I purchased a HEI distributor for my 87 cutlass. All the emission stuff has been removed, no computer. Pretty much a carb and 12 volts.
OK, first things first...what distributor did you purchase? From where, what brand, what part number, what engine or application? Is your engine still the original 307 V8?
Let's see a pic or two of what you're working with.
The original distributor would have been *computer* controlled, which means without the ECM there isn't going to be any timing advance because it has no vacuum or mechanical advance functionality. Did you get a hold of an older Olds V8 distributor, like from the 1970's era, or aftermarket/performance one for that era engine without any computer control?
Non Computer Control Distributor, notice the vacuum advance canister.
Computer Controlled Distributor, notice no vacuum advance and has the computer four wire plug connector.
To get it the car started I need the rotor to be pointing at the number one cylinder TDC on a compression stroke?
Yes, of course that is your starting point always. Locate #1 cylinder, pull that spark plug and rotate the engine by hand or with a bump starter button until you get compression then continue until you're at TDC (0 degrees) on the timing marks at front of engine balancer.
Another issue I’m having is the balancer has a timing mark. But the metal bracket that reads the degrees is bent out of shape. So I need to find a way to get the correct 0* TDC.
Well, you simply need to find an undamaged one, and replace it since everything else pretty much hinges off it being in place and being accurate. You can also carefully, using various methods confirm the #1 piston is at the TOP of the cylinder, then make a mark (like with some paint/dye marker etc) down by the balancer. As long as you have a 0 degree reference on the balancer you can later use that with a DIAL BACK type Timing Light to set your initial timing.
If you don't have a dial back timing light (knob on the back, or digital style) there are plenty of videos on those and how to use them.
My next issue is wiring the distributor. I know I need a eng/Tach wired up. The distributor I pulled off had a factory plug I needed to disconnect. Would this harness have a tach and a eng wire? I know it needs to be a keyed wire so it shuts off when I turn the car off. From my understanding I should be able to use a pink wire.
What happened to the original PINK wire and TACH wire (if equipped) that connected to the original distributor? You should be able to use both original wires for a distributor that isn't computer controlled. Hopefully they weren't cut from the engine harness? They should be in the harness that runs over by the brake booster, under the wiper motor and back of the fuse panel at the firewall, know as C100.
Terminal D4 = PINK HEI IGN FEED
Terminal A7 = WHITE TACHOMETER (with gauges cluster)
Yes, the HEI Ignition feed for the distributor (coil) is fed directly from the IGN SWITCH on the steering column.
They look like the following...
Replacement pigtail for GM HEI
painlessperformance.com
Tachometer lead for the GM HEI distributor. Includes OEM distributor connector and 6 feet of
painlessperformance.com
My next question is what gauge wire should I use for my splices. 12ga should be fine right? Or does my eng wire need to be a thicker gauge?
The PINK IGN feed should be 12gauge wire, the tach could BROWN or WHITE, doesn't really matter to be honest and be 18-20ga.
Another issue I’m having is the placement of the spark plugs. I know the firing order so can I place my number 1 plug anywhere on the distributor as long as I follow the firing order?
Yes but there is typically a #1 location from the factory. For the 307 Olds V8 it's the post on the back of the cap, on the drivers side. Then they run in sequence counter clockwise, #8, then #4 and so on...
