For some reason my proform hei distributor has malfunctioned twice in the last 6 months. The brass bushing keeps breaking and that causes me to lose spark. I would throw another large cap hei on there but honestly i hate how crowded it is against the radiator hose and intake. I'm thinking about switching to a small cap distributor. I know nothing about small cap distributors with external coils. Please educate me on them and I also need recommendations on what type or brand would work the best with my 350 . Last time it broke I swapped rotors. Not sure what's causing it. I've also tried the low resistince bushing.
You can go to an older point style distributor with an electronic ignition kit. MSD makes a small cap without the window.
You can trigger an MSD box with points distributor. In this particular application the points are nothing more than a switch and the condenser is omitted. The points don't burn up; I adjust my gap with a feeler gauge about once a decade to account for rubbing block wear. Very simple setup.
You're talking about the center button in the cap? I have never seen one break. I've seen them wear, but not break. Is it the same size button as a standard HEI cap? If it is, just buy a quality (I know, hard to find these days) standard HEI cap and use the button. How is it breaking? Do you have a picture of the broken button?
I'm thinking like a flame thrower distributor....billet, something with lots of aftermarket capabilities. TA offers a small cap distributor too. I dont know how much wiring is involved. I need recommendations. And install help. I dont want points or something that's been convertered from points.
In that case get this and the stuff needed to run it: https://www.holley.com/products/fue.../sniper_efi/hyperspark_ignition/parts/565-311
TA markets an MSD type (copy?) of a ready to run distributor, at a much more affordable price. The distributor uses a built in module like a GM HEI, but it is small cap, very easy to wire, AND features a fully adjustable mechanical advance. http://taperformance.com/proddetail.asp?prod=TA_724B You'll need a coil and coil bracket, but you'll be able to use your current HEI ignition wires. MSD offers a ready to run for the 400-430-455, but not the 350. You could easily just change the drive gear, but look at the price difference between the TA and the MSD ready to run. https://www.holley.com/products/ignition/distributors/buick/
Perfect. Is there any advantage to using the pertronix flamethrower or is that basically the same thing as the TA version as well? What coil do you recommend? I doubt I have my original bracket that holds the coil. But I will look around. Less than $300 all said and done sounds good.
I don't like Pertronix products. The TA looks more like the MSD to me. I would call TA and ask them. Ask what coil they recommend.
They make a Pro Billet without vacuum advance, but not a ready to run. Look at my link, https://www.holley.com/products/ignition/distributors/buick/ That just goes to show you what kind of egg heads they have designing their product lines. All they have to do is take the 350 gear that they already produce for the Pro Billet, and stick it on the 400-430-455 Ready to Run, and instantly expand their Buick product line at NO COST. Why wouldn't they do that?
Yes I talked to MSD about the topic, they said it isn’t worth the time and labour costs to swap the gears and offer it for a 350.
I've always used the low resistance button and low .5 resistance coil like GM E core or Ford TFI coil with an HEI small cap or MSD distributor with no issues. Some where I saw a gauge, or you could cut open an old cap to adjust the rotor tension to just touch the button. No gap and not too much tension. Don't use an external ballast resistor or resistor wire. MSD 8412 Low Resistance Bushing for HEI Distributor (holley.com) http://jmspeedcenter.com/msdblasterreplacementcoils-blastertficoil.aspx
That's because it's not as simple as talking to the production manager at the other end of the building. There is probably many forms to fill out and they all have to be translated to Chinese. And even after they did that, the distributors would probably be shipped with Ford 351 gears installed.
