Keep Frying HEI Coils PLEASE HELP!

[Octane]

Msd streetfire budget dist and the ac/ delco are both made in China.The MSD billet dist are made in USA. But MSD claims they worked long and hard to get the budget dist built right in China.Mine has worked well for years.Anytime a name brand company uses a outsourced company in China to build something you'll mostly get screwed.But if its its big name companys factory over there they claim the quality is good to excellent since they own the factory.I remember years ago when everything made in Japan was garbage

 

[K5ride]

I installed the billet Accel Performance replacement distributor in my 75 Stepside just over a year ago. It works great and is made in the USA. It appears to be made well.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Msd streetfire budget dist and the ac/ delco are both made in China.The MSD billet dist are made in USA. But MSD claims they worked long and hard to get the budget dist built right in China.Mine has worked well for years.Anytime a name brand company uses a outsourced company in China to build something you'll mostly get screwed.But if its its big name companys factory over there they claim the quality is good to excellent since they own the factory.I remember years ago when everything made in Japan was garbage

Interestingly enough, Masterpro, the O'riely's house brand is made by Richporter of Canada.... But wait they don't make them there anymore they are made by WIA a Chinese company. They actually turn out a good product, but not American made obviously. My understanding is Delco / Remy reman distributors are remaned in Mexico.

I installed the billet Accel Performance replacement distributor in my 75 Stepside just over a year ago. It works great and is made in the USA. It appears to be made well.

I'm not trying to crap on your post but if you read online reviews for Accel distributors for these trucks, people complain about the weak / conservative advance curve vs factory and module life. Be nice to put one on distributor machine.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Interestingly enough, Masterpro, the O'riely's house brand is made by Richporter of Canada.... But wait they don't make them there anymore they are made by WIA a Chinese company. They actually turn out a good product, but not American made obviously. My understanding is Delco / Remy reman distributors are remaned in Mexico.



I'm not trying to crap on your post but if you read online reviews for Accel distributors for these trucks, people complain about the weak / conservative advance curve vs factory and module life. Be nice to put one on distributor machine.

Can’t that weak curve be fixed by someome curving and using different weights and springs and is the module an accel brand module or do they source another manufacturer in their assembly? Because if that’s the problem areas that’s a a cheap fix with a Delphi module and curving a distributor

 

[SirRobyn0]

Can’t that weak curve be fixed by someome curving and using different weights and springs and is the module an accel brand module or do they source another manufacturer in their assembly? Because if that’s the problem areas that’s a a cheap fix with a Delphi module and curving a distributor

yes, it can be recurved, but unless you have a distributor machine it's going to require changing things up and looking at the timing with engine running at various RPM up to typically 3K or more. And for me I really don't like hovering on top of a plastic fan shroud with the fan spinning at that RPM trying to look at timing marks and RPM gauge. It's actually kind of dangerous, but it can be done.

Or you could swap in factory module, advance can, springs and weights, but it's extra steps and cost cause you know that 40 year old stuff in the distributor your removing is worn out. Plus all that work on a new distributor just doesn't seem right.

 

[AuroraGirl]

yes, it can be recurved, but unless you have a distributor machine it's going to require changing things up and looking at the timing with engine running at various RPM up to typically 3K or more. And for me I really don't like hovering on top of a plastic fan shroud with the fan spinning at that RPM trying to look at timing marks and RPM gauge. It's actually kind of dangerous, but it can be done.

You could swap the module, put a delco advance can, springs and weights in, but it's extra steps and cost cause you know that 40 year old stuff in the distributor your removing is worn out. Plus all that work on a new distributor just doesn't seem right.

I was thinking about companies that Curve but as a person with stock engine you could just buy replicas of your OE set and that would be any brand with mechanical advance.
and the module isn’t a lot of work lot of work you could just keep a new one on hand if the accel fails. How much is an accel distributor i guess is the real question whether or not what I’m sayin is reasonable lol
I’m glad so far that cleaning my advance weights brought me trouble free ignition at this point in time but I think when I’m getting the truck to road ready I’m gonna have a distributor of some kind ready to drop in because the engine is a rebuild and the weights are worn a bit and the electrical and bushings etc are stock so it’s only time. Wires look brittle etc

 

[SirRobyn0]

I was thinking about companies that Curve but as a person with stock engine you could just buy replicas of your OE set and that would be any brand with mechanical advance.
and the module isn’t a lot of work lot of work you could just keep a new one on hand if the accel fails. How much is an accel distributor i guess is the real question whether or not what I’m sayin is reasonable lol
I’m glad so far that cleaning my advance weights brought me trouble free ignition at this point in time but I think when I’m getting the truck to road ready I’m gonna have a distributor of some kind ready to drop in because the engine is a rebuild and the weights are worn a bit and the electrical and bushings etc are stock so it’s only time. Wires look brittle etc

I've always carried a spare module. For $20 it's cheap insurance. Pricing on the Accel distributor I'm not really sure.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I've always carried a spare module. For $20 it's cheap insurance. Pricing on the Accel distributor I'm not really sure.

I have a brand new gm module how can I know if it’s compatible or what it mates to again?esc has more wires some had a different connector.. I think

 

[Matt69olds]

Pretty sure all GM modules will interchange, assuming the terminal layout is the same. Generally, the more recent the production run, the better the quality. Delco went thru rough times early in the production, the first couple years had some reliability issues. After a year or 2 they got things figured out a d the modules are pretty reliable. Supposedly the best module has 990 in the part number.

