Installing a Chevy small Block Distributor
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Carl King - 28/11/10 at 07:11 pm
Well….not really. Here’s an email conversation I had with a gentleman a couple of days ago. He bought a 56 Chevy wagon and had to replace the Unilite distributor cause the module failed.
It’s not so much how he resolved his problem, but what he does with his spare time aside from working on classic cars and trucks that I thought was really cool.
Check it out:
~~~
> Quoting Rob Butler
> I am reading your article on installing a small block Chevy
> > Distributor. I did an R&R today. Took a Mallory Unilite
> > Distributor out, put a Points Dist in. I figured the key would
> > line up the same, so it would be simple. I can’t get it to run.
> > Do you know if the unilite has a different line up like the HEI???
> > Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!!!
> > Rob
> Hi Rob,
>
> I’m not familiar with the Unilite’s oil pump drive key alignment. It
> may not be the same, but it really doesn’t matter where the key is
> aligned as long as the #1 firing position is where you want it.
>
> You can keep going around using the method I show, in the event your
> key alignment has gone past the ideal position for the distributor to
> drop in at #1. You can keep going around as many times as you like til
> you get it right.
>
> Truthfully, the number one position can be wired anywhere on the cap
> as long as the firing order is in the correct sequence around the
> distributor cap starting from that position and the timing mark is at
> TDC when the rotor is at that same #1.
>
> The #1 position on the clock face is just semantics.
>
> We only want it to be where GM placed it for the sake of the next
> person who works on the car (it keeps things tidy). If it’s where he
> expects it to be, he won’t get confused or stumped by the orientation
> of the spark plug wires on the cap.
>
> It’ll run no matter where you place the #1 wire if you’re getting
> spark on #1 at TDC. If you’re not getting spark at all, maybe the
> distributor is not the problem. Maybe the positive and negative coil
> wires are incorrect, or the points and condenser are the issue(?).
>
> If the car’s wiring has been modified to fit the Unilite, it may not
> be correct for the breaker point distributor.
>
> —
> Carl King
Quoting Rob Butler
> You make some excellent points, no pun intended. I will recheck the
> firing order tomorrow, just to make sure. The Unilite body is
> exactly the same as the Points Dist I have. It just has an
> electronic module and related parts. (there is little room for the
> distributor so this was an application made for such cars that an
> HEI wouldn’t fit on.) I figured it would be a piece of cake. I
> looked up your article just to make sure I had it right and it seems
> that I did.
>
> I bought the 56 Chevy in July. Once home it took me 45 Minutes to
> get her running. It has a 60 283, Muncie 4 Speed and 3:55 Posi. I
> removed the GTO carb it had, and replaced it with an Edelbrock.
> Through all this, it ran fine and even better with the Edelbrock. I
> needed to hook up a manual choke, and after I did, it started
> running rough. A few days later, it wouldn’t run at all.
> I checked the Mallory site and followed the steps to check the
> module. It was bad. I just thought I would swap it for a Points
> dist. And here I am. Maybe the coil??
>
> The only thing that has me confused and it may be the problem. When
> I started to remove the Unilite, the rotor was pointing to 7
> o’clock, without turning the motor over I dropped the new one in.
> When the oil pump key aligned the rotor pointed to 8 o’clock. It
> made me think it could be a tooth off, but I didn’t want to start
> screwing with things until I talked with someone.
>
> The Unilite uses the same wiring and firewall resistor as the points
> dist according to the Mallory site.
>
> I will mess with it in the morning and see what I can come up with.
>
> Thank you for your response. I really appreciate it.
> Rob
> I spent too much time drawing cars in the last decade and not enough
> time under the hood!!!!
>
>
>
Glad I can help Rob.
Since the 56 wasn’t running when you bought it, I’ll bet you got a
smokin deal on it.
55’s and 56’s have always been my favorite and it makes me wish I’d
have kept the ones I had when I was younger. I went through them like
chewing gum. People were unloading these cars left and right. When I
was a teenager I could buy the 50’s and 60’s cars for $50-$100, pop
the motor out for a quick rebuild, clean up and paint the engine
compartment, and then sell them for a nice markup. Who would have
known at the time these cars were going to become the next big thing.
Nice drawing! Got any 64 Impala drawings?
Hey, Do you mind if I blog this email thread? Your photos would be a
nice touch.
—
Carl King
OK here is the fun for today. I put a spark plug in the Coil wire and cranked it. I got a spark. I pulled the distributor, turned the oil pump, (I had a hard time finding it) as mentioned in your article, And dropped it back in. Whereas the Unilite was at 8, I moved it to 7oclock. I turned the key and got a sputter…Yes Actual fire!! Not running, but fire!!! I figured I may be a tooth off so I repeated the process. Nothing. I then put the plug in the #1 wire and it sparked while cranking. I have to think I just have the distributor in the wrong spot. Tomorrow I will just find TDC and start from scratch. It appears all of my components work, I just have a faulty mechanic!!! I will keep you apprised.
Rob
I really appreciate the input!!!
Quoting Rob Butler
—– Original Message —–
From: Carl King
Subject: Re: Bliss Hot Rod Grill
That’s really cool. We just need more of them….in every town.
—
Carl King
>Quoting Rob Butler
>I agree!!
>Quoting Rob Butler
Carl
Today I found TDC, pulled all the plug wires, Found the tower the rotor was pointing to, and re wired. It sputtered. I turned the distributor, advancing a little and she started!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ran good at first but started running rough. Wouldn’t idle. I pulled the Plugs. The Were Black, wet and smelled a lot like gas. For the heck of it, I pulled them all, hit them on a Wire wheel to clean them up, and reinstalled. Again, ran good at first, then got rough. I figure the plugs are fouled, so I plan on getting a new set Monday. Couldn’t keep it running good enough to set dwell or timing, but at least it ran!!!!! Not exactly by the book, but it worked.
Thanks for the advice!!! I really appreciate it!!!
Rob
PS here is the link to my Hub Garage if you want to check out more of my stuff. Do you have a photo of your Impala??
http://www.hubgarage.com/mygarage/LoneSpar <— Really cool Muscle car art here!!!