HEI issues

[Chatt_79]

So I had been having issues with tuning my 360 and decided while i was changing plugs/wires and working on the timing and fuel mixture I'd go ahead and install an HEI. I planned on doing it in the future but decided to just do it now and only have to fiddle with everything else once. I ordered the Mallory unit from bj's with the coil. I knew I'd have to switch over my old gear. So I pulled my distributor and took them both to the local machine shop and come to find out my old distributor has 3 holes in the shaft and 2 holes in the gear where someone had already fiddled with it. The previous owner didn't mention any ignition upgrades but was pretty detailed it having the edelbrock carb and offroad needles so I didn't even think to investigate before ordering parts. I'm wondering if someone has already done a TFI or something funky with my ignition. The old one was black and didn't have an adjustable vacuum advance, when I looked at it I just assumed it was stock. Both distributors are still at the machine shop so I don't have pictures, but when comparing the two the hookups were the same. I am also missing the gray box on the drivers side of the engine compartment but the wire running to the distributor has the ?resistor? piece on it. Of course I didn't notice all this till I was pulling the old unit.
How would you guys proceed here?

The machine shop said I should get a new distributor gear and find the correct mounting depth(shoulder where the distributor meets the engine to the end of the gear) and he would drill out the new hei unit and i'd be good. I have seen a few stories on new distributor gears chewing the cam gear and wondered if this really is an issue if I can find the correct mounting depth somewhere.

I'm also considering sending the new HEI back to bj's and just reinstalling the old one especially since it looks to be upgraded. How worried would you be that there are 3 holes in the shaft and 2 in the gear? Also is not having an adjustable vacuum advance bad?

I'm planning on picking them both up from the machine shop tomorrow and i'll post up pictures. The more I look stuff up the more confused i'm getting. Besides rotor/cap/wires I've never fooled with distributors before so forgive me if this post makes no sense or is hard to follow. I'll try to update later this week.

[AwesomeJ10]

Have you called the vendor (BJ's) to see what they say?

[Stuka]

I would also call whom ever you got it from.


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[rocklaurence]

Or get a $99 HEI off ebay, swap the gears. Im running the White Performance units on 3 AMCV8s.

[serehill]

Yeah kind of scratching my head trying to figure out why it would be BJ's Issue. I would get new gears from MSD & call it a day. The three hole deal may or may not be an issue. I wouldn't put the DIzzy one back in. Not knowing what the OP did is not good either. Put the Mallory in there so you'll know what you have & how to make it run.


Mallory with a new MSD gear.

[carnuck]

Some reman shops redrill the gear and shaft because the original was torn up.

[Chatt_79]

Yeah definitely not bj's fault. Finally picked them up from the machine shop. I'll be calling bj's tomorrow seeing what they say. Does anyone know the correct mounting depth for the gear? The machine shop said I should probably double check it. Mine right now is measuring 4.468" from the gear to where the distributor mounts to the engine. Thanks for the all the comments.