The car in question is a 66 327/300.

I removed the old distributor, no problem. Put the new one in, lined up the vacuum port and the rotor to match the old one's position. Clamp the new HEI distributor down a bit, but loose enough to still be able to turn it. Replace the plug wires (WHAT A PAIN IN THE ****!) and connect all the wiring to the cap. At this point I'd been in the garage about 3, 3.5 hours today so I figured I'd finish the job by setting the timing tomorrow. But first I wanted to fire it up and actually see the tach work (hasn't since I bought the car last year, traced the problem to the distributor).

After double checking to make sure everything looked right, I hopped in to fire it up. For about 1/2 a rotation it sounded normal, then the cranking power just dropped off for a slooow 1/2 or 3/4 rotation. Picked up again, then repeated. After a couple of these weird cranks, it caught and died immediately. As I released the key from "start" to "run" it was as if I'd actually turned it off all the way. It just shut down.

The car ran fine prior to this, so its pretty obvious I borked something up. I tried starting several times, at this point its probably flooded and the battery is half dead. If I need to I can jump it tomorrow...too cold out now.

Where should I start to figure out the problem? I'm 99% sure I got the plug wires hooked up to distributor correctly. The pink wire from the ignition switch runs right to the HEI, bypassing the resistor. The pink wires that used to attach to the old coil are just taped off. I'm stumped.

 

Pull the number 1 plug, turn the engine over by hand till you get 1 coming up on compression then line it up to TDC. Pull the cap make sure the rotor is pointing at 1 then check your dfiring order again.

 

sounds like the timing is too far advanced, also the ign. switch is acting weird, it too could be bad or questionable......

 

Are you sure you are getting +12 volts in both "Start" and "Run"????????

Plasticman

 

At start I get about 10.1v. In "run" should the pink wire still be carrying voltage? It doesnt seem to be.

Edit: That would explain why it shuts down immediately. The starter cranks so its getting power. In "run" the distributor isnt, I guess. Did I miss a wire somewhere?

 

I tied the pink wire from the starter into the mix, connecting it to the ignition switch-distributor connection. No change.

 

The Hot terminal should be connected to a switched wire. You can attach it to the switched side of the resistor (the side that has the wire that goes to the ignition switch. When it is running you should have about 14 volts going to the HEI (at a bare minimum 12+ volts).

 

The wire from the ignition switch goes straight to the hot terminal. The resistor is completely out of the loop. Its only still in the car so I dont lose it after removing it.

 

I would have to believe that your ignition switch is buggered. I would connect a test light to the pink wire and jiggle the key left and right in the "run" position.

 

So that one wire carries juice during "start" and "run" right?

Edit: I think the real question is: what wire brings power to the distributor when they is set to "run?" If it is that pink wire, then that narrows down the problem a lot. If its another wire, then I'm an idiot and I need to find it.

 

The pink wire from the ignition switch (that used to go to the bottom terminal on the ballast resistor) supplies power in the "on" position.

 

Starter wire should only be hot when ignition switch is turned to start position. When you let go of the key, the starter wire should no longer be hot. The wire to the dist connects to the "switched" position - when the key is turned to the on/run position. You can not connect the starter wire to anything else.

 

Well, it was definitely option 2. I was using the top wire off the resistor.

Fired right up, but it knocks pretty bad and stalled a few seconds later. I guess I mixed up a couple of plug wires too.

Edit: Plug wires are all correct per the AIM. No oil pressure showing on the guage though. That's a bit of a concern. As far as I can tell the distributor is seated properly...its mated up against the engine nice and snug and clamped down so it doesnt move too freely (but can still be turned by hand). Dipstick shows enough oil in the pan.

 

How long did you run it and no oil pressure?

 

Total? Maybe a minute, probably less.

 

Turns out the new distributor is about 1/16 to 3/32 shorter than the old one. Apparently that's just enough. I had to remove the gasket (guess how thick it is), but the distributor clicked right into place...metal on metal to the engine. Hooked everything back up and it cranks normally and the gauge shows normal oil pressure. I'm guessing I flooded the engine though, it won't actually start. Sounds right, timing should be close enough to at least catch. Timing light shows I've got spark. Hopefully its just flooded.

 

Something is very wrong with only 1/16" engagement for the oil pump!

Plasticman

 

I was thinking the same thing. If the gear is only engaged by the thickness of a gasket, you need to pull it back out and compare it to the length of the old distributor.

 

Tech article from MSD:

 

aha!!!! does your distributor have an adjustable collar like noted in Buns post?
Bill