Distributor install Tips?

HEI Distributor install Tips?

My HEI distributor is on its way, so I wanted know know any tips or tricks i could use to make the install as quick and easy as possible. I'll have to dig out the old timing light, oh and how exactly do I set up a timing light on my jeep?

Thanks for the help.


Oh yeah, its a 304.

 

Nobody?

Another question, Can I use the original style plug wires with the hei? I've read one install saying that I need to upgrade them, but most of the other dont mention it.
What do you think?

 

Haven't done it, but pretty sure you need to upgrade to HEI-style wires.

I know that all the I6 HEI upgrade articles point to the Ford I6 Duraspark plug wires as a possible off-the-shelf source. Maybe the plug wires from a 351 would work, or from a HEI-equipped Chevy. I expect you'll need 8mm wires instead of the usual 7mm wires.

Re installing the distributor, you can pick any orientation - I'd choose an orientation that interferes least with accessories. Make sure that the rotor going in is pointing to the same plug wire (wherever you place it on the cap) as it did coming out, and that you put the wires on the cap in the same order.

 

As far as the wires go, the HEI is going to put out significantly more volts than your old dissy. The old wires will degrade under the load, causing wire arcing and other ignition issues.
You can get away with the old wires for a short time, but they will fail you soon enough. That really goes for any high voltage coil application, HEI or not. And the better wires will help get all that juice get to the plugs too. :twisted:

 

After pulling mine in and out 4 or 5 times this past weekend, I've gotten pretty good at it.
With a cool engine of course pull the #1 plug and have someone bump the starter with your finger in the spark plug hole, when the compression forces your finger out, stop and move the timing mark to 0. That would be TDC on the compression stroke.
drop the distributor in and rotate the rotor till it drops in the oil pump drive and your distributor seats. What ever spark plug wire on the cap that the rotor points to becomes #1. Just install your wires with that being #1 in the proper firing order.
Then be sure to bypass the stock resistor for the + side of the coil so the coil gets the full 12 volts. Start it up and set the timing and you should be good to go.

 

And don't forget the larger plug wires, I once tried running stock point type wires on an HEI in order to save a few bucks and the current arced through the wire insulation on 3 different wires and into the headers,,,had to replace the wires anyway. Better to upgrade all related components and be safe and not have to walk out of the woods.

 

Yes, I forgot to mention, you do need the 8mm wires.