Trouble installing DUI HEI distributor (1 Viewer)

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markh11

Mechanically challenged
SILVER Star
Joined
Aug 26, 2009
Threads
5
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118
Location
Leonard, TX
Got a mechanical advance DUI HEI :D from MAF... What was supposed to be easy :)banana:) to install is turning out to be harder than I expected... :bang:

Read all the instructions (which is labled for a GM street/strip installation)... several times... before attempting this installation... even read how to change a distributor in my Haynes manual... couple of times, too...

Working on my 1976 FJ40 (11/95 mfg date); I have moved the heater hose out of way... :wrench: removed and re-gapped (and cleaned) the spark plugs...
then I removed stock vacuum distributor with the points and rotor... marked where rotor was pointed...
Installed DUI and pointed its rotor to same place as old rotor was (np), but when I go to tighten the distributor hold down bracket, it doesn't seem to tighten down enough onto the DUI shaft to be able to keep it from freely rotating...
so I removed DUI and compared to stock shaft... DUI shaft is thinner than stock Toyota distributor :confused:

DUI installation documents also talk about a gasket :confused: being installed (none came with the DUI HEI kit), but there was none under the stock distributor... There was, however, an "O" ring on the shaft (which the DUI does not have this recess on the shaft for an "O" ring) of the stock distributor...
Also, included with the DUI was a metal piece (stamped B1), that appears to be "Y" shaped the width of the DUI shaft, and appears like a hold down bracket... but there is nothing about this piece in the (limited) documentation :confused: Anyone know what it's for?

Do I need to change out the hold down bracket for one that is slightly smaller (SAE vs Metric maybe)? Do I need to get a gasket, and if so, what gasket do I need?

Anyone installed one of these, and have any (friendly, please) better installation instructions and advice?
 
Contact Performance Distributors directly. They will answer your questions.

Contact Information

This is what the unit looks like in my 40. If you need additional photos let me know what you need a view of. It has been a number of years since I installed the DUI and do not recall a gasket between the block and the distributor. The unit came with a lock down bracket that works.
DUI HEI 01.jpg
 
I appreciate the contact information for Performance Distributors, they have provided some (incomplete) information that I would like to ask your help getting further details.

They did apologize that their documentation does not cover what actually needs to be done, and that the bracket labeled B1 was to hold down the distributor... Nothing more...

Here are my questions...
1) Do you leave the existing Toyota distributor bracket in place beneath the B1 hold down bracket (providing some additional support)?
2) Do you need any spacing washers or lock washers to make this bracket more secure?
3) How much longer of a bolt do I need for this installation (the stock bolt seems way too short)?
 
I did not use a gasket, make sure your using a Toyota distributor gear, good luck.
 
On the first picture above you can see the "graffite" gasket I slipped in the shaft of D.U.I. and thought it was a bit loose coz on the original ignition there is a "O" ring so i pulled it out again, and put a thin layer of "anti-seize" on the shaft and Toyota-gear, also the small gasket i put the anti-seize as i do not want any "salt" WATER sipping trough.

I think it does not matter if you put in the gasket or not, the shaft is tapered on the bottom and fitted goed enough for my feeling.

Andre
 
Slight change is subject but I believe relavant to the topic!

I was with Black Jeep on Sunday as he was installing his DUI. the diagram for the power to the DUI shows a relay circuit where the original line to the Distributor powers the relay and a separate 16 Guage (2mm metric will do) powering the DUI via the relay.
This is obviously to allow more current to the DUI, however Performance Products Diagram still shows the Ballast Resistor in place in the line to the relay. This ballast is not required at this point since it is no longer in the ignition system and the circuit is only a switching operation now.
The Ballasts are usually in there as the original ignitions were designed to 'work' on a lower cranking voltage while starting the car and the ballast resitor was there to keep that voltage low under normal running conditions. removing the ballast with a normal ignition set up could burn out the system.

It is not needed with the DUI or most Electronic suystems.
 
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Hi and YES,

We just connected a straight wire from the battery as it clearly states it can take a lot more power than a battery can give, so we took the chance and try to start the car.

Today we cranked-over the engine and we had sparks from the plugs, some flames came out of the carburetor (pritty cool:doh:) this just means the timing was off, the Engine timing mark on the flywheel housing was already put correctly to cylinder one, lets hope she will be running soon.

Tomorrow I'll fly back to Korea :bang: so hopefully they can "noodle-rigging" the system enough to get the car into my garage when i am off to work. :crybaby:

Then I will install the safety features as per electrical drawing of DUI.

Andre
 
I had a similar problem with my HEI dist, which reminds me..DO NOT BUY FROM EBAY HEI DIZZY....go to an auto parts store and by a distributer hold down for a mid 80's GM 256 straight 6 with electronic ignition. It's a simple little plate with a foot on the bottom.
Make sure you have a Toyota gear on it.
 
