GM HEI distributor (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Feb 20, 2002
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Location
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Hey anyone who has done the HEI distributor conversion on their cruiser I need help.

Does it matter if the donor distributor is from a Chevy 250 or 292 engine? I have contradictory information that leads me to believe it could be either. I just spent this weekend trying to convert a 250 distributor and ruined the distributor and my spare 2F gear in the process. When the 2F gear was placed in position at the proper distance from the tip of the shaft it was not possible to drill a new hole for the pin as the location went through the u-joint of the gm shaft. So I decided to tack weld it into place and while doing that I got the gear on good but the u-joint is now permanently bent in one direction.

Whoops!

So I suspect that maybe the 292 has a different length shaft.

Any input would be helpful.

ps Anyone got a spare 2F gear they'd be willing to part with?

Thanks!

Webster
 
That seems like a good way to do it. I just was just speaking to a salesperson with man-a-fre. I described my original distributor as having a flange with a slot for the hold down bolt. He said the landcruiser never had that stryle and that is should have a ring clamp to hold the distributor in. So I am basing the distance from the tip of the shaft to the gear on my distributor which appears to not be original. &nbsp:Do you perhaps know what the distance is from the tip of the shaft to the gear on the stock 2F distributor?

Thanks!
 
By the way. How did you clamp the GM distributor into the 2F block since the original 2F or GM clamps won't work? I was planning on clamping a bicyle seat post clamp to the shaft and making a bracket to clamp down on it.
 
I'm not up on my HEIs but the two times I've done it I believed I used one from a 250. When I went to the parts store, any HEI from a late 70s or 80s Camaro, or a Nova will work (with the 6 cyl, not the 8 of course).

For clamp down, the original HEI system uses a real primative system but you can usually find it at any parts store. I seized a 2F one trying to use the stock clamp with the HEI, the HEI shaft is a little small.

As for the U joint, they work fine with them, in fact I've never seen one that doesn't have a u joint (except for the original Toyota).

HTHs!
 
It took 2 tries but finally got the HEI conversion whipped. Cruiser runs much better. I am not sure if I have the vacuum advance or retard hose hooked up to the distributor. Can anyone explain how to tell the difference or which is the correct hose?

Also, now that I've swapped distributors I no longer have a functioning tach. Can you tell me which wire I hook the tach lead from the HEI to under my hood?

Thanks!
 
The tach couldn't be easier. The spade connector right next to the ignition wire on the cap is the tach lead. If you know that and need to know which wire in the harness I can't help you but you're old ignition took the tach signal off the negative side of the coil.

The retard, advance hose issue is pretty easy too. The advance hose sucks when the carb is open and the retard hose sucks when the throttle is closed. You want the open (ported) vac line.
 
I knew which lead on the distributor, so yes I guess I'd like help on which wire in the harness to splice this into. Otherwise the negative side of the coil sounds good.

I could not determine which hose sucked when, I wonder if I have a problem in the vacuum system. Anyways can you tell me which is which. For example one of the lines has an inline valve or something (pardon my newbie terminology) in the hose close to the distributor end and the other is just a straight hose.

Thanks!
 
I was wondering, since we are talking about HEI, if anyone could help with mine.

I have a problem with mine,the shaft was modified to be the right length, but it must of been measured without the reluctor.

With the shaft AND reluctor installed, the hole in the shaft is to high. If I install the gear using that hole, it binds up the shaft so it won't turn at all. If I flip the gear, and use the smaller hole in the shaft, there is like 1/8" up and down play, way more than the stock toyota dizzy.

I have never messed with a distributor, but it seems easy,but theres no way I'm installing it until I figure out whats going on with this one.
 
Who modified the dizzy? Sounds strange. Is there a washer between the gear and the housing?
The PO had it modified. There is no washer, or shim. I was thinking of putting one there, but don't want to try something blind.
 
Thanks for the pic!

I have another problem that a washer won't solve. There is a little c-clip that goes on top of the shaft, and holds the reluctor on. Well ,when I oput everything together, the shaft doesn't come trought the reluctor. This prevents me from putting the c-clip on.

I am tempted to go to the junkyard and get another gm hei dizzy. It's tough working with something you didn't originally buy.
 

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