Distributor swap help
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Freshman User
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Distributor swap help
Okay so to start this off I have a 86 f150 300 straight 6 with the 4 speed manual now when I bought the truck the guy had gutted all the emissions off of it so now I'm having a problem with the timing and all that so I've been reading and there's no clear-cut choice on what distributor to use I'd like to buy one new that's vacuum advance so that way my motor will solely run off no computer or anything like that because I plan on building it. Jegs sells a vacuum advance distributor but how do you wire it up and all that is my concern. I've replaced almost every gasket on the motor plan on doing the clutch and everything like that I'm very mechanically inclined but when it comes to electronics I'm not that good and I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to do any help is greatly appreciated
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
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From: Angier, NC
Welcome to FTE.
The HEI is one way to go.
BTW what are the 2 wires? I thought it only needed 1 - 12 volt power?
The other is to get an 80-82 dist for the 300 six and the IGN box they used, this is known as a DSII swap.
If you do a search for DSII swap it will have the information you need for wiring.
If you have junk yards close you can get all the parts, dist. / IGN box / harness from any car / truck / van that did not use a feed back system.
Any of them can also be v8 for parts other than the dist.
Also know that Painless makes a harness that is now so painless in the pocket book, to plug this all together.
You can also use a points dist. and convert it to electronic with a kit but you then have a small cap and if the spark is high amp can cross fire to another plug and why the larger caps on later cars & trucks.
Dave ----
The HEI is one way to go.
BTW what are the 2 wires? I thought it only needed 1 - 12 volt power?
The other is to get an 80-82 dist for the 300 six and the IGN box they used, this is known as a DSII swap.
If you do a search for DSII swap it will have the information you need for wiring.
If you have junk yards close you can get all the parts, dist. / IGN box / harness from any car / truck / van that did not use a feed back system.
Any of them can also be v8 for parts other than the dist.
Also know that Painless makes a harness that is now so painless in the pocket book, to plug this all together.
You can also use a points dist. and convert it to electronic with a kit but you then have a small cap and if the spark is high amp can cross fire to another plug and why the larger caps on later cars & trucks.
Dave ----
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
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From: Brentwood,CA
The HEI distributors have 3 wires coming out. Green for tach ( optional), Red 12v+ switched, Black Ground. Don't make the mistake of hooking the ground up to the distributor body as some people do.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,935
Likes: 4,124
From: Angier, NC
All I have ever heard of is just needing the switched 12 volt power as the dist. it's self is grounded thru the body.
Even GM used a 10ga. wire to power the HEI dist. and it is called a 1 wire hook up.
IIRC the other 2 wires were for the tach that plugged into the dist.
Now the hardest part of the HEI is getting 112 volt to the dist.
You cant use the switched power the truck uses as it is not 12 volts.
But you can use it to switch on / off a relay that will power the HEI dist. with 12 volts.
Because of the relay wiring and I don't like the big HEI dist. I would go with a 80-82 300 six dist. and IGN box and wire it up like factory but that's me.
BTW I did run an HEI (Chevy 250 six dist. was a drop in) on a 73 Toyota L/C 238 six and it worked great when I was racing it.
Dave ----
Even GM used a 10ga. wire to power the HEI dist. and it is called a 1 wire hook up.
IIRC the other 2 wires were for the tach that plugged into the dist.
Now the hardest part of the HEI is getting 112 volt to the dist.
You cant use the switched power the truck uses as it is not 12 volts.
But you can use it to switch on / off a relay that will power the HEI dist. with 12 volts.
Because of the relay wiring and I don't like the big HEI dist. I would go with a 80-82 300 six dist. and IGN box and wire it up like factory but that's me.
BTW I did run an HEI (Chevy 250 six dist. was a drop in) on a 73 Toyota L/C 238 six and it worked great when I was racing it.
Dave ----
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,738
Likes: 217
From: Northern VA
All I have ever heard of is just needing the switched 12 volt power as the dist. it's self is grounded thru the body.
Even GM used a 10ga. wire to power the HEI dist. and it is called a 1 wire hook up.
IIRC the other 2 wires were for the tach that plugged into the dist.
Now the hardest part of the HEI is getting 112 volt to the dist.
You cant use the switched power the truck uses as it is not 12 volts.
But you can use it to switch on / off a relay that will power the HEI dist. with 12 volts.
Because of the relay wiring and I don't like the big HEI dist. I would go with a 80-82 300 six dist. and IGN box and wire it up like factory but that's me.
BTW I did run an HEI (Chevy 250 six dist. was a drop in) on a 73 Toyota L/C 238 six and it worked great when I was racing it.
Dave ----
Even GM used a 10ga. wire to power the HEI dist. and it is called a 1 wire hook up.
IIRC the other 2 wires were for the tach that plugged into the dist.
Now the hardest part of the HEI is getting 112 volt to the dist.
You cant use the switched power the truck uses as it is not 12 volts.
But you can use it to switch on / off a relay that will power the HEI dist. with 12 volts.
Because of the relay wiring and I don't like the big HEI dist. I would go with a 80-82 300 six dist. and IGN box and wire it up like factory but that's me.
BTW I did run an HEI (Chevy 250 six dist. was a drop in) on a 73 Toyota L/C 238 six and it worked great when I was racing it.
Dave ----
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Freshman User
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So what do I hook the 12v wire too? I'm confused reading through the post. I'll probably just go the hei route and finish deleting emissions.
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From: Virginia
Simplest for you will be to run a new wire from the dist to the fuse box. Use a fuse tap and find a fuse, probably the blower motor circuit will handle it. Otherwise you need to run your new wire straight to the ignition switch on top of the steering column behind the dash.
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FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,935
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From: Angier, NC
Simplest for you will be to run a new wire from the dist to the fuse box. Use a fuse tap and find a fuse, probably the blower motor circuit will handle it. Otherwise you need to run your new wire straight to the ignition switch on top of the steering column behind the dash.
I think the hardest part is running a 10ga fused power wire to the relay. I would mount the relay where the factory box would be on the fender well.
The fused power can run across the radiator support out of the way to the relay.
Where on the fuse box can you get a high amp lug? I just don't think the fuse box will be enough power for the HEI unit and why the relay.
Just my .02
Dave ----
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