Which distributor for my new engine?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: Federal Way WA
Which distributor for my new engine?
I'm buying a 383 roller crate engine for my 1978 Vette. I'm just curious what style of distributor I need, and if anyone can give me any reasonably priced suggestions. I appreciate the help!
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 307
Likes: 19
From: Kirkland WA
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: Federal Way WA
I believe I do have an HEI distributor. My vette is a 1978, which should have it if I'm not mistaken. I just don't know whether a roller cam will affect the distributor that is needed. But the specs are as follows:
Cam Type: Roller
.528 Intake
.536 Exhaust
230 Intake / 240 Exhaust duration
@.050 - 112 degree lobe separation
Cam Type: Roller
.528 Intake
.536 Exhaust
230 Intake / 240 Exhaust duration
@.050 - 112 degree lobe separation
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,506
Likes: 139
From: Butler Pa
I believe I do have an HEI distributor. My vette is a 1978, which should have it if I'm not mistaken. I just don't know whether a roller cam will affect the distributor that is needed. But the specs are as follows:
Cam Type: Roller
.528 Intake
.536 Exhaust
230 Intake / 240 Exhaust duration
@.050 - 112 degree lobe separation
Cam Type: Roller
.528 Intake
.536 Exhaust
230 Intake / 240 Exhaust duration
@.050 - 112 degree lobe separation
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: Federal Way WA
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/su...make/chevrolet
will this work? It says the gear is compatible with flat tappet and roller cams. What do you guys think?
Thanks for the help. I'm definitely learning as I go!
will this work? It says the gear is compatible with flat tappet and roller cams. What do you guys think?
Thanks for the help. I'm definitely learning as I go!
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 307
Likes: 19
From: Kirkland WA
[QUOTE=dgheinen;1589208141]I believe I do have an HEI distributor. My vette is a 1978, which should have it if I'm not mistaken. I just don't know whether a roller cam will affect the distributor that is needed. But the specs are as follows:
Great choice, very close to my specs. The cam manufacturer can tell you if you need to run any type of special distributor gear or fuel pump rod. My Howards roller cam uses all stock stuff.
Here is a quote from another thread: "Is the cam is tempered steel or billet? Does the came have a press on gear or machined? If the cam is tempered and does not have a pressed on iron gear then you need a melonized gear for the dizzy. If it is billet and does not have a pressed on iron gear then you need either a bronze gear (which I would not recommend on a street car because they wear out FAST) or the composite gear sold by comp cams (much better gear than bronze)."
__________________
Great choice, very close to my specs. The cam manufacturer can tell you if you need to run any type of special distributor gear or fuel pump rod. My Howards roller cam uses all stock stuff.
Here is a quote from another thread: "Is the cam is tempered steel or billet? Does the came have a press on gear or machined? If the cam is tempered and does not have a pressed on iron gear then you need a melonized gear for the dizzy. If it is billet and does not have a pressed on iron gear then you need either a bronze gear (which I would not recommend on a street car because they wear out FAST) or the composite gear sold by comp cams (much better gear than bronze)."
__________________
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,506
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From: Butler Pa
I'm pretty sure a melonized gear will work with any cam.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 307
Likes: 19
From: Kirkland WA
Manufactured from a super-strong composite material
• 300% increased durability over bronze distributor gears when used with steel camshafts
• Tested and available in several shaft diameters for popular street and race applications
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,506
Likes: 139
From: Butler Pa
Interesting point, and of course I've never used one. I'm hoping the OP won't need either one, since it's an additional cost. Just quoting others here, but Comp seems to think the composite gears will work on the street per their website:
Manufactured from a super-strong composite material
• 300% increased durability over bronze distributor gears when used with steel camshafts
• Tested and available in several shaft diameters for popular street and race applications
Manufactured from a super-strong composite material
• 300% increased durability over bronze distributor gears when used with steel camshafts
• Tested and available in several shaft diameters for popular street and race applications
300% increased durability over bronze gears still isn't much. I would want something that I never have to worry about.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,506
Likes: 139
From: Butler Pa
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/su...make/chevrolet
will this work? It says the gear is compatible with flat tappet and roller cams. What do you guys think?
Thanks for the help. I'm definitely learning as I go!
will this work? It says the gear is compatible with flat tappet and roller cams. What do you guys think?
Thanks for the help. I'm definitely learning as I go!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: Federal Way WA
Perfect. I would reuse the one I have now and buy a melonized gear (~$60), but for 30 bucks more, i would rather just have an all new one that I know will work for whatever I buy.
