O.K. let's see if any one has an answer to this one. I'm gonna pick up a Holly projection set-up for the 70 Lark with a 350. :3gears: Holly states that the ingnition programing portion of the ECU works with 1980 1/2 thru 1990 GM ditributors with a 7-pin module. ou: Does anyone out there know if there was such an animal? I know bout' 80 or so the mighty Buick 350 went out of production. Local parts places just look at me like I'm an idiot. I will get it to work, but the easier the better. I would truely apreciate any info on the subject. thanks in advance.
Don, An 8 cyl. GM HEI is an 8 cyl. GM HEI as far as internal components are concerned. The housings were different depending on the engine family. I would obtain an HEI distributor for the Buick 350. It will have a 4 pin module. Then get a GM 8 cyl HEI with a 7 pin module. I believe the popular 86-87 307 Olds motors used an HEI with the 7 pin module. You can probably swap the wiring and whatever else is different into the Buick HEI. You can probably get an Olds HEI in the boneyard for cheap, or advertise in the Parts Wanted section of this board. Just a thought.
1. Disable the vacuum and centrifugal advance. 2. Add a pair of extension wires to the pickup coil wires, and secure them in the distributor housing. Twist 'em around each other, and make 'em long enough to reach the module when you... 3. Mount the 7-pin module on a small heat sink, (using the recommended heat sink compound and a couple of machine screws) and attach it to the vehicle in any convenient location. Some weather protection would be nice. 4. Connect the B and C terminals of the module to the B and C terminals on the cap with 12-gauge extension wires. 5. Plug in the Pro-Jection to the remaining terminals as appropriate. 6. Leave the power connector where it normally is on the cap--or--supply power to the module. Since you've connected them, either way works. Maybe--just maybe--the 7-pin module could be attached inside the distributor like the original 4-pin. Saves buying a heat sink and a bunch of extra wire.
Not exactly. There are three kinds of pickup coils, and two kinds of ignition coils. They are best considered a "matched set" in that they should be matched to each other AND to the engine family they are used with. Pickup coils can be identified by the color code: generally the plastic connector that plugs into the module will be yellow (Chevy, Cadillac, Olds Toronado) Black (Buick and Olds except Toronado) or clear/no plastic connector (Pontiac) The clear-coded and the black-coded pickup coils are identical except the wires are longer on the clear pickup coil. Ignition coils have red & yellow wires (Chevy, Cadillac, Olds Toronado) or red & white wires (Buick, Olds except Toro, Pontiac) The yellow coded pickup coil should be used with the yellow coded ignition coil. The black or clear pickup coil should be used with the white coded ignition coil. A Buick should end up with a black (or clear) pickup coil, and a red/white ignition coil. Most but not all Olds distributors will have correct parts for swapping into a Buick.
Absolutely, as long as the advance mechanisms are disabled. I guess it would come down to price: Assuming he has a working 4-pin style Buick distributor, can he buy a salvage-yard Olds or Pontiac 7-pin style distributor cheaper than he can buy a 7-pin module and (maybe) the wire harness? Come to think of it, he should be able to use a 7-pin distributor from an 80 1/2 or newer Buick V-6, (when did they go to distributorless ignition?) although he'd have to swap to the 8-cylinder main shaft and pickup coil, and then disable the centrifugal advance. Salvage yards should have plenty of V-6 distributors. I'm thinking that should be the cleanest solution.
and as i expected, the Buick geniuses come thru. Thank you gentalmen for the responses and assistance. Long live the V-8 Buick.
I guess I'm a jonny-come-lately... Good job Schurkey for posting such a consice version of the swap. I had some info on here about it but it wasn't very well organized. Take a look at the bottom of this post: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=106650 And then at this post for a points distributor that I converted: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=107245 Let us know how the holley pro-jection works out for you! :3gears:
