We have a 1972 cutlass 350 rocket and my husband is considering changing the distributer to electronic . He has been advised the engine will run better and that the 1976 olds electronic distributer will fit our car without any modifications to the firewall. Have any of you guys done this or recommend doing this? Thanks for your help as always..

 

Depending upon how original you want to keep the engine appearance, I would suggest installing a Pertronics unit under the distributor cap of your original distributor. It replaces the mechanical points and condensor and gives you "electronic" ignition. That's what I did to my '68 4-4-2 and it starts and runs like a champ. I also installed a similar unit in my '71 Corvette for the same reason.

Randy C.

 

Go with the Pertronix. I just did this on my 72 442 with a 350. It doesnt really give it any more power, but it starts up much easier and runs smoother. Plus you don't have to screw around with points ever again. It'll run like it just had a tune up everytime, as long as everything else is kosher with the engine.

Pretty cheap and easy upgrade. I used the Pertronix Flame Thrower II coil also. The only thing that was a little tricky with the installation was removing the resistor wire that powers the stock coil/distributor. The pertonix requires a full 12 volts of power. However the stock resistor wire only supplies about 6 volts.

There are alot of threads on this forum about this issue and how to address it.

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah - the Pertronix (or similar - there are several brands with good reputations) is easy to install, and won't affect your timing.
An HEI distributor has different mechanical and vacuum timing curves, and you'll end up having to recurve it sooner or later.

Bottom line, though, is that all you'll gain is ease of maintenance, and maybe some reliability (I have never found points to be unreliable, myself), like MaxDog said, so don't expect too much.

- Eric

 

Thanks for your responses. My husband feels he needs to replace the whole distributer..so what should he do..buy factory replacement then put the pertronix in it? Or should we go another route and buy a whole pertronix distributer?

 

As one whom has been stranded twice due to electronic ignition pickups crapping out when hot (always far from home on weekends per Murphy's law), I would advice against changing to electronic for normal driving in a weekend car.
When points start to fail, you would get some early warning signs like roughness. I have 8000 miles on a set of points and it still runs perfect - have not touched them.
In fact she idles so smooth I often look at the tach to see if the engine died...

If racing or a high mileage driver then electronic may be 'better' for high RPMs or less maintanence in between module failures.

 

Rob, could it be that your factory fusible link was left intact and that's what caused the ignition to fail? I have never been left on the side of the road from a Pertronix or MSD electronic distributor. I believe the only problem I ever had was out of an HEI before I knew about the fusible link / resistor wire in the ignition.

 

The failures happened in the Ford and the Harley - stock electronic ignition systems. Lady has always been points and shall remain so.
Electronics and engine heat do not mix...

 

Gotcha...

I remember that about the Harley's...my FIL has a 2012 UC Limited and with less than 1,000 miles it left him stranded. It was an ignition fuse or something...crazy! You're right about points though...an extra set in the glove box with a screw driver and you're set for a cross country cruise lol!

 

I had an aftermarket electronic ignition in my BMW motorcycle for a few years - a Dyna III.
One day, on the NJ Turnpike, headed North, just after the split, at 75mph, it just died.
I managed to get over to the side without being killed, pulled out my test light and spare set of points (I'd left the condenser installed), swapped in the points, and never looked back.

I would never install an electronic ignition system without carrying a backup set of points (or an ignition module if HEI - I had one fail without warning just a few months ago).

I said "maybe some reliability" because it all depends on your luck .

- Eric

 

Either way please be aware that 40 yr old distributor grease is no longer greaselike. It's like cheese that's been left out too long. Therefore, the upper bushing is no longer well lubricated.

Your factory distributor will have the best tailored ignition curve for your engine as long as is is still stock.

Replacing the grease in the distributor, and the bushings if worn excessively, is a pretty easy job, as long as you have basic tools and maybe 1 special reamer.

http://www.realoldspower.com/phpBB2/...hlight=1111470

 

Along with all the other suggestions...The distributor is one place to pick up some performance and economy. Do not simply stab a 76 HEI in to your car. Yes it will fit but the advance curves will be wrong for an earlier performance engine. Either go with the petronics in your existing dist or order yourself a new HEI. By the time you’re done screwing around with a junk yard distributor you could have a new one for the same dollars. Either way you should tune the vac and centrifugal advance curves. Several companies now offer a new small cap distributor with little pots on it to adjust the cent and vac adv curves taking out hours or test & tune time. Your other option is to have a standard converted (to breaker less) or HEI sent out and have the curves custom tuned by someone with a distributor machine.
Do you need further advice on how to super tune the curves?

