Doing the HEI conversion on my 68 Cutlass w/rebuilt untested engine. Can someone please provide a guide for lining up the engine for distributor position. I've read that #1 cylinder has to be in the compression stroke.


If this is correct, is there an simple way to tell when #1 is in the compression stroke? Is it a matter of pulling the valve cover and watching the valves move?


New to this so please bear with me.


Thanks


Dave

 

I'm not being a wise guy, but if you do a 'search' you will get more info than you need on 'how to find TDC'.

 

You can remove the valve cover ,watch the #1 intake close and then rotate engine to line up timing mark to TDC. Drop in dist. with rotor pointing to whatever wire you want to be #1 plug wire, then install wires in cap as per firing order.
Or you can remove plug, rotate engine with finger over plug hole and feel the compression.
On a clean engine, fresh VC gasket, I prefer watching the valves. I leave valve covers off when I prime the engine to see oil, then stick in dist.

 

This is the way I do it also. You also need to bypass the resistance wire as the HEI needs full power to work properly. In addition you'll need to disregard the timing settings that you used for a points distributor, the HEI has a different timing curve.

 

Correct, you will need to set the HEI to around 20º initial. Your timing tab likely doesn't go that high, so use a dial-back timing light or mark the balancer with white paint lines for 10º, 20º, 30º, and 40º.

 

stik your finger in #1 lightly, turn over the engine with the dist cap off and watch the rotor, when it blows your finger where is the rotor pointing? start #1 wire there and go counterclockwise the firing order.