The pickup coils are engine specific. Some have yellow connectors, others clear, and some are a different color (can’t remember the 3rd color). Some people say the difference colors have to do with which way the distributor rotates, others say it has something to do with which side of the engine the starter is on (supposedly the high current draw of the starter can affect pickup coil accuracy). Whatever the reason, Delco designed different pickup coils for different engines for some reason. I can’t find the article online, but I have a picture of the differences on my garage wall.

 

[K5ride]

Interestingly enough, Masterpro, the O'riely's house brand is made by Richporter of Canada.... But wait they don't make them there anymore they are made by WIA a Chinese company. They actually turn out a good product, but not American made obviously. My understanding is Delco / Remy reman distributors are remaned in Mexico.



I'm not trying to crap on your post but if you read online reviews for Accel distributors for these trucks, people complain about the weak / conservative advance curve vs factory and module life. Be nice to put one on distributor machine.

I've been searching for more info on the advance curve. The Accel 59107C distributor vacuum advance is adjustable and comes with the allen wrench for it. As for the mechanical advance, the literature states "Easy Access Fully Adjustable Mechanical Advance". I didn't mess with it when I installed it. It was such a huge improvement over my severely worn out stock unit that I just dropped it in and ran with it the way it came in the box. I'm going to have to check it out and play with both adjustments. I'm in the process of building a 638 roller cam engine with vortec heads and I hear you have to reduce the curve with the vortecs so I'll be playing with it soon. As for the distributor machine, I may have access to one. I'm a part time auto instructor at the local college and I recently saw one in the back of the storage room. I'm going to dig it out and dust it off and see what kind of shape it's in.

Thanks for the "heads up" on the module life. The stock module is supposed to be plug and play with the accel. I'll pick one up and keep it in the glove box just in case.

 

[SirRobyn0]

I've been searching for more info on the advance curve. The Accel 59107C distributor vacuum advance is adjustable and comes with the allen wrench for it. As for the mechanical advance, the literature states "Easy Access Fully Adjustable Mechanical Advance". I didn't mess with it when I installed it. It was such a huge improvement over my severely worn out stock unit that I just dropped it in and ran with it the way it came in the box. I'm going to have to check it out and play with both adjustments. I'm in the process of building a 638 roller cam engine with vortec heads and I hear you have to reduce the curve with the vortecs so I'll be playing with it soon. As for the distributor machine, I may have access to one. I'm a part time auto instructor at the local college and I recently saw one in the back of the storage room. I'm going to dig it out and dust it off and see what kind of shape it's in.

Thanks for the "heads up" on the module life. The stock module is supposed to be plug and play with the accel. I'll pick one up and keep it in the glove box just in case.

I have not personally installed any accel distributors either in my own truck or at the shop. I have only heard that the mechanical advance is only capable of 10 degrees of advance out of the box and comes in really early vs factory. Plus the module thing.

 

[K5ride]

I have not personally installed any accel distributors either in my own truck or at the shop. I have only heard that the mechanical advance is only capable of 10 degrees of advance out of the box and comes in really early vs factory. Plus the module thing.

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The paperwork in the box did say there was a "removable advance stop" for the mechanical advance to adjust further if needed. I think they had it limited to get the C.A.R.B. 50 state approval to be marketed as a replacement part.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I have not personally installed any accel distributors either in my own truck or at the shop. I have only heard that the mechanical advance is only capable of 10 degrees of advance out of the box and comes in really early vs factory. Plus the module thing.

I think a new pair of springs which you can find an auto store could easily keep that advance from coming early, but I’m not sure if 10 is a lot of mechanical?

 

[SirRobyn0]

I think a new pair of springs which you can find an auto store could easily keep that advance from coming early, but I’m not sure if 10 is a lot of mechanical?

No the typical GM HEI distributor gives about 20. Talking in general terms for a moment, most of the time it is the goal to hit somewhere in the ball park of 28 - 36 degrees of total timing. That's mechanical and initial timing with vac disconnected. Usually total timing is all in by 3K. So you'd want about 20 degrees of mechanical advance and then the initial base timing is what gets you where you or where the manufacture wants you to be. For example a 1985 350 may only call for 6 degrees of initial that puts you at a total of 26. Drop the accel unit in there and you are at only 16 total timing. That's going to be terrible for performance and gas mileage.

 

[AuroraGirl]

No the typical GM HEI distributor gives about 20. Talking in general terms for a moment, most of the time it is the goal to hit somewhere in the ball park of 28 - 36 degrees of total timing. That's mechanical and initial timing with vac disconnected. Usually total timing is all in by 3K. So you'd want about 20 degrees of mechanical advance and then the initial base timing is what gets you where you or where the manufacture wants you to be. For example a 1985 350 may only call for 6 degrees of initial that puts you at a total of 26. Drop the accel unit in there and you are at only 16 total timing. That's going to be terrible for performance and gas mileage.

Isn’t that going to be more emissions hard then, so the theory on the epa rating wouldn’t make sense?
Maybe since it’s a accel the lower advance is intended for a slightly more street capable high performance car with a advanced base timing? Race cars have welded weights and have separate starter switches than the ignition switch

like, someone who’s got a 103 octane monster who drives to their events

just a thought. I know some people will hinder one advance weight but allow the other to operate