What is the best way to do this on a GM HEI? I have heard that you can do it without welding or using any parts. Somehow you remove the shaft and rotate it 180 degrees or something?? Looking for some advice.

Thanks!

You can remove the weights springs etc and run a stainless 1/8" rivet through the two plates that what I did didnt even need to pull the distributor.

Mwilson, do you have a starter retard or ignition cutout switch? Any starting issues at all?

My car has no starting issues whatsoever and everyone said I woould? I do have a fairly new GM starter, 900+ cca battery and good battery cables. My timing is (not at the moment though) locked at 38*, Im still playing with it myself, but deffinately no starting issues and no retard device.

Buddy put a kill switch in and to start he would kill ignition and spin the motor up and then turn on and it would fire. Now this isn't the best way but it works.

mines locked out at 36 degrees, no starting issues.

No retards, no kill switches.

locked at 38* and i wont go back to running advance.

I do have a start retard but it starts just fine when the start retard is turned but its built into my box so i use it. But i wouldn't buy a retard seperatly

Thanks guys! I think I will try it without a retard first and see how it goes. Over the winter should be fine but about round 4 in August may be a problem.;)

My buddy did this on his hei - right now the advance is 16*. But a pigger bolt in there so there's no movement and its locked out.

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/hei_advance.JPG

Its way too easy with the rivet 10 min, remove cap & rotor only.

Has anyone done it with the old point distributor.

Yep..years ago... removed weights then just tacked with the mig.

Another alternative thu not serious locked...and has the advantage of lower start up advance
Set the total, then sort out idle rpm, then put lighter springs in, so they come off 50 to 100 rpm above the idle rpm.

Steptoe has it right..pull one spring off or use two very light springs, it works just fine and helps in starting too.

Steptoe and Red, are you talking about NOT locking the advance, but removing the weights and putting the springs back on? When I was taking mine apart last night I wondered why you can't just do that. The weights act as levers moving the advance so without them I would think it would not move.

If you mean leaving the weights on but putting light springs, I tried that and didn't like it much. Some times the weak springs were to weak to pull it back when you shut it off....

Thanks!

Leave the weights on and use light springs. Actually it`s a "track night" setup.
I pull 1 spring off which basically gives full advance right off but still starts and idles just fine.
Try a slightly heavier spring if the idle won`t come down.

Some times the weak springs were to weak to pull it back when you shut it off....
If that is the case then u have something binding.dirty, worn bushs etc
I run a curve all in at 2300, starting at 550rpm idle at 500
That is almost as light spings as possible...and run like that for 20 yrs

pull one spring off or use two very light springs, it works just fine and helps in starting too.
Dont like that...it leaves a weight swinging free...dont think it would do any damage, just dont like the concept.
but removing the weights and putting the springs back on?
Yep that works to lock..but use heavy springs