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I Need A Distributor For A 231 Buick V6 Any Suggestions

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Jim Curlee, Jul 21, 2022.

  1. Jul 24, 2022
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
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    4,170
    Yes, both odd and even fire engines were made in ‘77. Early in the year were odd-fire, and late production was even-fire. I have no idea the months the change happened.
    -Donny
     
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  2. Jul 24, 2022
    Jim Curlee

    Jim Curlee New Member

    northern Minnesohta
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    Jul 20, 2022
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    31
    Pulled the plugs, stuffed a screwdriver down the plug holes, none of the piston locations matched the odd fire block, except the #1 cylinder.
    I'm ordering the even fire distributor.
    Thanks for the help, guys.

    Jim
     
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  3. Aug 3, 2022
    Jim Curlee

    Jim Curlee New Member

    northern Minnesohta
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    Jul 20, 2022
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    Wow, what a difference the correct parts make, my engine is now running like it should, even got rubber in second gear. lol

    A couple of observations.

    I'm standing there timing the engine, wondering why the passenger side is smoking like a tire fire, before it dawned on me that the passenger side never got hot enough to burn the paint off of the headers.
    Took a couple of minutes, then you could breath again. lol

    One other thing I noticed was that the distributor cover cap, was different on the even-fire, and the odd fire engine.
    This I didn't figure out till I ordered all the parts I needed thinking I had the right cap, okay now I've got to wait some more. lol
    I have a tote full of SBC distributors, and their caps are exactly the same as the odd fired distributor.

    Just wanted to say Thanks to everyone that offered advice.
    I would have never figured this one out without help.

    Jim
     
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  4. Aug 3, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    Good to hear! Enjoy driving it!
     
  5. Aug 4, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Agree with FinoCJ. Glad you figured it out.
     
  6. Aug 4, 2022
    Lockman

    Lockman OK.....Now I Get It . 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Silver Hill,...
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    We're glad for you....... your up & runnin'n now . :bananatool:
     
  7. Aug 4, 2022
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
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    Mar 4, 2003
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    5,466
    Just to document in the thread - Part differences between even and odd fire HEI distributors are:
    Cap
    Reluctor
    Posts on the shaft

    Its easy to see in a conversion document... that is not shown on the web any longer. I'll see if we can post up a PDF of it as I have it on my hard drive.
     
  8. Aug 5, 2022
    Jim Curlee

    Jim Curlee New Member

    northern Minnesohta
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    Jul 20, 2022
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    Towers are not evenly distributed on the cap on an oddfired engine, they are also not equal distance apart on an even fired engine.
    #1 and #6, and #3 and #2 are closer together.
    #4 and #5 are across from each other, that is why the dcc mounting screws won't work with the oddfire, or the SBC caps.

    The coil cover screw locations are different on both caps, even fired distributor cover caps screws are closer to the wire hook-up.
    Odd fired dcc screws are opposite each other, and centered in the cap.

    When you look inside the even fire cap the "aluminum strips" are the same length, on the odd fired they are not, one long, one short, etc.

    Had to look up "reluctor", but I did not change anything in the distributor itself

    Other than that, both distributors have the same components in the same location.
    In fact, I used a 12 v coil out of one of my SBC distributors in the rebuilt even fired distributor I bought, seems to work just fine.

    Hope that helps.

    One more thing, I bought my parts from Rock Auto.
    They arrived within a day or three, and they did not rip you on the shipping.
    I will continue to buy from them when a part is needed.
    I live out in the dings, so getting my parts in the mailbox, is a lot easier than running to town(20 miles away).

    Jim
     
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  9. Aug 6, 2022
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
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    5,466
    Fireball likes this.
  10. Aug 6, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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