I am in the process of converting a points distributor housing to HEI. I had an HEI Dist. with a broken housing and I have transfered the components from it into a points D/H. I am just about done except for phasing the rotor to the distributor cap. I still need to weld on the "arm" that attaches to the vacuum canister and this will "set the phasing".

I have read about phasing the cap/rotor but I do not remember exactly how it is supposed to be done. Do I want the rotor and cap to line up when there is no advanace(mechanical or vacuum) or do I want them to line up with full advance, or somewhere in between? Does anyone know of a site with info on this?

Thanks, Joel

Truthfully, Joel...I'd just spend the extra few bucks at a salvage yard and get a vaccum advance distributor that's in good shape and just drop it in. I had to do similar when changing my 90 from fuel injection to carb. Trust me, it's alot easier and less frustrating.

Good luck!

I've got lots of time to work on the project and installing a "stock" HEI is not an option. I already have several of those. I do not have room for the large HEI distruibutor and I wanted HEI so I converted a points distributor to HEI.

For the most part I have aready completed the project and I did not need to purchase any parts to do it. All it took was a little time and effort. The only parts I used were an original points distributor and parts from an HEI that had a broken housing. You can buy a broken housing HEI at salvage yard for next to nothing. It is common for them to be broken when they yank a motor out.

I have not installed it yet but feel certain it will work perfectly when it is installed.

Joel

I like your ambition to do something yourself with a little inginuity on a budget, rather than just throwing money at it.

I looked at a HEI and have the following ideas, I hav not tried this but I think this is how it works:
I assume you have the star shaped pole piece fixed on the distributor driveshaft with one of the points lined up with the rotor contact.
Next the vacuum advance with no vacuum applied should position the pick-up coil so that the points are lined up when the rotor is lined up with a terminal on the cap.

The basic theory I have is that as the points on the shaft line up with the points on the pick up coil the spark is triggered. therefore at this time the rotor must be lined up with a terminal on the cap.

TTFN
Mat

Mat, the arrangement you described is pretty much what I was thinking also. Two minor things that are different. 1. The star shaped pole piece is not directly attached to the driveshaft. It is welded(JB Weld) to the part that the rotor attaches to. This part can rotate slightly(mechanical advance) on the driveshaft. 2. I aligned the rotor with a cap terminal when the vacuum advance is at 1/2 travel. I was not sure(and still am not) were to position it but that seemed like the best compromise. I also assumed(hope) that the spark is triggered when the "star points" line up.

I hopefully now have the conversion complete but it will be a while before I install it and test it. I will post the results here(probably a new post) when I find out if it works properly. If anyone sees any problem with the "design", please let me know.

Thanks, Joel

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joel Koontz:
I am in the process of converting a points distributor housing to HEI. I had an HEI Dist. with a broken housing and I have transfered the components from it into a points D/H. I am just about done except for phasing the rotor to the distributor cap. I still need to weld on the "arm" that attaches to the vacuum canister and this will "set the phasing".

I have read about phasing the cap/rotor but I do not remember exactly how it is supposed to be done. Do I want the rotor and cap to line up when there is no advanace(mechanical or vacuum) or do I want them to line up with full advance, or somewhere in between? Does anyone know of a site with info on this?

Thanks, Joel

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
joel; i have seen an artical about rotor phasing also it was in popular hotrodding or car craft a few years back but i can't remember exactly what the procedure was , but i know this for sure when reinstall the drive gear be sure to line up your rotor tip with the small dot on your dist. drive gear good luck!!! royal trent royalt'sdyno service


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This is a cool idea,I hate the look of the HEI dist.Let us know if it works.I'm a little concerned with the JB weld,though.

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68 z28 ,68 rs 327 ,73 454 vette, 2 goofy kids

Take a look at this thread. Al provides a search link to a business where the gentleman has been doing this for years....
www.camaros.net/forum/Forum1/HTML/003603.html (http://www.camaros.net/forum/Forum1/HTML/003603.html)

http://www.camaros.net/forum/wink.gif

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...Dennis
'69 RS Convertible w/SS trim (http://www.camaroslimited.com/memberscars/den.htm)
'96 Z28SS #1679 of 2410 (http://www.camaroslimited.com/graphics/memcars/96ss.jpg)
"The Club" (http://camaroslimited.com)