CUTLASS "New" Delco Distributor Build Up.

[69hurstolds]

Once again, I'm jamming parts together trying to make something from nothing.

This time it's a Delco CCC HEI distributor, 1985 VIN 9 307.

Parts list:

Used but excellent shape-
Main shaft, distributor gear, and gear tension pin (3/16" x 7/8").

New Delco/GM parts-
1892261- Terminal block with capacitor to distributor cap
1979733- Terminal block to CCC (4 terminal plug)
1977207- Pole Piece, with coil and plate
10456342 (stamped 908 for older part number 1976908)- Module, Ignition
1977208- Housing, Distributor
383524- O-ring, Distributor housing to block
1892222- Retainer, Pole Piece and Plate
1985474- Coil, HEI red/white wire
1974408- Cap, Distributor
1977026- Rotor, HEI
1875960- Cover, HEI coil

First up, the housing, comes naked except for upper/lower bushings, pole piece anti-rotating pin, and some grease for upper bushing, which it doesn't need:

Here's the instructions for the new housing. Interesting is the notice at the bottom. It says because of the new bushing design, many housings no longer require the upper plastic seal and if not, it isn't included. Ain't that some weird stuff. But once again, it's strange in that I dug out the old grease of the used housing and there's NO HOLES IN THE BUSHING or the housing for the grease to go anywhere. It didn't have a grease seal in it either. So the grease isn't even needed for the upper bushings. So why do they keep adding it in the housing?

 

[69hurstolds]

Man, these CCC HEIs are super simple if you have the parts to build and I think it's a 6 mm or 7/32" socket. Whatever fits. The OEM stuff sometimes uses phillips head screws as well, so be ready for that, just in case.

Pole piece. This is your magnet around the shaft with cutter wheel. The shaft MUST be stable here, the tight clearances between the "star points" where it rotates through the magnetic field. If the bushings are worn, the shaft could wobble and start hitting. Not good. I first opened the box for the pics. Freaked me out because I heard something clattering around in there. It turns out there's some included spacers for something. The 307 does not use any spacers, for the record. Not even sure why they're in there. Oops forgot the retainer pic. It's just a small copper ring you have to watch for. You install the pole piece on upper bushing, then fit the retainer ring in the groove on the top of the bushing to hold the pole piece in place.

Module! This is one of those OLD hang card styles. It's still stamped with the last 3 of the original part number though. Even comes with its own little pack of heat sink grease. I used the Super Lube heat sink grease just cuz. Note the 4 pins on the module have an anti-corrosion goo already applied.

Then the CCC cable from module to computer.

Don't forget the other Terminal block cable from module to the distributor cap! This one has a capacitor. OEM used the round, tubular capacitors, newer Delco units used a newer style.

Here's a close up of the old style capacitor and the new style in the bag.

Then you need an O-ring gasket for the block seal.

More later.

 

[383_StealthRam]

Cool!!

 

[69hurstolds]

New O-ring installed. Tough one to do.

This shows the guts. Not much to it. 4 screws and a clip pretty much. Look close in the center and you can make out the little copper C clip.

Be back later, maybe. Debating on whether to stamp a part number into it or not. Probably won't because it'll look like dog doo doo. But it will look so naked.

 

[383_StealthRam]

One of the interesting things is that Cadillac (4.1, 4.5, 4.9) and Chevy both had versions of the large cap HEI distributors that used 1/4" head screws to hold on cap instead of the spring J hooks. Much more solid retainment, and maybe tiny bit more cap clearance in some cases?

Back when I was running an HEI with the OEM TPI ECM (1227165) I think I used the screw down style which came on 85-86 Corvette IIRC.

Only problem is when I went to get aftermarket performance HEI cap from like MSD, while they did make the screw down type, at the time it was special order only.

In fact I think I still have an MSD screw down HEI cap brand new in box, gonna go look for it tomorrow.