Side note, do you guys recommend the high performance spark plug wires? They seem kind of gimmicky to me. I don't really see besides the low resistance aspect how they can be that much better.
Side note, do you guys recommend the high performance spark plug wires? They seem kind of gimmicky to me. I don't really see besides the low resistance aspect how they can be that much better.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,506
Likes: 139
From: Butler Pa
Had a 1976 L-82, 4-sp
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,213
From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
I'm using a composite gear on my Howard's hyd roller with .560" lift. Less than a 1K miles on it but I have the dist'r out now and there is virtually no signs of wear.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,908
Likes: 129
From: Fredericksburg Virginia
I personally roll like this:
I bought a nice MSD setup, so I purchased the best MSD wires I could (their "Super Conductors"). If I had bought a Mallory setup, I would have purchased the best wires Mallory made.
My rationale is this: These systems were developed and tested with their in-house wires. Putting "whatever" wires on a new ignition system will save you a few bucks, but it is NOT the wire that the system was developed and tested with. Who knows if there will be a difference or not...but why even ask the question?
I feel the same way about coils, cam/lifter sets, and several other "paired" items. Thing that are developed together "live" together better.
I bought a nice MSD setup, so I purchased the best MSD wires I could (their "Super Conductors"). If I had bought a Mallory setup, I would have purchased the best wires Mallory made.
My rationale is this: These systems were developed and tested with their in-house wires. Putting "whatever" wires on a new ignition system will save you a few bucks, but it is NOT the wire that the system was developed and tested with. Who knows if there will be a difference or not...but why even ask the question?
I feel the same way about coils, cam/lifter sets, and several other "paired" items. Thing that are developed together "live" together better.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: Federal Way WA
That definitely makes sense. I'm just trying to keep this "budget" build within budget. Granted, I learned my lesson from the last build where I used a flat tappet cam that wiped a few lobes after 500 miles, but still. If I can save a few dollars, I would love to. This kind of thing gets really expensive, as I'm sure you all are very aware.
Pro
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 722
Likes: 58
From: Karlsruhe (Germany)
The superconductor wires are mechanically the best wires I ever had.
They have a strong core wire and a nylon braid between internal insulation and the outer silicone.
From driving with them I can´t feel any difference to good stock wires.
I bought them, because the instruction of the MSD box tells, that stock wires can blow up if used with the box. I have seen the spark the box generates, so I could really imagine this to happen. But still would like to know if anyone ever has toast his stock wires with a MSD box.
They have a strong core wire and a nylon braid between internal insulation and the outer silicone.
From driving with them I can´t feel any difference to good stock wires.
I bought them, because the instruction of the MSD box tells, that stock wires can blow up if used with the box. I have seen the spark the box generates, so I could really imagine this to happen. But still would like to know if anyone ever has toast his stock wires with a MSD box.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,339
Likes: 546
From: Central Texas
By the way I'm going to use an HEI from Davis Unified Ignition.
Last edited by Street Rat; Mar 20, 2015 at 01:51 PM.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 477
Likes: 43
From: Millbrae California
no insult intended to any brand of distributor but before you buy you should be sure that you can easily change the amount of mechanical advance so you can match the initial timing setting the engine wants with the amount of advance from the mechanical advance system so you have the correct total advance. we use 10 to 12 degrees of initial timing for an engine with a stock/mild cam, 14 to 16 degrees of initial timing for an engine with a performance cam and 18 to 20 degrees of initial timing for an engine with a radical cam.
most of the HEI distributors are not easy to change the amount of mechanical advance other than the MSD #8365 HEI dist (the street fire MSD HEI is not easy to curve) . If any other HEI distributor is capable of having the amount of mechanical advance changed I would be interested in knowing about it.
Henry @ oles carb
most of the HEI distributors are not easy to change the amount of mechanical advance other than the MSD #8365 HEI dist (the street fire MSD HEI is not easy to curve) . If any other HEI distributor is capable of having the amount of mechanical advance changed I would be interested in knowing about it.
Henry @ oles carb
Had a 1976 L-82, 4-sp
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,213
From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
For clarification, I knew the composite gear was not needed for the cam. I bought it in case I go with a billet cam in the future. AFAIK, the stock cam gear will work with the non-billet cams from Howard's e.g. hyd rollers.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,339
Likes: 546
From: Central Texas