Hi and YES,

We just connected a straight wire from the battery as it clearly states it can take a lot more power than a battery can give, so we took the chance and try to start the car.

Today we cranked-over the engine and we had sparks from the plugs, some flames came out of the carburetor (pritty cool:doh:) this just means the timing was off, the Engine timing mark on the flywheel housing was already put correctly to cylinder one, lets hope she will be running soon.

Tomorrow I'll fly back to Korea :bang: so hopefully they can "noodle-rigging" the system enough to get the car into my garage when i am off to work. :crybaby:

Then I will install the safety features as per electrical drawing of DUI.

Andre

EEhhh I have not installed one of these but think of what you are saying....more power than a battery can give......a decent battery can supply upwards of 600 amps for a brief time. If you are running 12V to this unit using #10 or 12 wire than the problem is somewhere else....this is plenty of current and voltage.
 
I would like to try one of these one day, so if you make the bracket let me know how much. If you have everything working mechanically and just want to run an electrical test you could just run a wire from the battery, use 16 gauge stranded with a alligator clip....if its right it will run....you will have to remove the wire to get it to stop running...but for just testing or timing the engine a wire will conduct as well as a relay .

Dwight
 
Hey Dwight,

On the moment I am in Singapore waiting for my flight to Korea, the mechanic called me today and the sound of my engine was just great over the phone, ha ha, they also installed the 12V 30Amp relay as stated on the drawing, now the next step is to run electrical wires up-and-down the car that are not spliced and cut into bits, ha ha, so when i back in a few months it supposed to be done.

I also installed a bigger Hydraulic pump to feed my Mile-Marker and power steering, i was not happy with the speed of winching. before i was running a double pump on one v-belt pulley and oil-cooler, great design and better then running 1 pump for 2 items when i started out, but after wheeling all day the Oil got pretty hot, but now i have 1 bigger pump for power-steering and mile-marker as per drawing of Mile-marker, also a 7 liter holding tank for the Oil so i took out the Oil-cooler as that was not necessary any more.

Now back to the D.U.I. how to make it water-tight there are some holes in the design, next to the Vacuum advance, this is a bad thing, the electrics stay dry on top of the DUI as they are molded into plastic, before the ignition from "Canada" i just completely covered it in silicone, and running a tube from the bottom to release the hot air, this really worked great, 1.5 meter water (even salt water) and mud-racing was not a problem.
This time it is a bit of a different story, it is expensive this DUI and it just looks awesome, so i was thinking of putting a thick plastic condom or bag from the bottom upwards, tape it up and then on the BLUE cover again, so the spark-plug wires will not be in the bag, only i will have to seal the pressure release tube again same as before, it will look funny but i do not see myself covering this unit completely in silicone......

It looks cool though....

Hope somebody already made a DUI water-proof....

Andre
 
Hi All,

For 3 weeks now I am driving with the D.U.I. and i am loving it, just runs great.

So yesterday I decided to make it waterproof, I brought back some silicone tape that has no-glue and i did the following;

We took-out the DUI completely and marked it for installing later, if she would not be running perfect we would only be 1 tooth off left or right. So after that I sealed with Packing glue the seem of the DUI but not the Vacuum-advance, this comes later.

Then i made a thin line of packing glue on the plastic cover of the DUI and started wrapping, this included the Vacuum-advanced moving ROD part, as the tape is very flexible so it could not interfere with moving of the ROD, after completion we tested it and she ran smoothly as ever.

Also due to a brand new carburetor from Japan...... with stainless steel adapter for my snorkel, and not to forget i got a funny little thing "ridged FAN" i bolted at the KN filter so the inlet air would be rotating trough the snorkel, ha ha

I did not test the WATER yet but hopefully it will be super as before......

Andre
 
Hi All,

OK see the end-result of packing watertight of the D.U.I. first i put some liquid packing on the joints, then i wrapped it in silicon tape (no adhesive) as the vacuum advance "pin" still has to move in-and-out

PS,

The Hold-Down-Bracket as on my picture works perfectly OK, also if you would ever change a NEW carburetor as I did please be careful to check the return-hose from the new Carb. or install a new fuel-pump as i had to do.... the RETURN is from the fuel pump not from the carb any-more, ha ha.

Many thanks,
Andre
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15112010517.jpg
 
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HEI Dizzy

Contact Performance Distributors directly. They will answer your questions.

Contact Information

This is what the unit looks like in my 40. If you need additional photos let me know what you need a view of. It has been a number of years since I installed the DUI and do not recall a gasket between the block and the distributor. The unit came with a lock down bracket that works.

Any more pics of your heater hose reroute?
 

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