HEI re-install questions

[SUX2BU99]

The Mallory HEI I had in my truck died this weekend so I’m replacing it with an MSD Street Fire HEI. I got it dropped it fine enough and the rotor is lined up in the same spot as the Mallory before it. When I try to put the clamp back on though it seems like the bolt does not want to grab into the intake manifold. The clamp is bent into an arc to grab onto the shoulder of the distributor, which makes the surface of the clamp that the bolt goes through on an angle. I don’t want to strip my manifold bolt hole so should I just keep trying to get the bolt to catch the threads? Maybe the MSD shoulder is slightly thicker or it’s because the MSD gasket looks thicker than the Mallory one, that it is raising the clamp up a little higher than before. I just want to know if putting those clamps on can sometimes be tricky or not.

Also, I put a thick amount of lube on the drive gear before putting the MSD in. This was last night and I ran out of light before being able to get everything buttoned up and running. I will finish it tonight. Do I have to re-lube the gear or should it be fine? I’m just thinking if the lube dripped off the gear would it then be in danger.

Finally, once I do get the truck started, how long should I let it run to get the gear broken in?

Thanks!

[Lt.Del]

did you try to turn the hold down clamp the other way, upside down, which may be right side up?

compare distributors, if the shoulder is thicker, put a couple of washers under the clamp to bring the level up if needed.

Ensure your distributor is set in all the way--does it look like there is any gap under the lip of the distributor, b/w that and the intake?

You could go to a hardware store and match up the threads of the bolt and get a longer bolt.  It is a common thread, i've done something similar with a bolt that goes into an a/c compressor bracket to keep it still in front of the engine (threaded into the cylinder head).

[VileZambonie]

Are you sure you engaged the oil pump? Is it sitting all the way flat on the manifold? Rotate the engine 360° and make sure it's in all the way.

[SUX2BU99]

I'm pretty sure that I did, as I could feel it hit the gear teeth on initial drop in. It didn't drop in all the way so I wiggled it a bit and then it dropped a good inch into it's spot and the rotor rotated to it's proper mark. It's just a very little bit that the bolt seems to be 'off', or not catching the threads.

Here are the pics of it installed. It's in there. And a pic of a side profile of the clamp and bolt.

[VileZambonie]

I hate to sound like Captain Obvious here but... did you try a longer bolt? Better yet how about a stud? Pepboys, Autozone etc carry them in stock

[TexasRed]

I'd either get the stud from the autoparts store or using a set screw as one. Studding it makes it soo much easier.

[SUX2BU99]

Well I figured out the problem but it’s a bit of an odd story. Going with a longer bolt is an obvious solution, or using the washers, but I knew that wasn’t right, as the clamp was fine with the other HEI. So doing one of those two items are like band-aid solutions. I found that the power wire for my non-functioning electric choke was under the new MSD’s shoulder. Once I removed that, the new MSD sat flat on the manifold which is great, but now the rotor pointed further clockwise! That worried me, as the rotor position is key to keeping the timing all lined up when swapping out distributors. When I took out the Mallory, the rotor was lined up at 12:00 so I marked that on the firewall. Now it was pointing at about the 1:00 position. I remembered the oil pump shaft thing, so I took my long flat-blade screwdriver and turned it slightly counter-clockwise. Dropped the MSD in and now the rotor pointed at the 11:00 position! Hmmm. So after fiddling with the oil pump shaft and dropping the MSD in about 8 or so times, I resigned myself to the fact that the MSD was NOT going to line itself up with the same rotor position as the Mallory before it. I couldn’t figure out why though. So I had a choice, either go with the 1:00 or 11:00 positions. The 1:00 worked with the oil pump shaft in the original position so I went with that, prayed, and put it all back together and lined up the vacuum canister to the same spot it was with the Mallory. Cranked it over and it turned over hard but after a couple of cranks, it fired up! WOOHOO! It didn’t want to idle though so I turned the MSD clockwise into a position that would have been very retarded if the Mallory was in it, but the idle cleaned right up and it ran way better. Took it for a spin and it felt really good.

So for some reason, the Mallory seemed to want way more advance than this MSD does. I have the MSD turned much more clockwise than I did the Mallory. I recall though my mechanic when he put the Mallory in along with the cam and heads, said that he had trouble timing it but got it eventually. And I know when I try to use my timing light, the timing mark is way off the mark. It doesn’t even show up on the timing tape on the balancer. Maybe now it will. I just wonder what it was about the Mallory that made it so off the mark.

[bd]

Well done on figuring it out!  If you're running an elastomer-type balancer, check the balancer ring to make sure it hasn't spun or shifted on the hub.  A slipped balancer will throw your timing marks WAY off.

[454Man]

Do you not have a timing gun? I ask because you say nothing about setting timing. Turning the distributor till things clear up and leaving it that way is a country oldschool way like my dad used to do:). Harborfrieght sells timing guns cheap.

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[Avidyn]

I'm with 454man. It doesn't sound like anything was done to time it correctly. Also, you shouldn't be lining anything up with a mark on the firewall. You should be at TDC of your compression stroke on cylinder number 1. Then the rotor lined up with the number 1 plug terminal on the cap when fully seated. From there you can set your initial timing. If it's a stock motor, most SBCs like to run at 8 degrees advance. Don't forget to plug your vacuum advance when setting it. Good luck!

[bake74]

     I am curious now, have you tried to check the timing to see if the marks are lined back up ?

[SUX2BU99]

Yes, I do have a timing light as I mentioned in my post above but I have not yet had the opportunity to use it and see if I'm back in the range of my timing indicator and tape. I'm hoping that I will be, which may prevent the need to replace the balancer. I thought it did slip when I checked my timing with my light and found how off it was (the 0 mark was at about the 12:00 position). I know there are 12:00 timing tabs and balancers but I don't believe my motor is of that type.

That's great about finding TDC at #1 cylinder and all that but I'm a guy who doesn't always have the time and facilities to do it that way. My truck was on my street and rain was coming the next day, I had to get it running and moved. And it isn't "bad" to adjust initial timing by feel of the truck the way it starts, idles and drives. That can get you definitely in the ball park of a good timing setting. Timing lights are definitely more accurate but as for that night, I did what I had to do. Most any distributor replacement instructions I found had recommeneded marking the rotor position and not turning the motor over before dropping the new distributor in as a perfectly fine way of getting the new distributor to be in the same timing position as the previous one. MSD has a great YouTube video saying the exact same thing. For whatever reason that I am not sure about, the Mallory HEI I had in it was "off".