Picked up a 1970 GMC C3500 dump truck that needs some TLC

Degolyerent · Sep 27, 2013

Are you getting power to the distributor?If not have you tried to hot wire it?That way you are bypassing the switch and everything else in the electrical system.
John

Degolyerent · Sep 28, 2013

Just because you have 12v coming off the relay you added does not mean that it is reaching the coil. Did you check it at the coil?

Degolyerent · Sep 28, 2013

pclausen · Sep 28, 2013

Thanks for those trouble shooting pages John!

I'll perform those tests to see what is going no.

Peter (not Paul

)

pclausen · Sep 30, 2013

I pulled the distributor, and it is in pretty rough shape. There's a lot of slop in the shaft and the mechanical advance mechanism is all rusted and the condition of the wires is questionable.

The ignition control module I picked up at NAPA was $42 and that rebuilt kit I posted is $80. So I was looking around on ebay, and came across this:

SBC BBC Chevy 350 383 400 454 496 50K Red Black Hei Distributor 6501 RBK | eBay

So for $40 for a complete HEI distributor, this seems like a no-brainer!

Hopefully Napa will take back the control module. Not sure what their policy is on electrical parts. If the won't, I'll have a spare, which based on earlier comments, might not be a bad idea.

Degolyerent · Sep 30, 2013

There are some low priced distributors on line and at Amazon, some with free shipping
John

FairfaxStu · Sep 30, 2013

Degolyerent said:
There are some low priced distributors on line and at Amazon, some with free shipping
John

Wow, you are correct:

CFR Performance Chevy/GM Small Block/Big Block 65K HEI Distributor : Amazon.com : Automotive

Stimw · Sep 30, 2013

Gotta love GM interchangeability! The price is so cheap because there are so many applications that it fits!

pclausen · Oct 1, 2013

Indeed!

Looks like it it the same vendor selling the HEI in the eBay and Amazon link (SkipWhite vs. WhitePerformanceandMachine respectively).

I had already ordered it from the eBay link when I posted above. Should have it here today or tomorrow. Napa took back the $42 ignition control module, which seems crazy expensive compared to what one can get a whole unit for.

94BULLITT · Oct 1, 2013

pclausen said:
Indeed!

Looks like it it the same vendor selling the HEI in the eBay and Amazon link (SkipWhite vs. WhitePerformanceandMachine respectively).

I had already ordered it from the eBay link when I posted above. Should have it here today or tomorrow. Napa took back the $42 ignition control module, which seems crazy expensive compared to what one can get a whole unit for.

I wonder how reliable this distibutor will be.