropping the dist. in. it is possible to get 180 degrees out if this happens get your motor back to tdc again and note position and pick dist. just enough to rotate rotor 180 degrees from its position. good luck if you need more help we're here. wjr

If you have not turned the motor over, then the dist. should drop right in. if it sits down on the intake with the rotor pointing to the place you marked on the firewall then it should be right. Don't start the rotor pointing at the spot on the firewall to start with you need to start the rotor a little pasted the mark and the rotor will come back to the mark.

Yup, what Mike said. Then reset the timing with a timing light to be sure.

Or set it with a vacuum guage @ max vacuum.

All vital signs stable. I now know the anatomy of a GM HEI dist. and how to disassemble and reassemble and install the wrong way AND the right way Amen.


Thank-you for your suggestions.