Dave takes a points type distributor and converts it to a HEI type ignition that uses the points style cap. The distributor looks brand new when he gets done with it. Good product at a very fair price. http://www.davessmallbodyheis.com/ Bert
Dave does great work.. Here are some pics of the of the one he did for my 400.. When I built my 468 race motor I used it. If you need to ask him questions he's online here most days.. :TU:
Man that looks nice... Larry mentioned that to me about a year ago when I mentioned removing the big GM HEI on my 72 now... I got some tax money coming back and think I might get to do it this year... even though we had a baby in October p I did have a couple questions. Lets say I have this conversion done to a Distributor I picked up on eBay for $9. It came out of a 72 Buick 350. What does Dave replace or rebuild? New cap and rotor etc? new wires? what about bearings? Gear teeth? worn weights and springs? I ask because I'm not sure of the condition of the one I got for $9. Also Because I have a big HEI now, I dont have a coil. Can Dave supply or make a recommendation on that? Since Im already wired for HEI I guess I have the correct power voltage power source already. What about the wiring clip from the car to the distributor? Sorry to kinda change the subject, but Dave will get some business out of it Thanks guys
Dave has a spec sheet he sends you.. You just fill it out and tell him what you have and what you want and he'll fix you right up. :TU: :TU:
Dave addresses everything you mentioned, no worries. He rebuilds the distributor soup to nuts, bushings seals, advance mechanism, new cap and rotor, all wiring, and Dave can sell you the best coils available.
Yes, Dave will curve it the way you like. His usual curve is 20* of mechanical advance, in by 2500 RPM, with 8* of vacuum advance. Run the vacuum advance off manifold vacuum. For example, run 12* initial timing, the total will be 32* at WOT, above 2500 RPM. The engine will crank at 12*, and idle at 20* Or you can run 14* initial with 34* total, 16*, 36*total. Vacuum advance drops out at large throttle openings.
Hi Larry-- That reminds me... my Wildcat (70 numbers matching 455 66K) runs great, but with 6* initial, I have 25* mechanical for 31* in at 2500 or so and I ping pretty good at WOT running clean 93. Is this issue just part and parcel with a 10:1 motor, so I need to put some higher octane gas in it or is there an adjustment I can make? Do I need to have it recurved? That's not an easy option here. Thanks Frank
Frank, My 70 with iron heads behaved the same way. My solution would be to mix in 3 gallons of 110 leaded race gas per tankful. That stopped it for me. With the aluminum heads, my pinging is completely gone. It runs on 93 without a problem. BTW, my compression with the iron heads was 9.4:1. With the aluminums, it is now 10.4:1(smaller chambers). I know Buick advertised the compression as 10:1, but it is almost certainly lower. But with a stock cam, cylinder pressure is up there, and these motors were meant to run on at least 96 octane or better. That is what they like. Todays gas is a far cry from that. Also, if your total is in at 2500, your vacuum advance should be limited to no more than 10* If you haven't done that, it will ping for sure.
Yes, but with the stock 16*, it can't go away fast enough, and you get some ping/detonation when you hammer it, especially if you have it connected to ported vacuum. Remember, your total advance is in at cruise speeds. Add the stock amount of vacuum advance to that, and your getting close to 45-50* of advance. The cannister needs to be limited.
It will also cause problems as idle if you have too much advance, as I found out 3 years ago with the convertible. Dave instructed me to make an advance stop plate that limits the total vacuum advance to 10*. The car ran awesome after that. Before, I had it hooked to manifold vacuum, and was pulling almost 40* of advance at idle. This plate brought it down to the place it should've been. While I had the distributor apart, I found that my advance bushing was gone. That accounted for part of the total advance. Unless your distributor is properly set up to run on full manifold vacuum (like Dave's), you'll have problems running manifold vacuum.
I see. I have a new adjustable VA I haven't put on yet. That'll be next weekend's project. I'll also check my mech advance bushing then too. I am currently connected as stock, to ported vacuum. I have a plugged manifold port available. I should use that after I limit the VA?
Yes, manifold vacuum. I find it responds faster to a drop in vacuum. If you have the Crane adjustable, mount the cam on the vacuum advance, not the way Crane instructions say. http://www.v8buick.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32635&d=1095982345 http://www.v8buick.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32636&d=1095982365
