i have the parts i need, the switch will include a carburetor also.

my questions are

Should i take it to a grage and have them install it?

im not familiar with changing a Distributor at all.

ive heard other say how easy it was. i dont have that kind of Know how.


P.s. i live in amarillo if anyone wants to come by and install it

 

Replacing the dizzy is NOT hard. Pull the number one plug (passenger front on small block ford) and rotate the crank with a 15/16" socket until you feel air being pushed by your finger. This is the compression stroke. Put a screwdriver into the sparkplug hole and slowly rotate the engine more, until the piston is up as far as it will go (you may go to far and have to back it up a couple times to get it right). You are now at Top Dead Center. Look at the balancer and you should see the 0 under the pointer. Rotate the engine back to 10 degrees before top dead center. Remove the dizzy you have now, and install the new one with the rotor pointed towards the number one plug location.

On wiring up the iginition. If you google for Duraspark Wiring Diagram there area few great ones out there. here is a little more help on that.

White wire on the ignition module goes to the small lug at the top of your relay (this is 12volts engaging the starter relay when the key is turned to crank).
Red wire goes to a key-on 12 volts.

Purple goes to purple on the dizzy
orange goes to orange on the dizzy
black goes to black on the dizzy
One other wire from the ignition module ( can't remember color) goes to the - (NEG) side of the coil.

+ side of coil goes to key'ed 12 volts

Remember to ground the module WELL. remove the paint from where you mount it too!

 

Why? Oh, you explained - you're not sure how. It's easy, it just pulls straight up and out.
But I would strongly suggest first marking someplace on the engine exactly where the
rotor is pointing as well as exactly where the base of the distributor is oriented with
respect to the rest of the engine. When you pull it out, the rotor is gonna twist, um, I
think counter-clockwise; it'll twist back upon re-installation (or, in your case, the
replacement will also twist the opposite direction). This is caused by the cam & dizzy
gears (un)meshing, you'll understand when you see it apart.

IOW install the replacement in exactly the same place as the existing.

No matter what you do, do NOT crank the engine with the distributor removed, else you
just introduced yourself to a whole lot more work to get the timing set correctly.

Alternatively, if you don't want or can't for some reason install the replacement
dizzy in the exact old position, you can orient your #1 cylinder at TDC and begin with
0* BTDC timing. But getting #1 to TDC (top-dead center) while on the compression
stroke and not the exhaust stroke can be a PITA.

You might let google be your friend, I'm sure somethin' like this has been well-
documented out on the 'net. Just don't rush, do your homework ahead of time.

-chris

 

Please do not stick a screwdriver in the spark plug hole and rotate the motor, use something soft and unbreakable like a straw!

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

very helpful. i just dont know anyone who could help me or show me how to install the dizzy. im afraid of messin something up.

 

Use google, read a bunch, and overcome your fears. Haynes/Chilton might have
something, too. The Ford shop manuals are marvelous, you can sometimes find 'em on
eBay pretty cheap. The worst that can happen is it won't run and/or it'll backfire through
the carb.

Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Read as much as you can, ask questions, and build
up your self-confidence.

 

i have a haynes manual. i may go read through it and see if it expl,ains anything, id love to see a video of all this stuff being done. would really help me along.
also, i went to the junkyard and cant seem to find a truck with the carb i need. Mostly because everyone got to them. i know im lookin for a 1980 F350 most of the time its all gone. is there any other carb that will fit and run on my 1985 ford f150? lookin for a NON feedback.

 

The internet is your friend! No lie, four years ago I bought my first vehicle, a 93 Toyota 4-Runner. It took me 2 HOURS to change the oil, because I couldn't find the oil filter! Now, today, four, almost five years later, I have a garage and carport full of Mustangs, Thunderbirds and Camaros/Firebirds from friends and customers wanting me to build their engine. You can do ANYTHING you want to if you read enough... And a vehicle specific forum is the BEST place to learn!

 

thanks, im sure with enough reading and learning ill be able to do it.

anyone take a look at my post before hickfields?

 

The distributor cap has a “1” on it. When the rotor is pointed to the “1” it will be at top dead center on number one give or take a little. So if you pull the distributor at this point and install the new one so it twists in at the same point you will be close enough to get it to run to adjust the timing.

You will have to change the oil pump drive shaft to the new distributor.

 

Cracked Cylinder Diagnosis: Remove the Distributor | Expert Village Videos

Just because you're installing it on your truck doesn't mean it needs to come from a
truck just like yours, it can come from a car, too. I'm imaging you'll want a 600-650
CFM Holley or Motorcraft, non-feedback (which most are).

I'd be leary of JY carbs because you don't know their condition and what the PO may
have done, you don't know if it even works. OTOH there's a fairly good chance IMHO
that it'll at least run assuming you don't tinker with it or try to adjust it before trying to
use it. You can re-build it later (which it most probably will need but it just depends).

You don't want to change too much at once and replace too many known-working
components with those of unknown operational ability at the same time because, if
there's a problem (say, it won't start) you can spend a LOT of time trying to find the
problem. The general rule is to change one thing at a time; if it doesn't work, change
it back. Of course there are exceptions but that's a general rule. If you go replace your
carb AND your dizzy AND the ignition all at the same time and you have no idea if
any of those parts even work, you could be opening yourself up to a lot of pain.

I'll also suggest craigslist, you can at least talk to the owner and get some warm,
fuzzy feelings about it (and maybe even see/hear it in use before it's removed).

JY carbs are cheap but of unknown origin & operational capability. A brand-new carb
is your bst option but the most expensive. Craig's List, eBay are somewhere in
between.

You might also hang out in/ask questions in/search the archives of the forum for your
particular engine. I don't remember what size engine you have but let's pretend it's a
302 or 351W, so go here:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum55/

That expert village thing is kinda cool, you might use the search engine on it to find
other videos of things you're unsure of. Also try ehow.com as another source.

You're doing the right thing by asking specific questions, keep it up.

-chris

 

alright, i have to change the carb along with the dizzy because its a feedback carb, if i change out the dizzy the crappy carb has to go also. and if i change the dizzyu i need that DSII in there also.

i have a 1985 ford F150, i have been told that i want to find a carb from a 1980 F 350.

after searching autozone, im not sure which to get. because i dont understand what the California Y1 and all that means, im assuming i need that carb that works when its heated by hot air or hot water. correct?

 

He has a 300 Inline six. None of these were installed in cars as original.

You do not want a California carb. Compatibility issues.

You want a Carb for Federal emissions (49 state). Preferably for a 1980 F-350, with your engine and transmission. This way no smog crap to worry about.

Do not get one from a junkyard, unless you want to do a carb rebuild to it first.

EDIT: If you can't find one for a 1980 F-350, try 1980 F-250.

 

Why each and every one of those parts should be new or rebuilt condition. All three have to be replaced, in order for the conversion to work properly. He's doing a duraspark II conversion, from TFI-IV/EEC IV, and doing away with the EEC-IV altogether. He has no choice to replace all three at the same time if he wants a properly running engine.

 

Precisely right Explorer. thanks for clarifying. it all has to be done in one shot.

also i have two more questions,

ive seen a diagram showing one of the wires from the Duraspark box leadign to another, do i need to remove a wire from one of the plugs? and attach it to another?

and my 2nd question is what smog parts do i need to "take off" i need specific names and where i can find them. i cant find a duraspark step by step anywhere.

EDIT: i was told i need to take off the black computer box that sits on the side right next to the coil in my truck, there seems to be rubber hoses and some electrical things coming off of it? do i need to remove everything that attachs to that?