Distributor Question

My friend has an all in one coil/electronic ignition unit on his 72 (I think it looks ugly myself) and he want to swap it out because his snorkel he just got won't fit because of the unit sticks up too high.

I recommended to him to go with what I have which is a Pertronix unit. My question is will that distributor he has be able to be used for Pertronix guts or will he need a whole new distributor? I think he has like some kind of Accel unit or something similar in there now. Looking for the easiest solution. Neither one of us are electrical geniuses. p

 

ttt

 

Show us a piccie of his current distributor. A stock unit will accept the Pertronix guts, it's just a points/condenser and rotor replacement. A Mallory version of the HEI will not accept Pertronix guts, for example.

Edit: BTW, the electricals on a distributor are really not that all that complicated- there really aren't all that many choices, each with their own peculiarities. I'd be surprised if there isn't a sticky covering this topic.

 

I don't think I ever said he had GM HEI. He has an aftermarket brand-name thingy with big square blob on top which does not allow the snorkel to go in. Maybe GM HEI is the same dimension as this aftermarket one. I'm sorry if I sound like an idiot, but I know nothing about hei type distributors. Nor does he. All we know is his snorkel won't go on and he's wondering if he needs to buy whole new distributor, cap, pertronix; or if he can just rip the top coil and solid state components off the top of the existing distributor and put pertronix and stock style cap in place of it.

 

Without knowing exactly what he has nobody can say how he can customize it. If he's running an aftermarket distributor than you need to figure out at least which company it's from so people can find a picture of it to go off of.

stock style looks like this


mallory looks like this


here's accel


and msd

 

Ok thanks, I will try to get more info.

Larry, I think you're right, it might be a GM HEI but I thought those were concealed under the dist. cap. Someone might have put the HEI in. If they did, that's a whole different dist. shaft or can you use the same shaft and remove the HEI and get a stock points style cap on there? I asked him to take a pic for me.

 

Sorry this picture is so lousy, but I had my friend take a pic of his dist. It's a top down angle so not sure if you guys can tell anything as to whether he needs a whole new distributor to use a pertronix or points unit.

 

It's a GM HEI distributor. For his cleaner to fit he'll need to ditch the HEI and use one of the small body aftermarket setups, or convert a points distributor using aftermarket electronic internals.

Devon

 

Devon, so he can remove that and add a Pertronix without having to buy a new distributor?

 

No, he will have to remove the GM HEI distributor and put it on a shelf. Nothing on it or in it can be reused.

He will have to buy one of the small body aftermarket COMPLETE distributors, or convert a different used points distributor using aftermarket electronic internals. Any of those options will also require a cansiter type ignition coil.

Devon

 

Gotcha! Thanks. :TU: :beers2:

 

A little off topic but: Where can I get a distributor O-ring and that foam circle and plastic gasket under it???

 

www.taperformance.com has the o-ring and there's no felt washer used like other makes.

Devon

 

Yes there is a felt washer as I have found on every Buick distributor I Have ever taken apart. Try Rock Auto for the felt washer. Corvette Central sells the palastic greas seal that goes under the felt washer.

 

Dave, you're right, you must be referring to the shaft seal & retainer. For some reason I thought he was asking about something in addition to the rubber o-ring for the housing to cover seal like other makes use.

TA has those two items also, same page in the catalog.

Devon

 

So where can my friend purchase a whole new or rebuilt distributor shaft kit that he can use to install a pertronix? No real used ones to choose from in junk yards, he just wants to know a source where he could buy. NAPA? Online store?

How about http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1971...tZVintageQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Or, this says 73 but will it also work on a 72 with a pertronix? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1973...tZVintageQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

 

I just pulled a points type one out of my 455 a couple days ago. It's basically a core unit now since nobody drops in a points type in a motor as is anymore. Shoot me a pm if you're interested.

 

Another option would be to buy a remote coil cap and remote coil. You get even get them at Advance Auto, etc. You end up with a small body looking cap. That way he can continue to use the HEI, which is a good distributor, and should clear the air cleaner.

- Bill