MSD Dizzy swap - any tips?

[DougG69]

Got a little early visit from Sandy Claws, just wanted to see if anybody had any tips to share that might not be in the instructions? As you might guess, I've never done this before (that's what she said).

Distributor is an MSD 8477 vacuum advance.

 

[hbar]

Yay, this is the ONE topic I actually know about. I can repay all the transmission help with distributor help.


suggestion the first: don't accidentally yank out the oil pump drive shaft as you're removing the old dizzy. If you do, a green 7-11 straw is just about the perfect size to get it back in. Most people recommend a McDonalds straw, but I found it to be too big (that's what she said). Gently nudge & turn it until you feel it drop all the way back in (that's what she said).

suggestion the second: Regarding the rotor, most people will say mark the current position before you pull it out (that's what she said), but I find it is easier to bring the engine to TDC and point the rotor at or just slightly CCW of the m/c.

suggestion the third: when you can't get the dizzy nicely seated on the intake, put the cap on, put a fairly thick towel over the cap, and put some downward pressure while you remote-bump the starter. This will help the shaft engage the hole (that's what she said) at the bottom of the distributor shaft.

suggestion the fourth: does the MSD require you to remove the resistance wire? (that's what she said?)


Apologies if you already knew all that.

 

[DougG69]

suggestion the first: don't accidentally yank out the oil pump drive shaft as you're removing the old dizzy.

That's the main thing I was worried about from what I had read on the subject. Anything I can do to minimize the chance of this happening? The engine is a 1971 351 Cleveland if it makes any difference.

suggestion the fourth: does the MSD require you to remove the resistance wire? (that's what she said?)

No, I ran it off the engine guage feed harness coil wire for a while with no issues, although I have since bypassed that completely.

 

[hbar]

That's the main thing I was worried about from what I had read on the subject. Anything I can do to minimize the chance of this happening? The engine is a 1971 351 Cleveland if it makes any difference.

I had taken mine in/out several times (that's what he said to her) before it happened to me. It all happened so fast that I'm not sure what really happened (that's what she said, but not to me of course), but I'm pretty I jerked it out pretty hard (I'll stop now, I'm kinda getting excited) the time the shaft came with it. Allegedly there is some sort of retaining clip that aims to prevent such a thing from happening, but here we are, talking about the thing that isn't supposed to happen. I guess I don't really have good advice on how to make sure it doesn't happen, I just know it's not the end of the world if it does.

Unless you drop the shaft down into the pan. That is pretty much the end of the world.