 

HEI's do fail but rarely. I have seen/had a couple fail with bad pick ups. Keep the points in trunk as a spare. The 76 HEI will work fine.

 

A few comments. First, if your points ignition system is in good shape, you will see NO difference when you install an electronic unit. Keep in mind that the only reason automakers initially went to electronic, high voltage ignition systems was to meet EPA requirements that new cars had to comply with emissions requirements after 50,000 miles WITH NO TUNEUP. Now, newer cars with coil-on-plug crank-triggered systems do get a performance benefit by tailoring the spark timing to each individual cylinder, but simply swapping to a factory or aftermarket electronic distributor does not provide this. It simply fires the spark plug at a pre-determined time.

Personally I'll take a GM-engineered product over an aftermarket one if at all possible, and a factory HEI is a fine choice that has been used many, many times. You DO need to have the distributor advance curves changed to match the needs of your engine. Frankly, your original distributor probably needs it too, since the available fuel quality has changed since your car was new.

Bottom line is that either way works (factory-style HEI or aftermarket electronic). Final choice is up to you.

 

I would suggest using a Pertronix kit. I used on in my 64 98 and it worked like a champ.

I changed my 71 98 to a Summit HEI distributor. It works ok. The HEI module did fail on me once though.

 

One more thought. If the electronic distributor breaks down on the road, you can walk into any auto parts store anywhere in the country and get parts for a factory HEI distributor. That is not the case for an aftermarket electronic unit.

 

For the price of the conversion, you can buy a lifetime set of points, timing gun, and dwell meter.
It takes about 15 minutes every couple years to replace and set.
One other aspect if you're interested. Most cars will perform better more initial timing, faster advance, and shorter curve. With a $10 spring/bushing kit you can easily set up the timing while you're putting in the points.

 

Joe has a good point. Luckily, when my HEI moduel failed I was able to buy a stock replacement from the parts store. The HEI distributor I bought from Summit is just a stock clone. FWIW, they market it as "heavy duty."

 

I still have factory points on one car, it runs great. The distributor was damaged and I upgraded to factory HEI on another car, it runs great. I notice no difference in how they start, run or drive based on the ignition. A recurve is a good idea. Unless a distributor is damaged, you're planning on high-RPM racing, or you just hate tuning your car up, I see no need to swap.

 

Pearls of wisdom that I found out too late. BTW, it DID affect my timing. I don't think the dist was re-curved.

I disagree with part of your statement. From a performance point of view - no argument about no difference AS LONG as the dist is re-curved. Sad to say, I had it done in a shop and it's totally bollixed up now so I need to do it myself when it warms up. Starts fine, but runs like crap at low idle. The part that I disagree with about no change? If HEI goes in, the stock air cleaner will no longer fit on the air horn without hitting the dist cap. Something I found out when the HEI went in. Didn't want to add shims to the air horn, so I modified the air cleaner.

I still have my OEM points style distributor c/w replacement OEM cap/points/condensors. I'm not at all happy with the HEI that's in the car now so it will likely be coming out this spring and stock going back in. Just need to overhaul the original dist first.

 

I have had them all and the points work fine!!! you can add a msd6 and the points will trigger that and it will give you some performance increase, but there is nothing like points you can adjust replace them quickly and have spare sets in the car and those rascal condensers which are the culprit many times in problems from a point dist. Hei dont fit well with 14 or 17 inch breathers. Mallory has great points and a super condenser then your set.

 

If I wanted to have my vacuum and mechanical advance curves checked and recalibrated where would i find the specs required for a specific build?
Thanks.

 

The specs are 34-36 degrees total at around 3,000 RPM and approximately 10-12 degrees vacuum. Main concerns are to get close to these numbers, keep initial advance low enough that hot starts aren't a problem, and make sure it doesn't detonate at high RPM or cruising throttle tip-in. I personally wouldn't trust a shop to do this. Not that they COULDN'T, it's easy to do, but it takes a bit of trial and error and I like to make sure it's done just right.

 

Part of the enjoyment of these great old cars is the ability to make adjustments on the points...timing...fuel mixture etc....you cant really do that with cars today