heidizzy distributor woes

[olymon]

Ok, I installed a distributor from HEIdizzy off of ebay because of the great success that people have had on this forum. The problem is I can't seem to get the thing to fire at all. Or at least I don't think so, hard to tell when I'm the only one turning the key. I got the wife to try starting it once for me but there was no spark then.

1. I followed the instructions provided to a T on the install.

2. No spark, so I emailed HEIdizzy about the possible problems and he wrote that I needed Positive 12v when cranking and running.

3. I ran a totally seperate Positive source to the distributor through a switch I could control in the cab. No luck, but then again I couldn't tell if I had spark while in the cab.

4. It doesn't even want to sputter or run rough like I have the plugs switched around or the timing off

Could I hook up a timing light to a spark plug and then watch for the flash of the timing light to see if I have spark while sitting in the cab.

Anybody have any resistance values of the components in one of these HEI distributors so I can check it out? Am I missing something totally obvious? I need some help. This thing is really frustrating me Please send your help. no hair on the top of my head so the goatee is getting thin pulling it out.

 

[Pin_Head]

No luck, but then again I couldn't tell if I had spark while in the cab.

Why not step out of the cab, open the hood, pull a plug wire and see if it sparks?

You can crank the engine while peeking at the spark with a screwdriver or pliers jumping between the power cable and the solenoid on the starter motor.

If you have a spark, you can also turn the distributor to see if it is a little too out of time to run.

Be sure to check the oil pressure immediately upon starting. You don't want to ruin the engine.

 

[Fuzzy Logic]

A remote starter switch comes in handy on scenarios like this

 

[texfj40]

You did not mention anything about the coil...it is the right one for the distributor? Is it hooked up correctly and does the coil require a ballast resistor? Did you time on the BB for #1 plug or maybe 180 deg off?

 

[olymon]

OK, so I got my spark situation figured out. It sparked but still wouldn't even kick over. So I started basically swapping plug wires (keeping the firing order the same) and rotated the order clockwise around the cap until it fired. It turns out I was only one plug wire off on my rotation. It barely caught and ran so I started turning the distributor to get it running the best I could while it was warming up.

The one problem I have now is that the molded screw hold down portion of the cap now hits the engine side cover after I rotated it far enough to make it run the best I could get. I haven't checked the timing yet and I'm not sure if I'll need to rotate it even further.

I should be able to pull the distributor out the way it is right now and rotate the complete housing and gear at the same time and put it back in right?? I know I will have to turn the oil pump to mate up with the shaft properly. This would keep the firing timing in phase but just shift it a bit so that I can set the timing without the possibility of have the cap hit the side of the engine cover again correct??

Any advice on setting the timing and what to set it for with these aftermarket HEIDIZZY distributors. I don't see any degree lines on the flywheel. how do I tell how many degrees I'm at?? I know stupid questions but someones got to ask them.

Thanks for all the help, Todd

 

[Pin_Head]

An easier solution would be to move the wires over one hole in the cap and turn the distributor housing to match. 60 degrees for each hole. You can turn the distributor while cranking until it fires and runs. Then put the timing light on it.

The degree mark on the flywheel is a metal ball or BB pressed in to the flywheel. This is 7 degrees BTDC. There is also a line at 0 TDC. If you can't see the ball with your timing light, either you are way off (turn the distributor) or you have the light clipped on to the wrong wire.

 

[olymon]

Yeah, great idea on just turning the cap and rotating the plug wires back one. That should get me quite a bit of adjustment either way for timing adjustment without hitting again.

Stick with the stock timing? I think it said something like 12 degree BTDC at idle in the manual I have but I'm not 100% sure.

Where is the best BTDC fuel ecomony/power compromise going to be? What do the other members running these HEI's think and have their timing set at.

 

[40's rock]

I have the same dist, be aware that the dust cap (red cover) screws cap work loose and strip out, especially if you over tighten and punch thru the cap (nic little shock when that hapens.) The cap and rotor are the same as a mid 1980's GM pu with a 256. Wish I know what to tell you on the timing. I would tune it by ear and see where you end up.
By the way, how did you get ahold of HEI dizzy? I couldn't find him on Ebay anymore and lost his email...

 

[olymon]

I did a quick search for toyota hei distributor and his product came up right away. TOYOTA LANDCRUISER FJ40 2F F HEI Distributor with wires:eBay Motors (item 370209559426 end time Jun-30-09 19:15:42 PDT)

 

[grant5127]

The one problem I have now is that the molded screw hold down portion of the cap now hits the engine side cover after I rotated it far enough to make it run the best I could get.

Notch out the side cover lip with a die grinder or dremel tool....

