225 V6 HEI hitting thermostat housing

1971 CJ5 Buick 225 V6. I did the HEI upgrade on my Dauntless and it runs perfect. When I set it up the first time I tried pointing the vacuum advance to the passenger side but I couldn't get it to time correctly because the va was contacting the thermostat housing. No big deal, I just spun everything 180 and it came out great.

Now I am in the middle of a saginaw power steering upgrade and the vacuum advance is in the way of the power steering pump mount. If I could set my distributor a few teeth off I could clear the coolant line but it will only set one of 2 ways which I have already explained.

I may be out of luck because of the HEI that I bought, ebay special, I have heard some bad things about them. Any help would be great.

Thanks,
Wes

 

You are not allowed to spin the distributor 180 degrees if you have a 225 or 231 odd-fire engine. Only three clocking locations are valid - 0/360, 120 and 240. The engine fires at 45-75-45-75-45-75 at the distributor, or 90-150-90-150-90-150 at the crank. If you turn the distributor 180 degrees, you mix up the firing order.

 

Thanks, I can't do that with mine because my distributor gear will only fully engage the cam gear in two spots.

 

I turned the entire assembly 180 degrees. When it would not time with the va pointing to the passenger side I removed the cap, housing, rotor, etc, and started the timing procedure over again. Doing it this way it doesn't matter where you start as long as #1 cylinder is tdc.

If I could just turn my assembly a few teeth it would be ok but for some reason my gear will not allow me to do so.

Thanks for the replies, my problem may be the off brand dizzy.

 

After thinking about it today and answering you guys back it has helped me realize the error of my ways.

I can move the spark plug wires to change the #1 cylinder position for the rotor allowing me to position the va where ever I need it. Of course with it being an odd fire I will have to move 2 wire positions instead of one.

Thanks for your help guys, for some reason I wasn't even thinking about moving the wires. Thinking to hard I guess.

 

I was so excited today thinking I had the orientation of the distributor figured out. So I went straight to the garage when I got home from work and started moving the plug wires. I tried every single position possible, a total of six, and only one will actually work because of clearance issues.

So, if I want to use this dizzy it will have to be without power steering. In order to install my ps pump I will have to get another HEI, this one is just way too bulky.

 

Warloch, what HEI did you install. I may have to try your style since yours works with the va forward. If I try that orientation with mine one of the screw lugs for the cap contacts the engine and I can't put the cap back on.

 

Ok thanks again.

 

Good information thanks. I didn't know that about the OF caps. I am going to get one of the HEIs you recommend and give it another shot.

 

This is very important when properly setting up for #1 location. Yeah there are many out there running with the plug wires in the wrong place and will probably be replacing cap and rotors prematurely and possibly the coil also.

 

Arent there 2 different power steering pump mount locations? Do you have a high mount power steering pump? I have HEI from NAPA on my 225 and a power steering pump and have no clearance issues though I did have to grind the intake manifold. My timing cover is off at the moment so I cant take a picture, maybe later today.
Jon

 

Neither style power steering pump interferes with HEI.

 

I have a low mount and the way this HEI is designed it does interfere with the pump mount.

 

Do you have a pic? I've installed a few low mounts and high mounts and never had it interfere with HEI if the HEI was clocked correctly.
I have a low mount on my 231 with HEI with no interference.

 

There are 2 pics at the beginning of the thread. I think that I may have bought an HEI that won't work with my ps upgrade. I haven't given up on it yet but exploring other options.

 

Re-clock your distributor like Warloch suggested. Problem solved. It's the installation location (rotation) of the distributor that is the issue, not the distributor itself.