A-team Hei Distributor Install In A '66 Dauntless

Hi! I just got the Distributor in the mail, and am just looking at it. I know I have to grind off stuff, but can anyone suggest a few things to do beforehand? I just got it started and it runs-ish but not smooth and doesn't start worth a damn, so that's why the HEI. I also have the updated 2GC with the electric choke but it isn't hooked up because it seems to snag somewhere in the linkage, so. But anyway, I just had it running with the sparkplug gun thing I got from a buddy, he was like gun it beforehand to see where you are at, and it looked like the mark was at zeroish. I have to put some black on it so it shows up better maybe a sharpie on the indicator. Anyway, so I should pull the plugs and put a hose/rubber glove into the #1 hole and spin it until the glove blows up and the mark is at the zero line to get TDC, then watch where the rotor is pointed and pull it out? then (I don't think I will change out the gear yet) I make sure the rotor on the A-Team is pointing the same and I put in it and mark the intake bolt-head with a sharpie for grinding I already pulled the bolt and cleaned it, and anti-sieze and re-torqued it to 50 (45-55lbs according to the book) incase I have to pull the head someday, I don't want 1/2 a bolt-head to fight with.

So that is where I am at, just about to jump in. So any tips would be appreciated. Dude said HEI's were like putting on 50 horsepower, I hope so. I have the summit radiator and a spath 12" fan, so there is plenty of forward room. I just want it to run like it used to, and my current cap has the offset window and when I got the f-er I fricken KNEW it was a bad sign because my old one had a centered window.. Never seemed to run good again, but I got the updated carb at the same time so I have been in a pickle for a while now. I never heard of the offset window thing, so I have been trying to tune this carb for a while. - On that. 1 1/4 turn out on the needles as a starting point right? then twist 'em in or out to get smooth idle? Thanks for any help.

 

if i remember correctly, someone replaced that bolt with a button head one, seemed like a great way to get a bit more clearance

 

and welcome to the forum!

 

THANKS.

 

Just a thought; if your timing is set at 0, I would adjust the timing to something around 6 to 9 degrees advance, before swapping the distributors. The engine might be easier to start.
As far as finding top dead center on #1 cylinder, you can pull a valve cover off & see the intake valve close. Put a small wooden dowel (or screwdriver) in the plug hole, find when the piston tops out with the dowel. I would pull all the plugs, the engine turns over easier.

 

#1 TDC:
Pull the plugs (you can do just #1, but having all of them out makes spinning the engine easier).
Put your finger over the #1plug hole.
Bump the engine till you get compression pressure on your finger.
Keep bumping or rotate the engine using the fan, till the timing mark hits TDC.

 

Can’t you juts line up the notch on the harmonic balance with the zero degree mark on the timing cover? Or is that not for sure tdc on the compression stroke ?

 

I think this is to avoid being 180 degrees off, there is 2 zeroings when the harmonic balancer spins.

 

This will get the engine at TDC, but on the Dauntless you have to install the distributor with #1 in the correct spot due to the odd fire design.

 

It has to point to the #1 plug wire on the cap I think that’s what the instructions said that came with my HEI

 

Even when you find TDC on the compression stroke, you then have to line up the oil pump drive to get the distributor to drop in all the way. Take your time to get it all correct!
-Donny

 

Fellas, any truth to this? If so, I might do away with my Prestolite distributor and sacrifice originality. I thought a well tuned points setup can work as well as HEI and going HEI only was done for the reliability improvement.

John

 

Make sure when you replace the intake manifold hex head inset bolt closest to the distributor where the grinding needs to be done it has a flat bottom.
I made the mistake of using a tapered bottom bolt and a small part of the manifold cracked off. It does not leak anything there but is really bothers me.

 

My observation is the Dauntless with an HEI will fire up with very little cranking on damp humid days, as opposed to a fair amount of cranking and sputtering with points. Better plug wires on the HEI might are part of the improvement.
If someone believes stuff like this adds noticable HP, you deserve to have your wallet pilfered. Just a proper tune-up can add HP if the engine is running on 4 cylinders out of six.
-Donny

 

Sage advice as always Donny. Thanks! Your answer is what I expected. Unless the A-Team distributor is doing something majorly beneficial with vacuum or mechanical advance, I can't see that HEI would offer much benefit power wise over points and condenser (if all is set up right.) My old fall back for any ignition or spark mod is, if what you've got is burning all the available fuel/air mixture completely and timely, there's nothing more to be had by any ignition or spark mod (with equivalent timing.)

John

 

I didn't want to be negative but I tried an A team distributor and It was cheap and I got what I paid for.

 

I just put a HEI in my Dauntless yesterday. I noticed it starts easier and has a smoother idle but did not notice any HP gain.

 

The HEI eliminates a number of maintenance tasks making tuneups much simpler. You can also open the plugs up a bit and run a tad more advance, which usually helps with economy.
Now the addition of a mild cam and 4BBL manifold will add some HP.