 

[olymon]

I think I'll do what pin head suggested. I'll have plenty of adjustment once I rotate it back one plug wire. There is enough room if I do that and it still leaves plenty of adjustment.

Now to address my other issues from letting it sit for quite a while. Alternator not working correctly, doesn't look like it's charging. and the fuel pump not holding prime. The carb keeps draining back. I need to pull the pump and look at the diaphram and the pump to try and figure out why.

I need to drive this thing more often, I hate to let it just sit there but project time is limited.

 

[numby]

I think I'll do what pin head suggested. I'll have plenty of adjustment once I rotate it back one plug wire. There is enough room if I do that and it still leaves plenty of adjustment.

Sometimes it's a trade-off between clearing the side cover with a disrib cap screw and being able to get your dipstick out, etc. Sometimes you'll need to rotate one tooth over.

Timing depends on your advance curve. DUI says 10 deg. initial, 14 deg. vac. (don't know what rpm or hg), and 24 mech. at 3000 rpm. I'd like to see Jim C's or Mark's numbers for some kind of final word.

 

[Degnol]

3. I ran a totally seperate Positive source to the distributor through a switch I could control in the cab. No luck, but then again I couldn't tell if I had spark while in the cab.

When I had an HEI, I ran it to a solenoid powered straight to the + terminal on the battery with #12 wire and used the stock ignition wire to activate the solenoid.

 

[Pin_Head]

The carb keeps draining back. I need to pull the pump and look at the diaphram and the pump to try and figure out why.

.

The carb can't drain back into the tank. If the bowl fuel level drops, it is either evaporating or siphoning into the manifold via the idle circuit. The inlet of the pump is below the level of the outlet of the tank, so it can't lose its prime.

 

[olymon]

From looking at a picture in the manual of the pump, it looks like a design used oin the snowmobiles I play around with. I was thinking that the little disk that is suppoesed to seal has some build up on the surface and it's not sealing right. I may just pull it and make sure these surfaces are clean and sealing right. seems like it could leak back if not properly sealed-loosing prime.

 

[Pin_Head]

No, it doesn't work like that. Just test the pump fuel volume output as shown in the FSM.

 

[olymon]

Well I finally got my alternator back after waiting for three weeks! I thought it was going to be a simple core exchange but the local auto parts place sent it in for a rebuild instead because the place they were sending it to had no cores to rebuild in the first place! During that time I looked at my fuel pump. The diaphram in the pump seemed to be ok so I reinstalled it.

I put the alternator in and tried to start the cruiser. I'm still having problems getting the fuel to fill the carb right away. I basically had to pour gas down the vent tube to fill the float bowl to fill it. Sounds like a new pump might still be on the list of things to do. I finally got it to fire after messing with it and it would run for a short period of time than stop. It did this twice and than I couldn't get it started again. oh yeah the amp meter was pegging up at +30 amps when I had the motor running at a high idle. Would this hurt the voltage regulator?

I tried to turn the plugs and alternator like was discussed in the earlier part of this thread but that didn't seem to work. So I guess I'm going to start from scratch on this problem.

Any words of advice on starting over on the install of the distributor so it doesn't hit the side panel if rotated. Bring to TDC on #1 slide in distributor so that the rotor lines up with #1 and mates to oil pump and go from there??? Getting really frustrated that I can never seem to just go out and turn the key on this thing and drive it!!!

 

[Pin_Head]

Pumps generally either work or they don't; they don't get progressively weaker. Check the volume output of the pump. The basic problem is the fuel drains out of the bowl when it isn't running and it takes 10-15 seconds of cranking to full it back up.

Putting out 30 amps on a discharged battery is normal as long as it drops back to zero after the battery is charged.

If moving the plug wires over one hole in the cap doesn't give you a workable adjustment range, then you need to reinstall the distributor and move it by one tooth. Just remember that the rotor rotates as the distributor drops down, so you need to start it about 30 degrees from where you want it to end up.

 

[bsevans]

This is the orientation of my HEI with the timing set to the BB. It runs strong and has the vacuum advance in the correct position. The blue plug wires are standard Livewires available from MAF or direct from DUI. The red 10mm plug wires were custom made by Magnecor to lengths I gave them. They will make custom length plug wires to your specifications at no additional cost. Magnecor

 

[Trollhole]

The carb can't drain back into the tank. If the bowl fuel level drops, it is either evaporating or siphoning into the manifold via the idle circuit. The inlet of the pump is below the level of the outlet of the tank, so it can't lose its prime.

Well it can if there is a restriction in the line at the tank and the pump starts pulling a vacuum. When the vehicle is cut off it pulls fuel from the easiest place which will happen to be the fuel line going to the carb.

Ask me how I know.