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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

> I am reading your article on installing a small block Chevy
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0> Distributor.\u00a0 I did an R&R today.\u00a0 Took a Mallory Unilite
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0> Distributor out, put a Points Dist\u00a0 in.\u00a0 I figured the key would
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0> line up the same, so it would be simple.\u00a0 \u00a0 I can’t get it to run.
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0> Do you know if the unilite has a different line up like the HEI???
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0> Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!!!
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0> Rob<\/p>\n

>\u00a0 \u00a0Hi Rob,
\n>
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0I’m not familiar with the Unilite’s oil pump drive key alignment. It
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0may not be the same, but it really doesn’t matter where the key is
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0aligned as long as the #1 firing position is where you want it.
\n>
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0You can keep going around using the method I show, in the event your
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0key alignment has gone past the ideal position for the distributor to
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0drop in at #1. You can keep going around as many times as you like til
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0you get it right.
\n>
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0Truthfully, the number one position can be wired anywhere on the cap
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0as long as the firing order is in the correct sequence around the
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0distributor cap starting from that position and the timing mark is at
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0TDC when the rotor is at that same #1.
\n>
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0The #1 position on the clock face is just semantics.
\n>
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0We only want it to be where GM placed it for the sake of the next
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0person who works on the car (it keeps things tidy). If it’s where he
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0expects it to be, he won’t get confused or stumped by the orientation
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0of the spark plug wires on the cap.
\n>
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0It’ll run no matter where you place the #1 wire if you’re getting
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0spark on #1 at TDC. If you’re not getting spark at all, maybe the
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0distributor is not the problem. Maybe the positive and negative coil
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0wires are incorrect, or the points and condenser are the issue(?).
\n>
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0If the car’s wiring has been modified to fit the Unilite, it may not
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0be correct for the breaker point distributor.
\n>
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0—
\n>\u00a0 \u00a0Carl King<\/p>\n

Quoting Rob Butler
\n> You make some excellent points, no pun intended.\u00a0 I will recheck the
\n>\u00a0 firing order tomorrow, just to make sure.\u00a0 The Unilite body is
\n> exactly the same as the Points Dist I have.\u00a0 It just has an
\n> electronic module and related parts.\u00a0 (there is little room for the
\n> distributor so this was an application made for such cars that an
\n> HEI wouldn’t fit on.)\u00a0 I figured it would be a piece of cake.\u00a0 I
\n> looked up your article just to make sure I had it right and it seems
\n>\u00a0 that I did.
\n>
\n> I bought the 56 Chevy in July.\u00a0 Once home it took me 45 Minutes to
\n> get her running.\u00a0 It has a 60 283, Muncie 4 Speed and 3:55 Posi.\u00a0 I
\n> removed the GTO carb it had, and replaced it with an Edelbrock.
\n> Through all this, it ran fine and even better with the Edelbrock.\u00a0 I
\n>\u00a0 needed to hook up a manual choke, and after I did, it started
\n> running rough.\u00a0 A few days later, it wouldn’t run at all.
\n> I checked the Mallory site and followed the steps to check the
\n> module.\u00a0 It was bad.\u00a0 I just thought I would swap it for a Points
\n> dist. And here I am.\u00a0 Maybe the coil??
\n>
\n> The only thing that has me confused and it may be the problem.\u00a0 When
\n>\u00a0 I started to remove the Unilite, the rotor was pointing to 7
\n> o’clock, without turning the motor over I dropped the new one in.
\n> When the oil pump key aligned the rotor pointed to 8 o’clock.\u00a0 It
\n> made me think it could be a tooth off, but I didn’t want to start
\n> screwing with things until I talked with someone.
\n>
\n> The Unilite uses the same wiring and firewall resistor as the points
\n>\u00a0 dist according to the Mallory site.
\n>
\n> I will mess with it in the morning and see what I can come up with.
\n>
\n> Thank you for your response.\u00a0 I really appreciate it.
\n> Rob
\n> I spent too much time drawing cars in the last decade and not enough
\n>\u00a0 time under the hood!!!!
\n>
\n><\/p>\n

$\"My$ <\/a>

My 56<\/p><\/div>\n

$\"Bad$ <\/a>

Bad Pontiac<\/p><\/div>\n

><\/p>\n

Glad I can help Rob.<\/p>\n

Since the 56 wasn’t running when you bought it, I’ll bet you got a
\nsmokin deal on it.<\/p>\n

55’s and 56’s have always been my favorite and it makes me wish I’d
\nhave kept the ones I had when I was younger. I went through them like
\nchewing gum. People were unloading these cars left and right. When I
\nwas a teenager I could buy the 50’s and 60’s cars for $50-$100, pop
\nthe motor out for a quick rebuild, clean up and paint the engine
\ncompartment, and then sell them for a nice markup. Who would have
\nknown at the time these cars were going to become the next big thing.<\/p>\n

Nice drawing! Got any 64 Impala drawings?<\/p>\n

Hey, Do you mind if I blog this email thread? Your photos would be a
\nnice touch.<\/p>\n

—
\nCarl King<\/p>\n

OK here is the fun for today.\u00a0 I put a spark plug in the Coil wire and cranked it.\u00a0 I got a spark.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Whereas the Unilite was at 8, I moved it to 7oclock.\u00a0 I turned the key and got a sputter…Yes Actual fire!!\u00a0 Not running, but fire!!!\u00a0 I figured I may be a tooth off so I repeated the process.\u00a0 Nothing.\u00a0 I then put the plug in the #1 wire and it sparked while cranking.\u00a0 I have to think I just have the distributor in the wrong spot. Tomorrow I will just find TDC and start from scratch.\u00a0 It appears all of my components work,\u00a0 \u00a0I just have a faulty mechanic!!!\u00a0 I will keep you apprised.
\nRob<\/p>\n

I really appreciate the input!!!<\/p>\n

Quoting Rob Butler<\/p>\n

$\"Bliss$ <\/a>

Bliss hot Rod Grill<\/p><\/div>\n

—– Original Message —–
\nFrom: Carl King<\/p>\n

Subject: Re: Bliss Hot Rod Grill<\/p>\n

That’s really cool. We just need more of them….in every town.<\/p>\n

—
\nCarl King<\/p>\n

>Quoting Rob Butler<\/p>\n

>I agree!!<\/p>\n

>Quoting Rob Butler<\/p>\n

Carl
\nToday I found TDC, pulled all the plug wires, Found the tower the rotor was pointing to, and re wired.\u00a0 It\u00a0 sputtered.\u00a0 I turned the distributor, advancing a little and she started!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\u00a0 Ran good at first but started running rough.\u00a0 Wouldn’t idle.\u00a0 I pulled the Plugs.\u00a0 The Were Black, wet and smelled a lot like gas.\u00a0 For the heck of it, I pulled them all, hit them on a Wire wheel to clean them up, and reinstalled.\u00a0 Again, ran good at first, then got rough.\u00a0 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!!!!!\u00a0 Not exactly by the book, but it worked.
\nThanks for the advice!!!\u00a0 I really appreciate it!!!
\nRob
\nPS here is the link to my Hub Garage if you want to check out more of my stuff.\u00a0 Do you have a photo of your Impala??<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.hubgarage.com\/mygarage\/LoneSpar<\/a> <— Really cool Muscle car art here!!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"