How to install a hei distributor correctly that don't have a cam sensor in the distributor it has a pickup coil instead of cam sensor
5 Answers
#1 cylinder needs to be on the compression stroke and at TDC. I can't remember which mark it is, take out #1 spark plug and bring the first mark up to zero on timing tab, feel for the piston to see where it is, bring it up to the second mark and if the piston is higher in the cylinder that would be TDC. But I do believe it would be the first mark. Now all this needs to be on the compression stroke. When seating the distributor, the rotor will be pointing at #1 tower on the distributor cap.
If you haven't yet rotated the crank, DONT!!! The distributor once taken out can only go back in 1 of 2 ways, correctly or 180 degrees out. This is due to the oil pump drive keyway. If you have rotated it then you need to put the engine at tdc, the tdc mark on the balancer should be more pronounced than the other one. Then you need a long standard screw driver to align the oil pump shaft. If you don't get the shaft in right the distributor won't seat all the way down. If very easy if you put it in the same way is comes out. Because you'll also need to shoot ignition timing, hopefully you have the "est" plug to pull to shoot it with a light. Otherwise you need a dealer equivalent scantool.
Thank you Andrew, There is that plug for the advance timing that need to be disconnected, on the 95 it is a single brown with black wire located under the glove box. Pull apart & start engine, set timing to zero deg. , then shut engine off & reconnect the wire. As Andrew says, don't rotate engine once distributor is out.
I think you’re suppose to plug the vacuum advance also. Pete