cutsupreme72

I recently converted to HEI on my 72 (350 ROCKET) I'm sure the 455 is the same but your firing order maybe different. After reading many posts, articles, etc. It seemed I got so much information it made my head spin. So for the New guys or the guys wanting to convert I tried to chronicle my install and put it simple, hoping it saves somoenes' sanity! Remember this advice comes from a diesel mechanic so Spark isn't my expertise, so the ego is left at home LOL!!!!! But I got it in, running great and seems I have better pickup, smoother idle and acceleration. (I'm thinking this is due to better airflow with the air cleaner and a better spark bridge with the wider gap. I know it's a heated battle between points and hei, but I chose HEI as I grew up with the newer style ignition in most of my cars (i'm an 80's child )Truth be told in my eyes points are for those all knowing older generation wizards who grew up adjusting the dwell,etc. I tip my hat to you! This was before we invented all the electronics that have lead to societies decline LOL!!! So without further discussion of which one is better (there are tons of threads that will battle that question.) Here's my install

I bought a Pertronix flamethrower HEI, Pertronix Flame thrower Wires 8mm, NGK 5858 an edelbrock air cleaner (kind of small but I didn't know how much clearance I would have) So I'll Upgrade later.

1. I pre wired all of my connections to thru the firewall to the hei. using 12ga wire. The Hei will require 12v which thru this forum and other places I determined the best spot would be at the fuse panel marked IGN. I then took this opportunity to put an inline 30A fuse in this wire and equip it with a kill switch under the dash which will remove the 12v from the distributor rendering it useless to thieves. This run looks like this

Fuse Panel (IGN)-----------(fuse 30A)----------(Kill Switch)-----(12v dist)

The distributor grounds to the engine block so this connection is done, except for people with OCD like me!!! I noted that this distributor had a tach signal next to the 12v on the dist. I decided this would be an excellent time to install a tach in the original gauge cluster! The connections will be with your tach instruction sheet so I won't get into too much detail here, but if you have questions feel free to ask.

So now you should have 2 wires (or one if you don't want the tach) running thru your firewall ending up right around where the current distributor is.

Next pre gap the NGK plugs to .45 (thanks classic olds) Remove the air cleaner.

Here's what I did step by step and this will help!

1. Get a print out of firing order and picture with dist. (they turn counter) I have included a link later on in this thread with the diagram you need for the 350 rocket.

2. remove the vacuum line to the distributor and plug it.

3. Start the car and note the timing. Mine was set at 9DEG (i'll use this throughout the post, yours may be different)

4. Disconnect the battery, I then removed the cap of the distributor and set it aside, Find #1 this will be the closest wire to the radiator (front of the car) on the drivers side. pull that plug off of the engine and dist cap. this way you'll have a basis on where to start from. (LEAVE ALL OTHER WIRES ON!!!!!

5. You will see the rotor (top piece usually plastic with a metal point on it.
It's best to have it point to cyl.1 which would need to be on top dead center. to do this you may need 2 people. I climbed under the car with a 1 and 1/16 socket and manually turned the engine until the line on the balancer is aligned with the 0 mark. when this is accomplished your rotor should point to #1 Cylinder. If it doesn't you may have a slipped balancer.

6. Now that the rotor is pointing to #1 (Closest to the radiator on the driver side) leave it there so you can line the new distributor up the same way.

7. There is a vacuum advance on the distributor. note where it points. I used a marker and made a mark on a part nearby that lined up with it.

8. Take off the old coil from the block. one wire will be hooked to the distributor 2 wires will be separate. I cut the two wires that didn't connect to the distributor, crimped them off and taped them up. (in case I sell in future (not likely) and they want to switch back.

9. There is a 9/16 bolt on the drivers side under the distributor with a clamp down on it. remove the bolt and the hold down. Now pull the distributor. (maybe tough but a little jiggle here and there should get it.

