Will this distributor work?

Discussion in 'Street/strip 400/430/455' started by fadec, Jul 5, 2018.

  1. fadec

    fadec Member

    I have a '69 430 swap in my '68 Jeep J3500. Recently I found a steady timing adjustment was not obtainable. I had far too much end play in the distributor. Thus it was riding up the cam gear. As I spend up the timing would go all over the place. After looking at the horrible shape the entire distributor was in, I decided to just replace the whole thing. When I stopped by my local speed shop to see what they had, I was told they had one and we rang it up and off I went to give it a try. Well, it did help, but my timing advance was way high. Like over 60 degree range. I just could not get it timed right if I had to. I figured it was because I didn't have the correct stop pin limit bushing so as to bring the total advance and idle limits closer together. To make things worse the old distributor had what looked like heat shrink on the advance limit pin to get the adjustment they wanted. Neither was going to work.

    I ordered an advance kit with bushing and hoped for the best. Well, when it came in the bushing would not fit. I got to looking at the distributor and the part number then found out they sold the wrong distributor. It's still a Buick number, but for the wrong year and size.

    I removed the correct number 1111335 for a "69 430, but received a 1112077 which is for a '71 455. I'm now wondering if the 1112077 would actually work if I go through the trouble to adjust it or should I just return it and start looking for the correct part number distributor?
     
  2. Bigpig455

    Bigpig455 Fastest of the slow....

    Any Buick distributor will work if it's curved correctly (and has the right gear) - Instead of trying to find a factory dist that works, or worse yet a Parts Store rebuild, you need a tuner who understands your whole package, cam, gears, converter, tire size, etc..I'd look up Everyday performance (TechG8 here on the board), he does a great job setting up a performance distributor. Give him your worn out 430 distributor as a core, and in days your have a piece you'll know is set up correctly.
     
  3. Stevem

    Stevem Well-Known Member

    And your timing chain is good?
     
  4. fadec

    fadec Member

    Thanks for the info. I've seen the Everyday Performance site, just didn't know it was TechG8's site. Good to know. I was already looking at the distributor he has. Pricey, but if its done right, would be worth it. Thinking a call to them will be a great idea. Oh, and yes, the timing chain is good. The old distributor was just in such bad shape I was surprised it even ran at all. The rebuilt unit I bought has too meny questions as to who built it, how did they set it up, did they use the correct parts? Really looking at it, there are just too meny questions for me to keep it.
     
  5. BuickV8Mike

    BuickV8Mike SD Buick Fan

    Getting my distributor rebuilt and re-curved was the best performance modification I have done.
     
    john.schaefer77 likes this.
  6. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    If the distributor is in poor shape, sure, get it rebuilt, but the 1112077 (1971 455) is actually a better distributor to use because it has less mechanical advance built into it. You can run more initial advance with that distributor. The 1111335 is the stock 1969 400-430 distributor. Compare the 2 distributors.
    1969DistSpecs.jpg
    1971IgnitionSpecs.JPG
     

Share This Page