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Need Help Wiring Chevy Distributor

L

Lanse

Well-known Member
Sorry about the slightly OT...

So, what I've done (this time haha) is remove the entire powertrain from an 81 chebby have ton and dropped it into a 1948 Farmall H, by means of custom
fabri-cobbled frame rails and one of a kind drive shaft.

Since obviously theres no computer with this, I've done the ESC to HEI distributor conversion by mutilating some wires as pictured.

Today I tried to get this thing started and couldn't get any juice to come out of the plugs, so i'm thinking that I must've done something wrong here.
Anyone ever rig up a distributor like this here? I sawed off the distributor vacuum module thing when I was removing un-necessary stuff from the engine,
now I'm starting to wonder exactly how unnecessary it was.

Anyway, I'd really like to get this thing going so it anyone has any pointers I'd appreciate it. Thanks guys!
IMG_1569_zpscp7kaz7l.jpg

IMG_1567_zpscvf3osnf.jpg

IMG_1568_zpszyo6kfvo.jpg
 
You will only need the vacuum advance if you want it to idle or run at any speed other than idle depending how you set the timing...
 
I'd perfer not to screw with the timing period... Why does it need to be this complicated?
 
It should work the way it's wired.

You want full voltage to the red wire, not resisted.

Those were known for a couple problems, most common was the center of the rotor burning through to the shaft, grounding the spark. Also the coil would burn through and short to the metal core piece. Try lifting the cap, see if there is spark coming from the carbon center when cranking. If spark is there, (and it will make a killer spark!) and not getting to the plugs, the rotor is probably bad.

If no spark, put the cap back on, crank it, listen for popping. If it's popping, the coil is shorting to ground.

Look under the upper cover, be sure the ground strap is connected from the coil case to the center terminal of the harness plug.

If no spark, no popping, gently tug on the 2 wires from the pick up coil. If one pulls out, it was broke where it goes into the pick up, replace it. Finally replace the module.

http://talk.classicparts.com/images/attachments/4352f3a606dc494a.jpg
 
There may be a way to connect two of those three wires together to make it run. I do not know which ones however. If it was mine I would get a module from a non ESC application. Secondly I can't remember if those distributors were epuipped with a centrifugal advance. If not you will have a hard time getting any amount of performance out of that engine.
 
Sense it had a vacuum advance, it will have a centrifugal advance.

However, they were prone to rust and freeze in place, the weight bushings to wear out, the springs to rust away...

That will all have to be considered if it is expected to run right.
 
You have two options without that vacuum advance. Set the engine for total advance at full throttle (time it to be right at that speed) or set it at low idle per the instructions for a 350. Then it will he a gutless wonder. With the first option it will run well when you gave it throttled up but it may be a pistol to start - kickback, etc.

You need to get a replacement distributor.
 
Yeh,He needs to get a distributor from a non ECM model,and as you said I don't think that one has a mechanical advance on it.It might spark if that green and black wires were unhooked from each other.
 
That distributor was has a "5 pin module" and was part of an "ESC" system using a knock sensor and a 'puter to control timing.

That's what the extra leads are for.

Since you have determined that all this is unnecessary, jump on board with the other hot rodders that feel the same way and replace the ESC distributor with an aftermarket non ESC distributor.

Wirenutting leads that you consider unimportant is not the way to go.

Unless uncontrolled/late timing appeals to you.
 
Double checked the photos he posted the last two are a left and right of the distributor installed in the engine. I don't see a vac adv. You do see a vacuum choke pull-off mounted on the carb in the one picture. I mistakenly said two of three wires when there are four coming out to the ESC. Regardless I do not know which wires he should connect or do I know with any cetainty that will make it run. The wiring diagram that Den provided a link to is suspicious to me because I don't see where it is showing the pole piece "pick up coil" connecting to the module. I think it mistakenly shows it as a "detonation sensor". If that is the case that diagram is of no value to this situation. I do know if he aquired a non ESC/ pre computer command control HEI his "cobble" tractor will have spark to the plugs. It will also have the centrifugal and vacuum advances to make the engine perform more close to ideal.
 
In the 3rd photo, see the cut off remains of the vacuum advance? He said he sawed it off. In 81 or 82 they still used a centrifugal and vacuum advance but had a knock sensor to retard timing. The next year I think was when they went to total computer controlled timing.

I'm not sure of the wires nutted together on the unused harness, but that whole assembly can be removed and the green and white wires from the pick up coil plugged directly on to the module IIRC... Been a few years!
 
(quoted from post at 04:38:51 11/21/15) In the 3rd photo, see the cut off remains of the vacuum advance? He said he sawed it off. In 81 or 82 they still used a centrifugal and vacuum advance but had a knock sensor to retard timing. The next year I think was when they went to total computer controlled timing.

I'm not sure of the wires nutted together on the unused harness, but that whole assembly can be removed and the green and white wires from the pick up coil plugged directly on to the module IIRC... Been a few years!
Click to expand...
ust weld that sob up!!!!
 
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