10. Time to install the new distributor. put liberal amount of oil on the gear at the bottom of the distributor. put distributor in so that the point on the rotor will point at #1 again. This will probably take a few tries as the rotor will spin as the gear goes into the engine. so if it is too far back turn it forward a tiny bit, slip it in and see what happens, in the end after a few adjustments I got it pointing at #1. Put the distributor cap back on. #1 should be at the 5 o'clock position on the distributor cap.

11. put the 9/16 bolt back in (snug but not too tight.) You will want to use this to set timing later so it should be snug but adjustable.

12. point the vacuum advance on the dist at the mark you made before removal.

13. (Remove Spark Plug) in firing order. So #1 first, put new plug in, remove old wire and replace with new wire on new distributor cap.
Here is the firing order I used so we are on the same page.
http://www.justanswer.com/car/0vrfv-...rder-1972.html
Now do the same to #8 one closest to firewall on passenger side. follow for 4.3.6.5.7.2 (please do one at a time) this will save you hassle later on.

14. So now we have the distributor in, new wires, new plugs. Battery reconnected it's time to see where we stand. (first remember you have a kill switch now) if you did my method. (remember to turn it on!!! LOL!!) set your timing light at the previous 9DEG. we noted with the old dist. Start the car. point the timing light at the balancer and we need to get the line to line up with the timing mark when set to 9 DEG. if it's off turn the distributor (make real slight adjustments) until you get that 9 degrees.

15. fully tighten that 9/16 bolt down and recheck your timing. (9Degrees)

16. car should be running smoothly, push down the gas pedal and make sure you have no shakes or shudders, If you do you may have crossed wires in which the diagram really helps.

17. Plug the vacuum hose back in You now have HEI in its most simple form. Now for springs, vacuum advance, curve, etc. this site has a ton of good info, from people with far more knowledge than I. You can ask them and adjust the distributor to your style of driving. The above instructions are just what I used and made it really simple for me to install. I guess I lost my mind when I heard of different plug types, vacuum advances, curves, springs, settings, adjustments. I just want my car to run and run well, and the above instructions helped it out a lot!! If you have corrections or suggestions feel free to chime in, please just keep it simple for the sake of us new guys (remember you are talking to people with minimal knowledge of HEI systems but knowledgeable enough to buy an olds! You guys are very knowledgeable and I appreciate the comments, threads, etc!

Greg Rogers

Thanks for the info, Great job.

j442

Cutsupreme72,

Great step by step instructions for improving ones' ignition system! Thanks for the thread! Great choice for automobile type!...Oldsmobile rocks!.... Good luck with your Supreme! Happy cruising!!!....

oldcutlass

Very informative!

Please note, the kill switch is an exercise in futility. Most know that a hot wire to your "batt" terminal and a screwdriver across the starter terminals and it's up and running. A column lock is a 2 second delay.

TripDeuces

"all knowing older generation wizards who grew up adjusting the dwell"

That's me! At least the older part is correct

Great thread btw

joe_padavano

I challenge any thief to stick a screwdriver across the terminals of an Olds starter without a floor jack and a fair amount of time on his hands.

Given the access problem, one could consider headers an anti-theft device! I wonder if I can get an insurance discount because of them?

cutsupreme72

Quick question on the kill switch idea, you have me thinking now! wouldn't you have to jump a wire from the battery 12v to the hei itself to get power to the coil? and then jump the starter? with the switch off, the power can crank all day and the hei will never get the 12v. it needs. Jumping the starter would only make it crank over but not start as the 12v isn't getting to the coil, am I wrong on this? @ Tripdeuces- no disrespect intended, I'll be logging on to this site when I'm older and the younger guys will probably be discussing flux capacitation ignition referring to me as a HEI dinosaur. I did also brush on epoxy on the starter bolts as well as have a club on her at all time, Gotta love the greater Los Angeles area! Thanks for all your comments! I've been wanting this car since I could learn to drive! Between her and the boat I'll die a broke man but with a smile on my face!

joe_padavano

Which is why the prior post said this:

That's a reference to the BATT terminal on the HEI.

oldcutlass

I suppose headers would slow ya down a bit.